Submissions

Overview

In July 2026, The Salvation Army provided a submission to the Department of Social Services’ consultation on the Second Action Plan (National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032).   

In this submission, we highlight that ending family and domestic violence within a generation will require substantial and sustained investment, stronger system integration, and a greater focus on lived experience in policy design and service delivery.

The submission presents 30 recommendations. Central to these recommendations is the view that effective responses must be long-term, trauma-informed, culturally safe, evidence-based and adequately funded.

Key points

• Multi-faceted and long-term funding for primary prevention and early intervention initiatives is required, including work alongside men and boys.
• Significantly increase investment in frontline family and domestic violence services for victim-survivors to meet growing demand and ensure timely access to support, including investment in community-led approaches and supports that are culturally safe and tailored to the specific needs and risks associated with diverse communities.
• Deliver specialist responses for children and young people who are victim-survivors in their own right, and children and young people whose behaviour is violent.
• Ensure all victim-survivors have access to safe accommodation and access to timely and flexible financial assistance to meet their immediate needs and prevent financial hardship.
• Develop a broad range of programs for persons using violence, to enhance engagement and support to change their trajectory, including investment in early engagement and cultivating an ecosystem of intervention, not limited by time or jurisdiction.
• Invest in an integrated service system to ensure all services are equipped to identify and respond to family and domestic violence.
• Invest in growing and supporting the specialist family and domestic violence workforce.
• Embed outcomes measurement and evaluation across the sector to improve services for those impacted by family and domestic violence.