About the response

The WP Survey targeted specialists working for the following types of employers:

• Specialist family violence (victim survivor) services (SFVS) organisations
• Sexual assault support services (SASS) organisations
• Family violence perpetrator intervention (FVPI) organisations[9]
• Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO)
• The Orange Door Network (TODN), including child wellbeing specialists.[10]

The final survey sample was 1,049 responses, representing a response rate of approximately 35% of the target population.

Response by organisation type

The largest number and proportion of those who responded to the survey were from SFVS organisations, with 41% (426 persons) stating they worked for a SFVS organisation providing victim survivor services (Table 1).

In comparison, 28% of those who responded (289 persons) were employed by TOD Network, 15% (162 persons) were employed by a SASS organisation, 10% (110 persons) were employed by a FVPI provider and 6% (62 persons) were employed by an ACCO.

Table 1: Where do you work?

Source. Question 1, WP Survey 2022

The survey’s eligibility rules included child wellbeing specialists working in TOD network. From those working in TOD network:

• 18 respondents identified their role as dedicated to supporting families needing support with the care and wellbeing of children and young people,
• 88 respondents identified their role as dedicated to working with victim survivors and/or people using family violence, and
• 183 respondents stated they supported both (Table 2).

Table 2: What client groups do you primarily provide services to directly or indirectly (as part of TOD network workforce)?

Source. Question 1A, WP Survey 2022

Response by geographic location

61% of those who responded (638 persons) stated they work in metropolitan Melbourne, with the remainder (400 persons) working in regional Victoria (Table 3).

Focusing on those who responded from regional Victoria:

• 10% (104 persons) worked in the Loddon Mallee region,
• 9% (95 persons) worked in the Gippsland region,
• 7% (73 persons) worked in the Hume region,
• 7% (71 persons) worked in the Barwon South-West Region and
• 5% (57 persons) worked in the Grampians region.[11]

Table 3: In your main role, what region and Local Government Area do you work in?

Source. Question 3, WP Survey 2022

A much larger proportion of people working in metropolitan Melbourne worked in large organisations (organisations with more than 100 staff). 52% of people who delivered services into metropolitan areas worked for large organisations, compared to 36% of people delivering services into regional Victoria.

Response by type of service provision

Fifty-five percent of those who responded (573 persons) stated their role provides services across multiple locations, with only 29% (300 persons) stating that their role provides services only in the location they work (Table 4). 8% (84 persons) stated their role provides state-wide services, with 3% (35 persons) stating their role provides Melbourne-wide services, 3% (27 persons) stating their role provides regional Victoria wide services and 2% (22 persons) stating their role provides national services.

Table 4: In your main role, which location/s do you provide services to?

Source. Question 4, WP Survey 2022

People working for organisations delivering services in the regions were more likely to provide services across multiple locations. 59% of people in regional Victoria stated their role provides services across multiple locations compared to 53% in metropolitan Melbourne. People who were securely employed were also more likely to deliver services for organisations across multiple locations. 56% of those employed on an ongoing basis delivered services for organisations across multiple locations, compared to 47% of those employed on an insecure basis.

Response by organisation size

48% of those who responded (501 persons) stated they worked in an organisation where 200 or more individuals were employed, followed by 19% (202 persons) who stated they worked in an organisation with 20-49 individuals, and 13% (133 persons) who stated they worked in an organisation with 100-199 individuals (Table 5).

Table 5: How many individuals are employed in the organisation you work for (for this role)?

Source. Question 2, WP Survey 2022

Notes

[9] Family violence perpetrator intervention organisation combines workers within specialist family violence services organisations (services for adults using violence) and Men's Behaviour Change Program providers.

[10] For a detailed definition of the specialist target population, please refer to the Appendix.

[11] The distribution across regional and metropolitan Victoria provides some assurance that the survey sample contains a diversity of workforce views on the basis of the geographical location of the delivery of services. See the Appendix for further detail.