Communities keeping kids safe: integrated responses to children and young people living with domestic violence

Children living with domestic violence are at high risk of abuse and death, yet state child protection responses to children living with domestic violence have remained largely uncoordinated. This collaborative project between non government organisations and the statutory child protection authorities in the Mackay and Whitsunday Region of Queensland aimed to develop strategies to improve linkages between agencies responding to children affected by domestic violence. The paper discusses impacts for Indigenous communities; impacts for participating agencies, with case studies; and indicators of a successful impact of the protocol for community services. The paper reflects on the challenges, key learnings and evaluation outcomes for the first and second stages of the project.