$4.7 billion to address family violence – what are ECEC services doing to support?

The Federal Government recently announced a $4.7 billion national funding package to deliver much needed resources to address family and sexual violence. 

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) services are, sadly, often given a front row seat to the challenges experienced by children and families impacted by these issues, as well as having members of their staffing cohorts impacted by these issues, leaving many providers feeling ‘stuck’ about how best to help, when specialist support services are in high demand. 

Long wait lists, delayed access to support and inadequate legal representation are just some of the problems victim-survivors have faced due to this under-resourcing, leaving them turning to alternative sources of support, such as their ECEC provider. 

When the service sector cannot respond to all the calls for assistance and intervention it receives, victim-survivors are left in harm’s way. Their lives may be at risk, and there are lost opportunities to intervene with people using violence to prevent their behaviour from escalating further.

What are the core elements of the new package? 

One of the key elements of the newly announced package of funding and support is that it  places the safety and recovery of victim-survivors ‘front and centre.’ 

It promotes holding people who use family and sexual violence accountable through strengthened legal systems, specialist services, and programs for perpetrator change.

The plan addresses the impacts of violence on children and young people and promises to improve the coordination and stability of family and sexual violence responses across the country.

Specific measures that will receive a boost in funding include:

• $3.9 billion over five years to the family, domestic and sexual violence sector, and a commitment to long-term funding certainty for services
• an $800 million increase in legal assistance funding to services addressing gender-based violence, over five years
• a more than $80 million boost to trauma-informed support for children and young people to promote recovery and intervene early to prevent inter-generational violence.

Additionally, Ministers pledged to work collaboratively on several national reform areas including a shared national risk assessment framework for family violence and information sharing systems to better respond to high-risk perpetrators.

Government systems which are being ‘weaponised’ by perpetrators as tools of abuse will be audited, and previous funding commitments have been substantially extended.

What’s happening at service level? 

While the recent reforms at policy and government level are welcomed, many ECEC services struggle to know how to have a meaningful impact in the complex family and domestic violence space on a local level. 

Big Fat Smile has recently undertaken an exploration of this space, announcing a partnership with Escabags, a charity that provides ‘Escape Bags’ to individuals or families who are facing violence or abuse. 

Stocked at Big Fat Smile’s head office, the bags contain essential necessities for both adults and children who are escaping dangerous situations, stocked with high quality products to provide comfort and support, as well as information about local support services. 

“Our decision to stock Escabags not only supports this incredible charity but also allows us to connect with our community of 3500 families,” Big Fat Smile CEO Kim Bertino said.

“As a child-safe organisation, we are unwavering in our commitment to upholding this essential value. By providing these Escape Bags, we demonstrate our deep dedication to serving the community and ensuring people facing abuse receive the free, confidential support required to feel secure and valued.”

Escape Bags can be requested from ‘safe contacts’ at Big Fat Smile  (Executive, Head of Practice, Practice Manager) or can be collected from the Big Fat Smile office in Wollongong. 

For more information about Escabags and the incredible work they do, visit their website at Escabags.org