The Royal Commission into Family Violence found that appropriate sharing of information was crucial in keeping victim survivor’s safe and holding perpetrators to account. One of the 227 recommendations found that information kept siloed in different organisations, increased risk for victim survivors and enabled the behaviour of perpetrators.
Subsequently, the Victorian government has implemented Information Sharing Schemes in Victoria. These schemes are the:
- Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS)
- Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS)
The schemes authorise the sharing of information to:
- Assess risk (family violence assessment purpose)
- Manage the risk, including through ongoing risk management (family violence protection purpose)
- Promote the health and safety of a child or group of children.
Who can share information?
Under the changes to legislation Family Violence Protection Act (2008) and Child Wellbeing and Safety Act (2005), organisations prescribed as an Information Sharing Entity (ISE) and/or Risk Assessment Entity (RAE) can share information
- Information Sharing Entities (ISEs) – can request information from other ISEs and share it voluntarily with them. All ISEs must respond to information requests unless an exemption applies.
- Risk Assessment Entities (RAEs) – can request and voluntarily receive information from ISEs for a family violence assessment purpose. Some ISEs are also designated to carry out initial risk assessment of family violence.
Monash Health is an ISE and may share information for a Protection Purpose with other prescribed agencies (ISEs or RAEs). This means our clinicians may be asked to make a decision about sharing information with external organisations to help keep people safe.
Attend a briefing session
To learn more about the scheme all employees, especially those in roles and teams listed below, are encouraged to attend an internal briefing session run by the Monash Health Family Violence team.
Clinicians that may want to make a request for information:
- Nurses
- Midwives
- Medical staff
- Social workers
- Psychologists
- Psychiatrists
- Alcohol and Other Drug Clinicians
- Counsellors at SECASA
Employees who receive requests for information:
- Freedom of information team
- Release of information team
- Managers within clinical areas
- Clinical employees
The session will provide an overview of the scheme, the process, and referral pathways. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions via Slido.
Can’t make a briefing session?
Managers can contact Family Violence Project Manager, Christine Power via Christine.Power@monashhealth.org if they want an individual briefing at a time that suits them.
External information sharing education
The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing and Department of Health have an e-learning module available.
The training will take 60 mins to complete Modules 1, 2 and 3.
Sign up to access the Information Sharing Schemes Online Learning here: https://elearn.childlink.com.au/login/index.php
Approved by Katrina Nankervis