Domestic and family violence support and initiatives

Domestic and family violence is a serious, widespread and preventable problem. It has severe and long-term effects on victim-survivors, their families and the broader community.

In 2022-23, 18,255 people  or 38 per cent of those seeking Specialist Homelessness Services reported family and domestic violence as the main reason they were seeking assistance – higher than any other category.

Homes NSW is committed to improving access to appropriate support and is investing in safe and affordable accommodation.

NSW 2024-25 budget: Prioritising women and children fleeing violence

In 2024-25, the NSW Government will deliver a $6.6 billion investment in social housing and homelessness services. In a major step to help those escaping family and domestic violence, the Government will prioritise over 50 per cent of new homes built for women and children fleeing family and domestic violence.

This means, at least 3,100 vulnerable people leaving abusive relationships will have access to a new home under this program.

In addition, the budget is investing $528 million to tackle homelessness by:

• Confronting the crisis: investing in homelessness services and properly funding crisis accommodation all while building homes to tackle long-term homelessness.
• Supporting the front-line service sector to stop people falling through cracks: Vital support to help frontline services deliver critical support to clients.
• Creating the Homelessness Innovation Fund: An important new fund that will work with those on the frontline to deliver innovative responses to the current crisis, with a focus on our goal of making homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring.

For further information about how Homes NSW is tackling homelessness, please visit the website.

Help is available

Safe, professional help and support is available to women and children escaping domestic and family violence, including:

• If in immediate danger, call Triple Zero (000).
• Link2home operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Assessment and referral to the most appropriate homelessness service is available by calling 1800 152 152. If crisis accommodation is not available, temporary

accommodation can be provided, while other solutions are sought.

• The NSW Domestic Violence Line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Counselling, information and referral to other services is available by calling 1800 656 463.
• Specialist Homelessness Services offer a greater range of prevention, early intervention and support responses. You can search for a Specialist Homelessness Service by location or by the type of support needed depending on your situation.

Initiatives to keep people safe

Many DCJ initiatives support women and children experiencing domestic and family violence.

Start Safely

Start Safely is a subsidy that provides short-to-medium term financial support to people who are experiencing domestic and family violence. The Start Safely subsidy helps people secure private rental accommodation so they don’t have to return to the violent situation.

Staying Home, Leaving Violence (SHLV)

Staying home, leaving violence is a DCJ initiative that enables women and children leaving domestic and family violence to remain safely in their home, or a home of their choice.

The range of support includes risk assessments and safety planning, improving home security, help in managing finances, support for children,  intensive case work court support, and advocacy.

Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Services (IDFVS)

The Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Service provides case management to help people experiencing domestic and family violence navigate support services including police, courts, healthcare, child protection, housing and refuges to increase family safety.

Core to the response is a  whole of family case management approach, which can involve working with a victim-survivor still living in a violent relationship, direct support for children and support and referrals for the person using violence to change their behaviour.

Housing Pathways

The DCJ website and a local Social Housing office can provide more information about the types of help available and how to access them.