SASVic Members Hub
Standards of Practice and Policy Frameworks
Essential knowledge for workers in the specialist sexual assault sector
Whether you’ve been in the sector for a long time or you’ve just started, it’s important that you’re aware of key documents, frameworks and regulations.
The Responding to Sexual Violence and Harmful Sexual Behaviour Capability Framework has now been launched! Read more.
On this page:
> Standards of Practice
> Risk assessment and reporting obligations
> Client Incident Management System (CIMS)
> Best practice supervision
> Capability frameworks
> Social Services Regulator
> Overarching strategies and plans
STANDARDS OF PRACTICE
Standards of Practice for specialist sexual assault services
In September 2021, the National Association of Services Against Sexual Violence (NASASV) released the National Standards of Practice Manual for Services Against Sexual Violence (Third Edition). These standards of practice provide guidance for Victoria’s specialist sexual assault sector.
You can access the archived Centre Against Sexual Assault standards of practice here >
CEASE Guides for workers: Sexual Abusive Behaviour Treatment Services (SABTS) (Under review, read below)
The Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB) Network, chaired by SASVic, will continue to provide support and consultation with member organisations who deliver HSB services.
National Minimum Practice Standards: Specialist Community Support Services Responding to Child Sexual Abuse
The National Office of Child Safety (NOCS) National Minimum Practice Standards provide a set of principles and quality benchmarks for services promoting safe and effective service provision for people who have been impacted by child sexual abuse. The Minimum Practice Standards help service providers identify strengths and improvement opportunities. The standards can support or enhance work that may already be occurring in our sector.
RISK ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING OBLIGATIONS
MARAM: Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework
The MARAM Framework supports services to identify, assess and manage family violence risk effectively. MARAM includes the Family Violence and Child Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS & CISS).
All Victorian funded sexual assault and harmful sexual behaviour services must align with the MARAM Framework and undertake family violence screening, identification and risk assessment for all clients.
SASVic is funded by Family Safety Victoria to build capacity for members to align MARAM and the information sharing schemes with their work.
Here are some resources where you can find out more:
Mandatory reporting and Failure to Disclose offence
Working in the specialist sexual assault sector, it’s important to understand your mandatory reporting obligations.
Mandatory reporting is when the law requires you to report known or suspected cases of abuse and neglect. It mainly relates to children, but can also relate to adults if the person involved is living in a residential service, such as psychiatric, aged care, or other government-run facilities.
In 2014, the law was changed to create the failure to disclose offence. The law says that if you are an adult, and you have information that leads you to form a ‘reasonable belief’ that another adult has sexually offended against a child under 16 in Victoria you must report the information to police as soon as possible.
You’ll find more information by following the links below. Please seek guidance from your senior leadership team and organisational policies to understand your reporting obligations.
Learn about mandatory reporting (DFFH) >
Learn how to report child sexual abuse (DFFH) >
Learn more about the Failure to Disclose law (DJCS) >
Read the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Victorian Legislation) >
Suicide risk assessment
Some common assessment frameworks for assessing suicide risk are the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) Framework and the Suicide Assessment Kit (SAK).
Please refer to your organisation’s policies and speak with your senior leadership team.
CLIENT INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CIMS)
The CIMS outlines the approach and key actions to manage client incidents. Specialist sexual assault service workers must record all client incidents in the Client Incident Register (CIR) within 3 business days of the incident occurring or the service provider becoming aware of the client incident.
Please refer to your organisation’s policies and procedures regarding the internal process at your service.
Read the CIMS policy and guidance document or report a client incident >
BEST PRACTICE SUPERVISION
Best Practice Supervision Guidelines: Family violence, sexual assault and child wellbeing
Supervision is central to developing and sustaining the sector’s workforce. If you are interested in learning more about supervision, please refer to the Best Practice Guidelines developed by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) and the specific clinical supervision training offered by SASVic.
CAPABILITY FRAMEWORKS
*New* The Victorian Government, in collaboration with SASVic, has developed the Responding to Sexual Violence and Harmful Sexual Behaviour Capability Framework. The capability framework outlines the skills and knowledge that specialist sexual assault workers need to deliver effective, safe and trauma-informed support to people impacted by sexual violence.
Read the new capability framework >
The Family violence capability frameworks describe the knowledge and skills needed to respond to and prevent family violence.
SOCIAL SERVICES REGULATOR
The Social Services Regulator is an independent statutory authority that supports the safe delivery of social services, including specialist sexual assault services. A new approach to social services regulation in Victoria began on 1 July 2024, including by the Victorian government of a single independent regulator.
OVERARCHING STRATEGIES AND NATIONAL PLANS
It’s important to be aware of the overarching strategies and plans in place at national and state levels affecting our sector. Below are some documents to be aware of.
National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022 – 2032 >
National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse 2021 – 2030 >
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