The Lucy Saw Centre

The Lucy Saw Centre (LSC) has a broad range of domestic violence programs available for each client and professional assessment for domestic violence services

THE LUCY SAW CENTRE - Services & Statistics

Refuge: The Centre for the Prevention and Intervention of Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) short-term, emergency accommodation for women and women with children affected by DFV

Outreach: To clients within the Rockingham and Kwinana region with a focus on the Kwinana area and Aboriginal families in particular. This can be provided in home as long it is safe to do so; if following a risk assessment it is unsafe to attend the clients home; clients can be seen at the refuge or at another safe venue.

Police referrals: 1504 families for 2011

Safe at Home: managed risk, longer term case management of 74 families in 2011

CMCS: high risk and recidivist cases

Counselling: for mothers & children, domestic violence and AOD

Clients can enter the system at any point of contact

Assessment processes ensure that referrals will go to the most appropriate internal or external service

24 hour telephone assistance is available for clients which provides them with relevant and concise information that can help them to establish immediate strategies and a safety plan.

The LSC Umbrella of Services

Refuge

Outreach

Safe At Home/Police Orders CMCS

Counselling

External Services

The Lucy Saw Centre has relationships with many external services involved in domestic violence work

The Lucy Saw Centre works collaboratively with agencies such as the police and Family Protection Unit (FPU), Department of Child Protection (DCP), victim support services, Family Violence Service (Court), Housing services, NAHA services and many other agencies

The Lucy Saw Centre: the centre for the prevention and intervention of domestic and family violence

The Lucy Saw Centre is a crisis accommodation service that assists women and children affected by domestic and family violence

The Centre can accommodate 6 women and up to 19 children at any one time

Families are case managed throughout their stay at the centre, and there is a high focus on children’s needs and services.

External Interventions

The Lucy Saw Centre Outreach Clients have access to external interventions: DV education, counselling, groups and referrals to other agencies

Clients are provided with practical support, clothing, blankets, transport, court support, emergency relief such as food vouchers etc.

Outreach clients are provided with safety planning and DV education

External practical support is also accessed from local services

Lucy Saw Outreach

Outreach services are provided for those families choosing to stay in their own home

There are outreach services provided for clients on point of exit from the accommodation services

A risk assessment will determine whether client appointments are in the centre or in the client’s home

Outreach services have a focus on clients in the Kwinana and Rockingham areas with a focus on engaging Aboriginal women and children

Safe at Home

Safe at home is the new program in the Lucy Saw suite of services which has extended our area of service from Fremantle down to Singleton along the coast

Safe at home case manage 50 families per year who are affected by domestic violence. This is a managed risk service with guidelines that inform safety and risk for both clients and workers

Safe at home also process Police Order referrals at a rate of more than 1500 per year, offering support information and referrals

Case Management Coordination Service (South Metro)

The Case Management Coordination Service is the interagency management of high risk DV cases

It involves management of high risk, recidivist families using prevention and early intervention , safety for victims and accountability for perpetrators

Referral into this services is encouraged from police, DCP, GPs and all other services and agencies that work with victims of domestic violence

Counselling Services

Engagement in counselling is reinforced by clients having outreach appointments while on the waiting list for an appointment so that support is received immediately

It is essential for client safety to keep them engaged from the first contact

There is more demand for counselling than funding available, however, Staff ensure that each referred client will be referred to the most appropriate external services in a timely manner

Value for money

Economically The Lucy Saw Centre is fluid and transparent

The Lucy Saw Centre is overseen by a management committee, and is effective without the limitations of a bureaucracy

The Lucy Saw Centre is streamlined enabling focus on the important issues that are relevant to the service.

The work ethic

At the Lucy Saw Centre, both staff and management are passionate about their work and demonstrate a high level of commitment to the work and values of Lucy Saw

Management and staff identify and undertake training updates which reflect the current practices and bring new ideas and ways of thinking to the organisation.

Careful assessment of each individual or family’s support needs is carried out prior to entry in the refuge, during their stay and once they leave, should they continue to access the service.

This ensures their needs are met to the best possible standard and that they remain as safe as possible.

Vision and Values

“All women and children experiencing domestic and family violence will have access to information, support, counselling and accommodation appropriate to their needs, regardless of their place of residence or special needs, provided by a range of well trained and professional staff readily available for residents and outreach clients.”

The Bigger Picture

Lucy Saw Centre management participates in the bigger picture of domestic violence in WA

The Executive Officer serves on relevant committees within the homelessness sector, and on our peak body, the Women’s Council of DV services

LSC Principles All services under the Lucy Saw Centre umbrella

operate within the same broad range of principles and procedures on which the Lucy Saw Centre has served its clients for so many years

There is a high level of consistency within principles of service to ensure that the service meets the needs of women and children escaping domestic violence

Equity, equality and fairness is incorporated within the day to day practice at the refuge

All inclusive practises ensure that any woman or child experiencing domestic violence is provided with information which will help them to be safe and secure

The rights of women and children to be free from violence and abuse are of primary importance

In closing

The Lucy Saw Centre has been operational for 37 years

During that time, the system has developed through the application of knowledge, expertise and increased funding

The Success of the Lucy Saw Centre can be attributed to our innovative, yet logical approach, the hard working staff and the overwhelming support of Government and our many partners in the different projects that we undertake

The Staff: