Filling a Critical Gap for Families Experiencing Family Violence

For families who choose to remain together, there have been few specialist options that can safely support accountability, healing and recovery for everyone involved. With the generous support of the Brian M Davis Charitable Foundation, Family Life has been able to address this critical gap through Home in Focus, one of Australia’s first whole-of-family interventions for families experiencing family violence.

Home in Focus is an innovative program that works with fathers, mothers and children together, recognising that lasting change requires more than supporting one person in isolation. Drawing on Family Life’s expertise in trauma-capable practice, childhood attachment and men’s behaviour change, the program provides coordinated therapeutic support tailored to each family’s needs.

Importantly, children are not treated as passive witnesses to family violence. Their voices, experiences and perspectives are central to the program, helping shape safety planning, therapeutic goals and family decision-making.

The need for this type of support has been clear from the outset. Since referrals opened, demand has exceeded initial capacity, with 59 families involving more than 200 individuals referred to the pilot by June 2026. This strong demand highlights a significant unmet need for child-focused, family-centred responses that complement existing family violence services.

Home in Focus demonstrates what is possible when innovation is combined with evidence and a commitment to putting children and families at the centre of service design. By investing in this pioneering approach, the Brian M Davis Charitable Foundation has helped Family Life test and develop a model with the potential to transform how family violence support is delivered in Australia.

 

Together, we are creating safer, stronger and more connected futures for children and families.