Leading Change in Family Violence Symposium

Please note the Leading Change in Family Violence Symposium will be returning in 2025. Let us know you're interested and be kept up to date about the event here.

Berry Street, Safe and Equal, The Centre for Excellence in Child & Family Welfare and VACCA are proud to host the Leading Change in Family Violence Symposium. Leading Change in Family Violence is a premier event that will bring together over 200 practitioners, leaders and policy makers from across the specialist family violence and broader human services sector.

Early bird rate of $390 available for a limited time only.

Collaboration is key to quality outcomes for people experiencing family violence. So, we're bringing together over 200 hundred professionals from across the specialist family violence and broader family services sector for practice-rich learning and collaboration opportunities.

This one-day, family violence sector Symposium is practice-led and practitioner focused. It will highlight the impact of the reform agenda in Victoria and the key role Victorian organisations have played in leading change and innovation to meet the needs of families to find freedom from family violence.

We’ll be exploring the following themes:

• an update on the Family Violence reform agenda (in Victoria & nationally), the changing context of the work and the impact of the reform agenda
• best-practice, innovative and intersectional approaches to family violence
• the important work of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations
• infant, child and young person focussed family violence practice
• the growing evidence base for family violence practice
• hearing the voice of lived experience.

Leading Change in Family Violence will showcase a diverse line-up of engaging presentations and panel discussions. Download the program below.

Note: this is an interim program and is subject to change.

Early bird pricing - $390.00

(register and pay by Friday 3 November)

Full fee - $460.00

Prices are inclusive of GST

Our program features a diverse lineup of engaging presentations and panel discussions from leading sector experts including Micaela Cronin, Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner who will provide an update on the outcomes and continuing work of the national reform agenda. Other presenters include Muriel Bamblett, CEO VACCA; Deb Tsorbaris, CEO The Centre for Excellence in Child & Family Welfare; Tania Farha, CEO Safe and Equal; Jocelyn Bignold, CEO McAuley Community Services for Women; Nadia Mattiazzo, CEO Women with Disabilities Victoria; Janet Jukes OAM, President of the Board, Thorne Harbour Health; Rasha Abbas, CEO, InTouch; Allison Cox, Director, Berry Street Take Two; Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Monash University; Cathy Humphreys and Margaret Kertesz, The University of Melbourne; and Berry Street Y-Change Lived Experience Consultants. More presenters will be added to the program soon, so please check our event website for updates.

The Symposium represents a partnership between Berry Street, Safe and Equal (family violence services peak body), The Centre for Excellence in Child & Family Welfare (child & family services peak body) and Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA).

This strategic partnership enables the delivery of a practice-rich event purposefully bringing together broad aspects of family violence practice across the human services sector. It also mirrors the valuable work that partnerships play in the sector in breaking down barriers and enhancing outcomes for service users.

Safe and Equal

Safe and Equal is a peak body for specialist family violence services that provide support to victim survivors in Victoria. Safe & Equal are an independent, non-government organisation that leads, organises, advocates for, and acts on behalf of members – with a focus across the continuum from primary prevention through to response and recovery.

Safe and Equal are working to create a world beyond family and gender-based violence, where women, children and all people from marginalised communities are safe, thriving and respected.

Find out more: https://safeandequal.org.au/

The Centre for Excellence in Child & Family Welfare

For over 100 years, the Centre for Excellence in Child & Family Welfare (CECFW) has advanced the rights and wellbeing of children, young people and families in Victoria.

CECFW advocate for the rights of children and young people to be heard, to be safe, to access education and to remain connected to family, community and culture.

The Centre represents over 100 Victorian organisations working across the continuum of child and family services, from prevention and early intervention to the provision of out of home care.

Find out more: https://www.cfecfw.asn.au/

Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA)

The Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) is a state-wide Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) servicing children, young people, families, and community members. The largest of its kind in Australia.

We have protected and promoted the rights of Aboriginal children and families for over 40 years.

Find out more: https://www.vacca.org/

If you have any questions, please contact us by emailing learning@berrystreet.org.au.