ANROWS Horizons, Issue 01, May 2016

This research project provided a national mapping and meta-evaluation of the key features of “safe at home” programs. “Safe at home” programs enhance safety and prevent homelessness for women and their children who have experienced domestic and family violence.

The first stage, a state of knowledge paper (#4769), provided a comprehensive review of the literature and a national mapping of current “safe at home” programs by jurisdiction, including details of legislation underpinning “safe at home” programs in each jurisdiction. The second stage, the final research report, was a meta-evaluation of select evidence about Australian “safe at home” programs and practices.

The meta-evaluation examined 20 evaluations of “safe at home” programs across Australia to identify the key features of effective programs and to provide recommendations for policy-makers, practitioners and researchers.

The report found that “safe at home” programs had four common underlying themes, but each focused primarily on maximising women’s safety, using protection orders and ouster/exclusion provisions to reduce the risk of a perpetrator returning, or preventing homelessness, using case-management to assess risk, manage safety planning and consider women’s needs over time. Overall, one or more of the themes were identified across the “safe at home” evaluations, but the emphasis varied by program and at different points during the response provided. (From the website). Record #5254