Social workers, community workers, family workers and social service professionals are increasingly likely to come across partner abuse in their work. This new two day interactive workshop provides information for workers to recognise, understand, and respond to partner abuse. The material presented is accessible, meaningful, and designed to enable workers to support constructive change within this complex area.

Day one: Recognising partner abuse

• Define family violence and partner abuse
• Describe what underpins violence including cultural perspectives
• Name the psychological impact of partner abuse and explore why people remain in violent relationships
• Describe the impact of partner abuse on children including trauma responses
• Identify the professional dangerousness dynamics that workers may enter into when working with partner abuse

Day two: Responding to partner abuse

• Apply 4 screening questions to determine if partner abuse is present
• Apply a range of holistic enquiry questions using the Three Houses information gathering tool, including asking questions that screen for suicidal risk
• Apply the Signs of Safety Framework and Risk Estimation concepts to assess safety
• Develop strategic safety planning and interventions
• Name ways to apply emotional awareness thinking and self care to the work with partner abuse
• Identify further community resources