The Family Safety 5 As

Victim-survivor voices to guide health practitioner conversations about family violence

• ALONE

  • I’m going to spend some time with your partner on their own now to ask about some specific health issues.

  • I need you to step out for 15 minutes. As part of standard care here, patients are seen in private for the first 10-minutes of the appointment. This is important for all patients’ health.

  • (Telehealth) Are you alone? Can anybody overhear? Is this a safe time to talk? Any consultation requires by law that you are alone.

  • Could I ask for the person in the background to leave please?

• ASK

  We ask people about relationship issues because we know they can affect your health. Is that ok?

  A Has anyone in your family done something to make you or your children feel unsafe or Afraid?

  C Have they Controlled your day-to-day activities (e.g. who you see, where you go) or put you down?

  T Have they Threatened to hurt you in any way?

  S Have they physically hurt you in any way (Slapped, hit, kicked or otherwise physically hurt you)?

  If they answer NO:

  I want you to know that if any relationship issues do come up, this is a safe place to talk about it and get help.

  If answered YES move to ASSESS.

• ASSESS

  To ASSESS, begin to use LIVES:

  LISTEN. Take some deep breaths. Take your time. I am here to list

  INQUIRE. What do you need from me today? What is the most helpful thing I can do for you right now?

  VALIDATE. Thank you for being brave. That’s an enormous first step. Thank you for opening up about what’s been happening. I think you’ve been incredibly strong. You are worth more than this. You have the right to be respected and feel safe and I’m so sorry this hasn’t been the case for you. That behaviour is not okay. I want to make sure you know that none of this is your fault and it’s completely normal to feel the way that you do.

  Continued in ALLY

• ALLY

  Continue using LIVES:

  ENHANCE SAFETY Are you safe to go home today? Can we look at ways to put in a safety plan for the future? Let’s work together to figure out what make you and your children feel safer. I want to ask you some more questions to help us reflect on your safety needs - See Safety Assessment Tool

  SUPPORT I am here for you. I hear that you are feeling worried and frightened. How can I support you to feel safer? You are not alone. I will help you get through this. Let’s sit and talk through this. This is a confidential and safe environment; would you like me to ring someone who can help while you are here? Would you like me to contact a specialist support service?

  DECLINES REFERRAL - Validate again

  We are always here to talk with and support you. We want to help you get through this. Is there any other way we can help? If you change your mind, there are safe places to talk about this serious issue in the future.

  ACCEPTS REFERRAL

  I will help guide you through the process of accessing these services. I will help you find the right supports.

• ADVOCATE

  We are going to do all we can to get you help. We can help with practical solutions. Sometimes people want more practical support (like phone calls or letters of support); we can help with that too.