Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Services Program

The Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Services (IDFVS) program is an integrated and coordinated response program that promotes flexible, local place based and client-focussed services to address domestic and family violence among high-risk priority groups. The program’s central principle is that DFV is a multi-faceted and complex issue and there is no single solution or agency that can resolve it alone.

The IDFVS program allows specialist Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) Services to consider the agency and service responses to DFV in their area and offer tailored support to victim- survivors, their families and person using violence.

Who benefits?

The IDFVS program provides women and children with support to escape and recover from violence and abuse and improve their outcomes. Support is provided through ongoing practical and emotional support for victim-survivors living through the abuse and for those who have left the violent and controlling relationship. The program also works with the person using violence, as long as it doesn’t compromise the safety and wellbeing of victim-survivors and other family members.

Services and support are also provided directly to children, as negotiated and agreed to by their parents. These services can include:

• emotional and practical support
• safety planning
• risk assessment using the mandatory reporting guidelines
• therapeutic support, where specialisation exists within the service.

Why is this program important?

Integrated case management is core to the program. This is a response to family violence that goes beyond coordinating policies, systems and information-sharing to providing case management services which offer a unified, multi-agency approach.

The IDFVS program focuses on achieving the following:

• Empowering women to keep themselves and their family safe.
• Supporting the pursuit of prosecution through the courts.
• Perpetrators are referred to domestic violence behaviour change programs.
• Meeting case plan goals if one is created after an assessment of the family's situation.

Priority of high-risk groups

Priority may be given to high-risk groups including:

• people from disadvantaged and from rural and remote communities
• people with a disability or special needs
• Aboriginal people
• people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• repeat victims of domestic and family violence
• victims of domestic and family violence who previously refused services.

What does the program deliver?

The IDFVS program allows specialist Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) Services to consider the agency and service responses to DFV in their area and offer tailored support to victim- survivors, their families and person using violence.

IDFVS Program Specifications

An evaluation of IDFVS (PDF, 1.1 MB)  delivered on November 2018, conducted by The Social Policy Research Centre and Gendered Violence Research Network, UNSW Sydney found that IDFVS workers' expertise and knowledge of DFV meant that client's needs were better understood, clients felt listened to and understood and clients were appropriately connected with local services.

The  program evaluation recommended that the program specifications be reviewed to support a whole of family safety response. The Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Services program specifications (PDF, 443.4 KB) have been reviewed and updated.

The review commenced in September 2024 and was informed by consultation with the DFV sector and peak bodies. The program specifications have been updated to reflect current good practice, key legislative changes and to align with the NSW Domestic and Family Violence Plan 2022-2027.

The IDFVS program takes a gendered view of DFV and draws on systems theory and positioning the program as part of a broader systems response, alongside relevant government and non-government agencies to reduce DFV. It is a person centred and trauma informed case management model promoting victim-survivor choice and safety.

Key inclusions in the IDFVS Program Specifications, including:

• Increased focus on working with the whole of family, including children as clients and providing referrals and support to the person using violence
• Aboriginal healing models and practices
• Service responses to multi-perpetrator violence and misidentification
• Working more collaboratively with men’s behaviour change programs (MBCP)
• Partnering with multicultural or Aboriginal services to provide effective and culturally responsive support
• Inclusion of a training matrix to support services identifying areas of need in DFV specialist practice.

Program Expansion 2025

In the 2024/25 Budget, the NSW Government committed to provide an additional $245.6 million over four years as part of an emergency package to enhance support for domestic, family, and sexual violence (DFSV) victim-survivors and expand programs that reduce the rate of violence against women and children. Details of the measures included can be found here.

$48 million of this funding was committed to expand the Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) program state-wide, to increase the number of Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Services (IDFVS) and develop Aboriginal led, place based family violence responses.

There are 11 existing IDFVS services across NSW delivering critical integrated and holistic services for families experiencing DFV. A further 6 services will be funded through this new investment and the procurement process has been expedited to meet the urgency of the emergency package response.  3 locations will be procured through Open Tender and 3 locations will commence with an Expression of Interest (EOI) for Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) as detailed below.

• Expansion of Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Service (IDFVS) program 2025 - RFX 1233
  • New England-Inverell and Glen Innes LGAs
  • Hunter - Maitland and Cessnock
  • Murrumbidgee - Hilltops and Cootamundra-Gundagai

Link to recording for RFX 1233 Industry Briefing held 10.30am Tuesday 8 April 2025

• ACCO EOI Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Service (IDFVS) program - RFI 94
  • Richmond Valley, Lismore, Kyogle LGAs 
  • Warrumbungle LGA
  • Broken Hill and Central Darling LGAs

Link to recording for RFI 94 Industry Briefing held 10.30am Tuesday 8 April 2025

Useful Resources:

• More information can be found on the NSW Government e-tendering website.
• DCJ were invited to discuss the IDFVS and SHLV expansion plans at a DVNSW led forum held 10 September 2024. A copy of the presentation can be found at the following link (DVNSW presentation SHLV and IDFVS expansion - 10 September 2024 (PDF, 1.8 MB) (PDF, 1.8 MB). 
• More information about registering as a provider -  Procurement Central registration info pack

Locations

The Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Services program operates out of the following 11 locations: