Integrated Services
We understand that issues of family and domestic violence are highly complex and, while early legal assistance is critical, we know that legal services alone cannot resolve all issues.
We, therefore, provide a holistic service delivery model, which includes prevention and education initiatives aimed at supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to live free from family and domestic violence and sexual assault.
Our integrated services approach allows us to:
- Provide improved access to justice and safety for victim survivors of family violence and sexual violence
- Support clients in addressing their holistic social needs beyond the demands of their legal matters.
- Improved social and emotional well-being and resilience for families
- Support restitution for victim survivors and families
Understanding Integrated Services
Our organisation provides combined legal assistance and intensive social support services based on comprehensive organisational expertise of culturally safe, trauma informed, person-centred, and evidence based social service delivery.
Our legal assistance allows our clients to know about their legal rights, responsibilities, limitations, and be supported on their pathway through the justice system. This empowers them to make informed decisions, take informed actions, and to have a voice and guide in that pathway.
Working closely with our legal team, AFLS social workers (Family Advocates) walk alongside our clients as they navigate the legal and social support systems. With this emotional and practical support, our clients can make the right decisions about legal choices, be safer, and make those decisions work for themselves and their families.
Our solicitors work to deliver appropriate, accessible, and efficient legal assistance and related legal services to our clients across our regions.
Our considered legal assistance services enable clients to know their legal rights, responsibilities, limitations, and be supported on their pathway through the justice system.
Our legal teams:
- Guide clients through a range of legal matters
- Provide legal advice to clients in the matters of FVROs, CICs, Child Protection, among others
- Lawyers will refer clients to social workers for non-legal support if they believe it is required
- Assist the social workers with their advocacy for clients
- Manage the legal referrals
- Provide representation in court if required
Our Family Advocates provide intensive case management to victims of family and domestic violence and sexual assault. It supports them in addressing their holistic social need — particularly beyond the demands of their legal matters.
Our locally-based Family Advocates draw upon a specialised knowledge of complex post-traumatic stress issues, and work alongside clients to:
- Provide intensive case management work over a sustained period.
- Provide advocacy, practical support and information as appropriate.
- Crisis support including the provision of food and other vouchers, dignity packages, etc.
- Provide case coordination with statutory agencies to address the range of issues facing the client.
- Complete risk assessment and safety planning (case planning) to identify and achieve safety needs for the client and their family.
- Provide court support.
- Attend meetings with other agencies as necessary.
- Provide referrals to a range of culturally appropriate and safe organisations.
