National Safer in the Home
I need urgent assistance
Contact the police on 000 if you have concerns for your immediate safety, or someone you know. You can also contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT for referral to a family violence service.
About the National Safer in the Home Program
The National Safer in the Home (SITH) program provides a service to victim survivors of family violence, in the low-medium risk range. Applications are received nationwide. The program can fund basic security upgrades for the homes of victim survivors, increasing safety from the person using violence. SITH also offers a remote tech check to the personal devices of victim survivors.
The SITH program aims to minimise the social and economic consequences of escaping family violence that may occur when victim survivors are forced to leave their home for safety. The consequences can be homelessness, disconnection from community, unemployment, and disruption to children’s schooling.
The SITH program might be suitable for:
- Aboriginal women who want to stay connected to their family, community and remain on country.
- Women living in remote and rural communities where they experience limited access to specialist family violence services.
- Women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds wishing to stay connected to and supported by their community.
- Women living with disability in a house that has been upgraded to meet their needs and wish to stay in their property.
Eligible applicants will receive these service at no cost to them. SITH use a coordination company named API Access, to manage upgrades, from quote to completion. For compliance and warranty functions, Only API contractors will be used for SITH work. SITH do not reimburse applicants for goods and services in any capacity.
Frequently asked questions
The application process will differ, depending on whether you are a victim survivor, your needs or whether you are a referrer. A referrer can be defined as a service/professional role, providing support to an applicant and can complete a risk assessment.
If you are a victim survivor that has a range of family violence needs (crisis accommodation, housing access, financial/material aid, legal support, counselling, health, ongoing support) please contact a local/state service for information and a coordinated family violence response – SITH are not resourced to respond to these needs. A support service can complete a SITH online referral and risk assessment for you.
** Victim survivors do not use the online form
National Safer in the Home is a brokerage program with the specific function of funding and coordinating basic security upgrades (or a remote tech health check) for low-risk victim survivors of family violence to stay safely in their home instead of having to move for safety.
If you are a referrer, (a referrer can be defined as any service providing support to the applicant) you can complete the online application form which has a risk assessment.
The referral application form will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete and must be finished in one session (the system does not store a copy of the form partially completed). If further information about the applicant needs to be provided after form has been submitted, this can be emailed to saferinthehome@salvationarmy.org.au
- The outcome of the application will be provided by email.
- Declined applications will be provided with a rationale as to why it has been unsuccessful.
- Accepted applications will receive an email detailing the next steps. For non-homeowners, this will likely be a request for landlord or housing organisation approval (the referrer/applicant are responsible for obtaining approval within 4 weeks). In some cases, there will be partial approval. Some upgrades may require photographs and/or a quote from a qualified contractor to assess whether the requested work is within scope.
Email saferinthehome@salvationarmy.org.au
Queries can be directed to our email address.
Include name, location (state and suburb), the purpose of the enquiry and a safe contact number. A SITH duty worker will respond as soon as they are able.
Telephone 1300 694 167 (SITH services nationwide, however, is based in Melbourne.)
The National Safer in the Home duty phone line operates business hours Monday to Friday. The demand for the service is high; you may need to leave a voicemail. In your message, please state the location you are calling from.
The Salvation Army (Victoria) – where Safer in the Home is located, utilise the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) tool to assess the level of risk for applications.
low-medium risk applicants that meet eligibility criteria will be considered for basic security upgrades.
The program can fund a range of basic security upgrades to support victim survivors who have experienced family or domestic violence. These upgrades are targeted to victim survivor to remain safely in their homes and connected to their communities.
Eligible clients will be supported through the upgrades process, subject to approval from landlord or housing organisation. Safer in the Home will then see the approved works through to completion. Security upgrades funded by National Safer in the Home are performed by local contractors and may take up to 12 weeks in some cases.
Security upgrades might include:
- Re-key of existing locks to essential external doors
- Lock change to essential external doors (where there is damage caused by forced entry, this might include a lock change and structural repair to frame)
- Security lighting (which may include rewiring by an electrician)
- Security screen door
- Replacement/repair external doors
- Compliant utility lock (if there has been evidence of tampering by person using violence)
- Remote technology assessment (including basic cyber safety education with a security technician over the telephone).
Our remote technology assessment service is provided by G-SEC Security.
A remote consult takes place over the telephone (not onsite). A technician connects to the client's laptop/phone wirelessly using remote connection software.
Please read the remote technology assessment terms here.
A written report is provided for applicant information only. The report is not forensic level and cannot be used for legal purposes.
G-SEC are an experienced security services firm who has been managing a range of family violence security-related work for many years. G-SEC Security have full security accreditation and exceed The Salvation Army compliance requirements.
National Safer in the Home does not provide upgrades such as:
- CCTV monitoring system or Ring Doorbells (including requests for installation of pre-purchased equipment).
- Personal safety devices or safety watches
- Personal safety Apps.
- National Safer in the Home are not funded to provide ongoing case management support, safe accommodation/ongoing housing, material aid or legal assistance.
- Security screen doors are made to order and can take up to eight weeks+ from measure to installation. Screen doors are security grade.
- Upgrades in remote or rural locations require additional coordination – generally, there are less contractors to meet compliance and supply of materials can also be a factor.
- Level of engagement with the referred person – our contractors rely on the ability to communicate with the applicant efficiently. Applicants are responsible for responding to communications from contractors within 5 business days or less. Tradespeople are private contractors not Salvation Army employees and will not repeatedly follow up on applicants who are not responsive to emails/sms. Contractors do not use interpreters.
** In some cases the referrer needs to be the primary contact for trades.
The SITH program the whole of Australia, therefore, upgrades take time to take time to coordinate and implement.
- The SITH team is based in Melbourne Victoria, and operates in business hours, Monday to Friday. There is no afterhours response.
- SITH are funded by state government to meet the demand of low-medium risk referrals only. There are separate and distinct organisations that receive high-risk funding
- SITH is not resourced to meet family violence needs, such as safe accommodation, material aid, legal assistance. Victim survivors in immediate danger, benefit from the coordination of a specialist support service to meet multiple needs.
- High-risk victim survivors will often require CCTV as part of the high-risk response, which SITH are not funded to provide.
- SITH are unable to consider upgrades for a victim survivor that will not be completed in a timeframe that would mitigate risk for the applicant.
**Each state and territory in Australia operate a Family violence crisis response, contacts for these high-risk/crisis services can be obtained by contacting via website: https://1800respect.org.au or call: 1800 737 732