Overview

Who It's For

If you live in the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Lithgow and Penrith Regions and are experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV), including child sexual abuse (CSA), you can request to access the service through your General Practitioner or another health professional.

How We Help

If you’re experiencing violence at home, it can be hard to know where to turn for help. Our experienced DFSV Linkers will connect you with safe, confidential and completely free support services, through a referral from your local GP or health professional.

What to Expect

If you disclose an experience of DFSV to your GP, we’ll work together to link you up with vital assistance, like counselling, housing and legal support, while prioritising the safety of you and your family. Just book an appointment with your GP and let them know you’d like a referral to the Care and Connect service.

Domestic, family and sexual violence, including child sexual abuse, can take many forms. 

We recognise that everyone’s experiences are different. Our DFSV Linkers will work with you to determine a customised approach for your unique situation.

Physical or sexual violence
Coercive control and manipulation
Emotional and verbal abuse
Humiliation or social isolation
Financial control
Harassment, stalking and monitoring
Gaslighting

What you’ll take away:

01
Concrete actions and advice on what to do next
02
An exit plan, if required, to help you leave the relationship safely and at your own pace
03
Referrals to a specialist domestic violence counsellor
04
Access to housing assistance
05
Legal advice and support
06
Therapeutic and empathetic guidance from our DFSV Linkers
07
The tools to help you start working through past trauma
With thanks to our funding partners

This service has been made possible by funding from Wentworth Healthcare, the provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network (NBMPHN) and their Care and Connect program.

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Introduction to Sexual Violence and Child Sexual Abuse Training: Within the Context of Primary Care

Next Session:
Thursday 14 November 2024
06:00 PM - 9:00 PM AEST

We invite you to a catered training dinner to learn about recognising the signs of sexual violence and child sexual abuse in a primary care setting. You will learn how to respond appropriately and know what referral pathways are.

This session will be held in-person at:

PCYC Hawkesbury - 16 Stewart St South Windsor NSW 2756

Spaces are limited.

Communities of Practice: Supporting Primary Care Within the Context of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence (DFSV)

Next Session: 
Thursday 21 November 2024
06:30 PM - 8:30 PM AEST

We invite primary care staff across the Nepean Blue Mountains region to attend a catered event hosted by Relationships Australia NSW in partnership with Wentworth Healthcare Limited. This will be an opportunity to come together and discuss issues or concerns you may have regarding patients impacted by domestic, family and sexual violence. The event with be facilitated by Grace Jennings, a qualified Family Safety Practice Specialist and one of the Care and Connect – DFSV GP educators.

This session will be held in-person at:

Relationships Australia NSW - 2/606 High Street Penrith NSW 2750

Spaces are limited. 

GP or Allied Health Professional?

Our Care and Connect staff provide support and practical advice for GPs, Practice Staff and other Allied Health Professionals operating in the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Lithgow and Penrith Regions.

Referrals
To support a patient by referring them to the Care and Connect service, simply upload the DFSV Action Plan into your clinical software and send it via secure messaging.

Patient Advice
For confidential patient advice and support, contact the Care and Connect team on 02 4278 4803 or
dfv-linker@ransw.org.au.

24/7 Emergency Numbers

Need urgent help? Relationships Australia NSW is not a crisis service, but there’s a range of organisations that can help you.

Fees
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FAQs

The best way to get a referral to our Care and Connect service is to speak with your GP, if you feel safe to do so. Remember, we’re not a crisis support service, so if it’s an emergency, you should always call 000 or 1800 RESPECT.
Our Care and Connect program – funded by Wentworth Healthcare, provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network (NBMPHN) – equips GPs and health professionals with the tools to recognise signs, respond to disclosures of domestic, family and sexual violence, offer direct referral pathways, and enhance their knowledge of local DFSV services. GPs will gain two CPD Hours upon completion of the training. Allied Health Professionals can also apply for CPD through their relevant governing bodies. If you’re interested in learning more, you can contact Jodie on 02 4728 4803.

Care and Connect is available to anyone experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence in the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Lithgow and Penrith Regions. General Practitioners and other health professionals operating in this area are eligible for training.

If you are outside of these areas, Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network (HNECCPHN-Safe and Healthy) and Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network (CESPHN-DV Assist) also deliver this service.

Domestic, family and sexual violence in NSW is a persistent issue and GPs are often seen as a safe and confidential space for patients to discuss what they’re experiencing. Studies show that women are twice as likely to disclose domestic, family and sexual violence and abuse if asked by their GP or nurse in the general practice. We offer free training to better equip you and your staff to recognise DFSV in your patients, respond safely to disclosures, and refer them to appropriate services in your area.
Our Care and Connect staff provide support and practical advice for GPs, Practice Staff and other Allied Health Professionals operating in the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Lithgow and Nepean Region. This includes:
  • 2 hours CPD training each year
  • Up-to-date information on referral pathways
  • Tools and information on recognising the signs of DFSV
  • Information on local services
  • Information on best steps when managing patients affected by DFSV
  • Information sessions on the role of general practice in responding to DFSV
  • Information on relevant training opportunities
  • Discuss de-identified cases/scenarios with best practice outcomes
  • Information sessions on how to undertake risk assessments and safety planning
  • In practice colocation service
  • In addition to the customised in-practice training, we also offer a suite of self-paced DFSV eLearning modules though Your Practice Portal.
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