Early Years Family Violence Evaluation

Berry Street’s Hume Early Years Family Violence Project (HEYFVP) provides an innovative response to family violence in the City of Hume, using a model that combines capacity building and system development for professionals, with direct support for victim-survivors.

HEYFVP Practitioners work closely with a range of service providers in Hume. Collaborating services and professionals include Maternal and Child Health Nurses, Centrelink, Broadmeadows Community Hub, playgroup facilitators, school educators, early learning centres and libraries. Capacity building occurs through training, meetings, community events and secondary consultations. HEYFVP also provides outreach support to victim-survivors and their children, using specialised case management and single-session approaches.

Evaluation

Lirata partnered with Berry Street to evaluate the HEYFVP project. The evaluation drew on training feedback data, stakeholder interview data and client outcomes data collected by Berry Street between 2016 and 2021, supplemented by Berry Street staff interviews. The evaluation examined HEYFVP’s outcomes as well as service delivery processes.

Outcomes

The evaluation found that the Hume Early Years Family Violence Project has been delivered at high quality. HEYFVP has effectively engaged stakeholders, and made a substantial difference in the ability of the service system in Hume to identify and respond to family violence. Accessible HEYFVP practitioners embedded within this local service system complement other pathways into support, and provide an effective way to engage community members experiencing family violence.

The findings will assist Berry Street to build the evidence base for collaborative family violence practice in the early years space. This will support potential future funding applications, as well as internal learning and improvement of the service. The evaluation will contribute to more effective responses to family violence in Hume and beyond, keeping the community safe and well.