Safer in the Home

I need urgent assistance

If you have concerns for your immediate safety, or someone you know, contact the police on 000. You can also contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT for referral to a family violence service.

About Safer in the Home

The program aims to minimise the social and economic consequences of escaping family violence that may occur when forced to leave the family home, such as homelessness, disconnection from community, unemployment, and disruption to children’s schooling.

Complete the form (pdf)

Who can use the program?

• Women in Australia – with or without children – who are assessed as being “at risk” or “elevated risk” from family violence. 
• The Salvation Army uses the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) framework to assess “risk”.
• Women and children who are seeking to remain safely in the home of their choice in a family violence context.

The program is suitable for:

• Aboriginal women who want to stay connected to their family, community and remain on country.
• Women living in remote and rural communities where they experience limited access to specialist family violence services.
• Women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds wishing to stay connected to and supported by their community.
• Women living with disability in a house that has been upgraded to meet their needs and wish to stay in their property.

Who can refer to the program?

• Salvation Army employees.
• Corps officers who support clients.
• Community-based professionals, for example:
  • Child protection workers
  • Community advocates
  • Counsellors
  • Court advocates
  • Family violence workers
  • Generalist case managers
  • Legal representatives
  • Police

For best response

Women referred to Safer in the Home should already be receiving case management through a specialist family violence or generalist support service. This ensures their immediate and ongoing safety needs (and children), are assessed and addressed.

In cases where a woman is not linked with a specialist family violence agency, a Safer in The Home specialist worker can assist with a risk assessment and safety planning. All Victorian referrals from a specialist family violence service should be accompanied by the MARAM risk assessment as per legislation.

Complete the form (pdf)

What can the program provide?

The program can fund a range of basic security upgrades to support women who have experienced family or domestic violence to remain safely in their homes and connected to their communities.

Safer in the Home can provide referral and advocacy support to all women engaged with the program.

Following the client (or agency) request for safety upgrades, we will see the approved works through to completion.

These might include:

• Re-key of existing locks to essential external doors.
• Lock change to essential external doors (where there is damage caused by forced entry, this might include a lock change and structural repair to frame).
• Security lighting (which may include rewiring by an electrician).
• Security door (prohibitive costs mean one security door can be considered).
• Compliant utility lock (if there has been evidence of tampering by person using violence).
• Remote technology assessment (including basic cyber safety education with a security technician over the telephone).

Our remote technology assessment service is provided by G-SEC Security. They are an experienced security services firm who has been managing a range of security-related work for many years.

G-SEC Security have full security accreditation and exceed The Salvation Army compliance requirements.

A remote tech sweep is a check of a victim survivors’ devices (depending on number of family users on shared home network). This is performed by a qualified technician, using remote access software and is not at a victim survivors’ home.

A telephone appointment with a cyber security is available and can include:

• Connection to the client's laptop, wirelessly to scan for spyware.
• Support to clients to navigate their mobile phones to protect against tech abuse.
• Password protection and cyber safety planning.

What can't the program provide?

Safer in the Home cannot provide security upgrades such as CCTV monitoring systems, personal safety devices such as safety watches, or personal safety Apps. These are interventions more suitable in the high-risk range, and can be considered by the specialist family violence service in the applicant's state or local area.

Safer in the Home is not funded or equipped to respond in a crisis time frame. Situations requiring immediate risk management and safe accommodation must be referred to the local family violence specialist service.

Delays in tenancy upgrades can be due to:

• Security screen doors are usually made to order and can take up to six weeks to manufacture.
• Supply shortages (some materials are subject to delays from international suppliers).
• The client’s geography (remote areas require coordination)
• Engagement with the referred women – service relies on ability to contact the (client contact phone number or email are a requirement).

How can I apply?

Complete the form (pdf)

• This must include the organisation risk assessment tool and safety plan. If you do not use a risk assessment tool, contact Safer in the Home for a risk assessment form or tool, we can provide support for non-specialist services.
• Detail a list of tenancy safety upgrades, identified by the victim survivor in priority order. We can accept police property assessment or any other professional property assessment that the victim survivor has (we do not fund property assessments in the low-risk range).
• To support the application, provide photographs where possible of the requested tenancy upgrades showing current condition.
• Landlord permission is required for all upgrades except essential lock change in situations of family violence.
• Email the completed referral form to: saferinthehome@salvationarmy.org.au

Referral to include:

• Photographs to support works. If not possible, a detailed description of what is required, for example new security light to front of property or replacement of existing and damaged security light.
• Landlord permission to escalate the turnaround of the upgrade response.
• Risk assessment (essential).

I want to give feedback

To give feedback on any part of our program, email: saferinthehome@salvationarmy.org.au