good practice

Elements of Good Practice

Programs, projects, services and initiatives assessed for the Good Practice Database are of a high standard and include the following elements:

1 Principles and Definitions which reflect Good Practice 

Definitions of domestic violence which address the processes of abuse, minimise victim-blaming and enable effective support and prevention. Programs and services representing good practice include:    

Principles and policies which:
(a) reflect the primacy of women’s and children’s safety,
(b) define domestic violence as,

• physical
• sexual
• psychological
• emotional
• verbal
• social and/or
• financial

abuse, in an existing or former intimate-partner relationship, which causes ongoing fear. The definition acknowledges the experience of children who witness or live with domestic violence,
(c) hold perpetrators accountable for their behaviour and aim to reduce incidents of violence committed by perpetrators,
(d) acknowledge that abuse is used to gain and maintain power and control,
(e) recognise that domestic violence is a gender issue,
(f) recognise that acts of violence are criminal acts, irrespective of class, culture, race, religion,  age   or disability or the private location of the acts of violence, and
(g) are ethical.

2 A recognition of cultural diversity and other diverse needs within the community

Good practice recognises the diversity of communities and of women’s needs. Good Practice responses are alert to hidden discrimination and prioritise universal, equitable access and design. Women’s diverse abilities, responsibilities, income levels, ages, sexualities, cultural or religious frameworks, and the complexities of their trauma are acknowledged in program development and provision.

3 Represents innovation or a practice benchmark

Many listings on the Good Practice database are new initiatives or provide benchmarks for practice.

4 Potential for adoption or development within a range of settings across the nation

Programs, guidelines and initiatives on the Good Practice database have the potential to be adopted or used by other services.

5 A clearly defined conceptual framework or evidence base

Programs built on a clearly defined theoretical or conceptual framework are better able to identify whether they meet the accepted good practice principles noted above.

Programs based on research and theories which have provided evidence of their effectiveness or appropriateness reflect good practice. Many of the entries on the database relate to research which can be accessed through the Clearinghouse research and Resources database.

6 Clearly defined aims and objectives, which focus on safety and violence reduction

Clearly defined aims allow organisations to work out whether their programs are working and whether they help to enhance the safety of victims and reduce perpetrator violence. 

7 Informed by consultative processes

Listening to the needs or the feedback of diverse stakeholders or community members can be important in making sure the program is accessible and relevant and that any potential victimisation or discrimination is identified.  Consultation gives voice to the community in program development and can provide feedback for continuous improvement. Good consultative processes are the cornerstone of good partnerships in practice.

8 Skilled, supported and supervised workforce

A skilled workforce is an important component of the service infrastructure necessary for good practice. Organisations demonstrating good practice provide appropriate support structures and supervision, including clinical supervision, where appropriate, as well as training and policies to help staff respond most effectively.

9 Good governance, planning, and policy development

Good practice is supported by good infrastructure. Organisations demonstrating good practice are well-managed and accountable. They develop good internal systems and processes and engage in strategic thinking, community development, research and policy development, such as OH&S, Access and Equity and client rights policies.

10 Monitoring and meaningful evaluation

Does the program ‘work’? To find out, information about outcomes needs to be collected and monitored. Evaluation allows organisations to work out whether the program is doing what it was set up to do. Effective evaluation enables organisations to demonstrate results or outcomes which reflect program aims or goals. Evaluation is also used to troubleshoot and assist in ongoing program or service improvement. Organisations which monitor or evaluate their work are more likely to be committed to developing and fine-tuning their work to achieve the best possible outcomes. When evaluations are publicly available, they also help make programs accountable to their communities.

Collecting data which relates to program goals provides the raw materials for ongoing monitoring, so organisations can keep check on their achievements, even where there may not be funding for larger scale evaluations.

11 Multi-agency service collaboration

Good Practice in service provision addresses the silos and territorial problems across agencies, as these can be a second source of abuse for victims. Multi-agency service collaboration can range from a loose alignment achieved through participation within local networks campaigning against domestic violence, to fully integrated systems. For more information about multi-agency responses, click here.

12 High-level support and coordinated management

Leadership is vital to good practice. Top level support ensures that problems can be ironed out, funding levels are realistic and policies, cross-agency memoranda and protocols are implemented. This is of particular importance in government-based services or responses, where Ministerial and CEO commitment underpins effective program implementation.