Beyond the refuge: Outreach brings family violence support to families where they are

McAuley’s family violence case management, or ‘Outreach’ program, is helping families navigate the complexities of the system to regain safety and control.

Unlike emergency, crisis, and refuge accommodation where women and children escaping family violence are housed by McAuley, our family violence case management team supports victim survivors in their current place of residence through a variety of integrated support services – ensuring they get the right support at the right time.

In 2024–25, McAuley’s family violence case management team supported more than 172 adults and 286 children across Melbourne’s West, making Outreach our largest support program.

The majority of program participants were living in private rental accommodation and were supported, on average, by McAuley for 128 days.

Through experienced family violence practitioners, our Outreach team delivers flexible, person-centred case management for victim survivors and provides access to a range of integrated services, including crisis and after-hours support, coordinated referrals from multi-agency Risk Assessment and Management Panels (RAMPs), safety audits and planning, advocacy to housing providers, education and employment support, financial, legal and material aid, and social and community connections.

“The Outreach program is foundational to our work here at McAuley,” said McAuley CEO Jocelyn Bignold OAM.

“We know that keeping women and children safe in their homes, in their communities and education settings is key to ensuring they remain connected and reduces their risk of homelessness. Outreach is our largest program, year after year, and one that continues to develop and grow.”

With children now making up over 60 percent of Outreach program participants, McAuley has identified the need for a more targeted response for children and young people in Outreach care.

“Currently, children are mostly supported as a part of the primary caregiver’s case plan,” said Jocelyn. “But we know that children’s experiences and trauma are very different to mothers’ and require targeted and individual support plans.”

To-date, children in our family violence case management program have had access to a range of specialist services including Child Protection, McAuley’s Enhanced Maternal Child Health Nurse and McAuley Learning Support.

McAuley also supports children by helping parents access support packages to help pay for counselling, tutoring and relevant educational requirements such as laptops.

Outreach participant Samira said, “I couldn’t talk about what was happening because I was so embarrassed. Once we began with McAuley I knew things would change.

“They [the McAuley Outreach team] installed security and worked with me to create an escape plan if we needed it…they also taught me about the different types of family violence and helped my children to get back to school,” she said.

“Thanks to McAuley, we know we are safe in our home and that is my biggest priority.”

McAuley has delivered family violence case management since 2018 and to date, has helped more than 3,200 women and children be safe from violence and begin their journey to safety and recovery.