Practitioners embrace research on families experiencing adolescent violence at home

Practitioners embrace research on families experiencing adolescent violence at home

RMIT’s Centre for Innovative Justice (CIJ) continues to publish much needed research into adolescent violence in the home, with its most recent report released in April 2023 exploring the need for a whole-of-family, wrap-around service response to this complex issue.

Funded by Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS), the WRAP around families experiencing Adolescent Violence in the Home (AVITH) research built on recommendations from the CIJ’s Positive Interventions for Perpetrators of AVITH PIPA project research, published in 2020.

The WRAP Around Families research involved a case study of an innovative program working with young people and families in this context, including case file reviews and client interviews, as well as a series of focus groups and workshops with 75 practitioners who support families and young people across a range of disciplines.

The findings from the research highlighted the prevalence of past and present adult-perpetrated harm in the lives of young people who use violence, as well as how prior negative service interactions were preventing effective intervention.

The research resulted in an AVITH Collaborative Practice Framework, designed to support a more consistent system and service response from policymakers, organisations and individual practitioners.

Lead researcher Elena Campbell, Associate Director, Research, Advocacy and Policy, has presented the research and framework in multiple forums, including a national webinar run by ANROWS, which was attended by over 850 people with a further 2,000 watching the recording.

Campbell said the positive response highlighted a significant practice and policy appetite for deeper understanding and more effective responses to this complex issue.

“Since the report’s release, we’re also holding a series of practitioner workshops to unpack the framework and to explore next steps, with the framework already being adopted in practice contexts around Australia,” Campbell said.

“We look forward to continuing to share the results of this research in policy and practice contexts – another example of the CIJ’s continuing real world impact,” she said.

Elena Campbell standing behind a lectern speaking to a seated audience with a slideshow playing behind her Elena Campbell presenting at a WRAP Around Families workshop in August.

Read the full report here.

Story: Thomas Odell

07 September 2023

Share

07 September 2023

Share

Engage

Related News

A person is on their bed in the dark with their knees bent towards their chest, clutching their face with their hands in distraught.

Sexual assault survivors deserve a gold standard reporting experience

A world-first report examining alternative ways for victim-survivors to report sexual assault says under-reporting could be reduced if moved away from law enforcement, but it will need greater support and funding to be sustainable and secure.

Slovenia.jpg

Global learning award winners: Online courses for sustainable, inclusive and beautiful cities

Short online courses by RMIT Europe, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Community, EIT Urban Mobility and the New European Bauhaus (NEB) have been named winners in the 2023 LearnX Awards.

Critically endangered Victorian dolphins suffering highest known levels of toxic pollutants

Dolphins in the waters off Melbourne and Gippsland have been found with the highest concentrations of PFAS chemicals in dolphins reported anywhere in the world, according to new research.

sacf-thumbnail.jpg

RMIT joins the Spain-Australia Council Foundation

RMIT has become the first Australian institution to join the Spain-Australia Council Foundation as a patron.

Show more
aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

More information