“The real pandemic’s been there forever”: qualitative perspectives of domestic and family violence workforce in Australia during COVID-19

Abstract

Background In 2020, Australia, like most countries, introduced restrictions related to the global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Frontline services in the domestic and family violence (DFV) sector had to adapt and innovate to continue supporting clients who were experiencing and/or at risk of DFV. There is a need to understand from the perspective of those on the frontline how DFV service responses in different contexts impacted their working conditions and subsequent wellbeing, and what they want to see continued in ‘the new normal’ to inform future effective practices. We address this by reporting on findings from in-depth interviews conducted with practitioners and managers from the DFV sector in Australia. Methods Between July and September 2020 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 51 DFV practitioners and managers from a range of services and specialisations across legal, housing, health and social care services. The data was analysed using iterative thematic analysis. Results The most common service adaptations reported were shifting to outreach models of care, introducing infection control procedures and adopting telehealth/digital service delivery. Adjacent to these changes, participants described how these adaptations created implementation challenges including increased workload, maintaining quality and safety, and rising costs. Impacts on practitioners were largely attributed to the shift towards remote working with a collision in their work and home life and increased risk of vicarious trauma. Despite these challenges, most expressed a sense of achievement in how their service was responding to COVID-19, with several adaptations that practitioners and managers wanted to see continued in ‘the new normal’, including flexible working and wellbeing initiatives. Conclusions The pandemic has amplified existing challenges for those experiencing DFV as well as those working on the frontline of DFV. Our findings point to the diversity in workforce experiences and has elucidated valuable lessons to shape future service delivery. Given the continuing impacts of the pandemic on DFV, this study provides timely insight and impetus to strengthen the implementation of remote working and telehealth/digital support across the DFV sector and to inform better supports for DFV workforce wellbeing in Australia and other contexts. Trial registration Not a clinical intervention.

Delivery of Distance Counselling to Survivors of Sexual Violence: A Scoping Review of Promising and Best Practices

“…Some studies indicate specific contextual conditions and sub-populations, 34 while others offer general discussions of accessibility with respect to unique considerations for survivors of sexual violence. 40 - 42 These insights suggest that distance counselling may be the only modality for some sub-groups of survivors, improving access to counselling by ameliorating transportation, childcare, scheduling conflicts, language barriers, and safety and stigma concerns of accessing in-person services. The advantages of added anonymity were especially highlighted for populations that might fear that their disclosures of violence or their physical presence at an agency could make them vulnerable to law or immigration enforcement.…”

“…For example, some studies point to the ways that distance counselling increases access to services for previously under-served clients, 34 , 44 impacting the referrals and use of other health and social services in the community as a whole. 34 Other studies discuss the changed use of resources within the centre, relating to scheduling - due to flexibility and fewer cancellations 40 - staffing, training, and technological equipment and infrastructure. 40 , 42 , 43 , 46 For example, distance counselling changes the outreach and online presence of the agency necessitating attention to the “virtual front door”, and needing to place the same level of care and attention to online experience, safety and security as agencies do in-person.…”

“… 28 , 44 The studies published since the pandemic, tended to describe a clinic-to-home or home-to-home delivery model, where considerations for the set up of the physical space of the counsellor as well as the client are discussed, 42 , 47 as well as the mental and emotional impacts on a workforce delivering trauma counselling from home. 40 - 43 …”

“…All articles published since the pandemic discuss the ways that the pandemic is impacting agencies and practitioners, with respect to the ways that the nature of the work has changed and intensified resulting in occupational stress and interpersonal tensions, as well as the ways that staff are taking on the brunt of the mis-match between demand for services and capacity for transitioning to offering distance. 36 , 39 - 43 , 47 Specific concerns relate to the professional isolation and increased risk of vicarious trauma, 40 the challenge for frontline workers to take time off putting them at risk of burnout, 40 working extended hours to meet increasingly complex needs of growing clientele, 40 burden to appraise and become familiar with safe use of new technologies, 36 a lack of reference points to practical guidelines or survivor specific evidence base, 41 against a backdrop of frequent shifts in workplace protocols amidst changing pandemic conditions. 42 Specific mention of the new ways of working involving more “task work” related to technology, 41 the need for new sets of resources to know and develop, 43 more check-ins due to concerns for elevated risks posed by pandemic, 40 , 42 expanded contact hours, 41 providing additional support outside of regular sessions, 46 and changed content of the counselling to reflect emergent or crisis needs-in-the-moment.…”

“… 36 , 39 - 43 , 47 Specific concerns relate to the professional isolation and increased risk of vicarious trauma, 40 the challenge for frontline workers to take time off putting them at risk of burnout, 40 working extended hours to meet increasingly complex needs of growing clientele, 40 burden to appraise and become familiar with safe use of new technologies, 36 a lack of reference points to practical guidelines or survivor specific evidence base, 41 against a backdrop of frequent shifts in workplace protocols amidst changing pandemic conditions. 42 Specific mention of the new ways of working involving more “task work” related to technology, 41 the need for new sets of resources to know and develop, 43 more check-ins due to concerns for elevated risks posed by pandemic, 40 , 42 expanded contact hours, 41 providing additional support outside of regular sessions, 46 and changed content of the counselling to reflect emergent or crisis needs-in-the-moment. 42 , 43 Practitioners in the GBV sector tend to be an underpaid and precariously employed workforce, and much of this literature points to the importance of supporting the mental well-being of frontline staff through: intentional acts of self-care and separation from work, self-care plans, group support sessions, flexible work schedules to accommodate caregiver responsibilities, sick leave and paid time off, hazard pay, counseling, assistance with material and resource support.…”