Training for the information sharing and MARAM reforms

The Department of Education has developed training courses for education workforces.

To access these courses, log on to the Information Sharing and MARAM Online Learning System, and select the Education workforces tile.

Education workforces include staff in:

• schools
• kindergartens
• long day care
• out of school hours care
• LOOKOUT
• Student Education Improvement Leaders (SEILs)
• school nurses
• court liaison officers, and
• Koorie support officers and Student Support Services staff.

Training hours count towards professional learning for Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) registration.

Funding is available to support early years educators who wish to attend information sharing webinars. For more information, contact: childinfosharing@education.vic.gov.au

To organise tailored information sharing training for your team, contact: childinfosharing@education.vic.gov.au

Webinar: Information Sharing for Education Workforces

These 2-hour interactive online seminars are presented by a team of educators, with opportunities for discussion. Sessions are appropriate for all education workforce staff, including leaders and professionals who need a detailed operational understanding of the information sharing reforms.

Morning and afternoon sessions are available several times a week.

To enrol, register for or sign in to the Information Sharing and MARAM Online Learning System. Once you have signed in, select the Education Workforces tile.

eLearn: Education Professionals

This online multimedia eLearning course is for people working in schools, education and care services who are likely to share information and require a detailed operational understanding of the reforms.

It is designed to support professionals to share information confidently, safely and appropriately.

The course will take about 2.5 hours and you can complete it at your own pace.

To enrol, register for or sign in to the Information Sharing and MARAM Online Learning System. Once you have signed in, select the Education Workforces tile.

eLearn: Education Leaders

This online multimedia eLearning course is for education workforce professionals who are responsible for personnel impacted by the information sharing reforms and who will play a role in the change management process.

The course will take about 2 hours and you can complete it at your own pace.

To enrol, register for or sign in to the Information Sharing and MARAM Online Learning System. Once you have signed in, select the Education Workforces tile.

The Department of Health has developed training for prescribed health workforces, which are:

• Ambulance Victoria
• Bush Nursing Centres
• residential aged care services
• public hospitals and health services
• alcohol and other drug services
• mental health and wellbeing services
• early parenting centres
• Maternal and Child Health services
• community health services
• general practitioners and general practice nurses.

Health workforces can email infosharing@safercare.vic.gov.au for more information on available training.

To enrol, create an account or sign in to the Information Sharing and MARAM Online Learning System. Once you have signed in, select the Health Workforces tile.

Information Sharing Schemes Online training for Department of Health – eLearn

This course will assist your understanding of the child and family violence information sharing schemes and how they relate to your everyday work.

The 3 modules cover the following topics:

• information sharing schemes essentials for healthcare workers
• purpose and requirement
• consent and privacy.

Each module takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.

It is highly recommended that you complete this eLearn package prior to undertaking any further MARAM training, including the MARAM eLearn courses (e.g. MARAM Victim Survivor - Identification or MARAM Victim Survivor - Intermediate).

The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) has developed a suite of learning and development products for their funded organisations and workforces.

Prescribed Families, Fairness and Housing workforces include:

• Child Protection
• Housing
• Disability
• Ageing and Carers
• Forensic Disability
• Multiple and Complex Needs Initiative
• community housing organisations
• community-based child and family services including Child FIRST
• Refugee Minor Program
• Care services (previously out of home care services)
• Prevention of Family Violence.

DFFH workforces can email infosharing@dffh.vic.gov.au for information on available training.

To enrol, create an account or sign in to the Information Sharing and MARAM Online Learning System. Once you have signed in, select the Families, Fairness and Housing Workforces tile.

Information Sharing Schemes Online Training for Department of Families, Fairness and Housing Staff – eLearn

The Information Sharing Schemes Online Training for Department of Families, Fairness and Housing Staff – eLearn is suitable for practitioners with Information sharing responsibilities, to understand and use the Schemes in their everyday work. The modules cover essentials for health and community services professionals, purposes and requirements, and consent and privacy.

This training has been developed for workforces who want to voluntarily align with the MARAM framework, even though they are not currently prescribed.

Information Sharing Schemes Online Training for Community Services – eLearn

This course is designed to assist Community Services staff to understand how to share and request information under the schemes to promote the wellbeing and safety of children, and assess and manage family violence risk.

To enrol, create an account or sign in to the Information Sharing and MARAM Online Learning System. Once you have signed in, select the Community Services Workforces tile.

Two training options are available for Education workforces.

1. Webinar: Info Sharing + Child Link – Education

This course is designed for nominated Child Link Users working in schools or education and care services who have not completed the prerequisite information sharing training. Information sharing training is required to understand how information can be legally and safely shared using the Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS) and Child Link.

It consists of a 2.5-hour interactive online seminar presented by a team of educators, with opportunities for discussion.

To enrol, register for or sign in to the Information Sharing and MARAM Online Learning System. Once you have signed in, select the Child Link tile.

2. Webinar: Child Link User Training

This course has been developed for nominated Child Link Users who have completed information sharing training.

It is a 1.5-hour interactive online seminar presented by a team of educators, with opportunities for discussion.

To enrol, register for or sign in to the Information Sharing and MARAM Online Learning System. Once you have signed in, select the Child Link tile.

Webinar: Child Link User Training

This course has been developed for nominated Child Link Users from all workforces who have completed information sharing training.

You must complete information sharing training relevant to your workforce before you enrol in this course.

Information Sharing training is required to understand how information can be legally and safely shared using the Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS) and Child Link.

This course is a 1.5-hour interactive online seminar presented by a team of educators, with opportunities for discussion.

To enrol, register for or sign in to the Information Sharing and MARAM Online Learning System. Once you have signed in, select the Child Link tile.

Safe and Equal (formerly Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria) is currently running the following training sessions for specialist family violence workers (who work directly with victim-survivors) through the provision of case management support (i.e. where family violence is their core role).

MARAM Comprehensive Family Violence Specialist – Renewing Practice from CRAF to MARAM (online)

Safe and Equal are not currently delivering this training and recommend you complete MARAM comprehensive Risk Assessment and Management Module. For more information, see the Safe and Equal website(opens in a new window).

MARAM Comprehensive Risk Assessment and Management (online)

This 2-day training focuses on working with victim survivors. This training is for professionals who work in a specialist capacity across the integrated service system.

This training is suitable for new family violence specialists and/or those who have not previously completed specialist CRAF training. For more information, visit the Safe and Equal website.

The Department of Education has engaged the Centre for Excellence for Child and Family Welfare to deliver MARAM training for a range of education workforces. This training supports nominated staff to understand their responsibilities under MARAM, including what it means for their day-to-day practice. Training is provided at no cost and CRT reimbursement is available.

The training has been tailored for employees from the following workforces:

• Victorian early childhood education and care services
• Victorian government, Catholic and independent schools
• Health wellbeing and inclusion workforces.

To register for training, visit the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare website.

The following eLearn courses are available on the Information Sharing and MARAM Online Learning System.

To enrol, create an account or sign in to the Information Sharing and MARAM Online Learning System. Once you have signed in, select the Health Workforces tile.

Family Violence Foundational Knowledge (DH) – eLearn

This course is a stand-alone Family Violence Foundation eLearn developed for practitioners who may have limited family violence knowledge, or who may be new to working with people experiencing family violence.

This 20-minute eLearn covers understanding and recognising family violence, how to apply intersectional analysis, and your role in responding to family violence.

Please complete the Information Sharing Schemes online training for Department of Health workforces – eLearn before enrolling in this course.

MARAM Victim Survivor – Identification – eLearn (DH)

This training is suitable for practitioners who may have contact with family violence victim survivors in a one-off or episodic situation as part of their normal work. The course is designed to create a shared understanding of family violence and MARAM and to help professionals confidently identify and respond to family violence risk and collaborate with specialist services. This course focuses on working with victim survivors.

The course consists of 3 modules. Each module will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Please complete the Information Sharing Schemes online training for Department of Health workforces eLearn before enrolling in this course.

MARAM Victim Survivor – Intermediate – eLearn (DH)

Please complete the Information Sharing Schemes online training for Department of Health workforces eLearn before enrolling in this course.

The MARAM victim survivor – Intermediate – eLearn is designed to support practitioners with Intermediate MARAM practice responsibilities.

This course consists of 3 modules covering:

• a shared understanding of family violence
• an introduction to MARAM and the assessment tools
• the Structured Professional Judgement Model
• risk assessment
• risk management, including working with specialist family violence services and safety planning.

Each module will take around 30 minutes to complete.

SHRFV – MARAM Victim Survivor – Intermediate – eLearn

These modules are suitable for professionals working in hospitals and health services with Intermediate responsibilities under MARAM.

This training will support you to understand your responsibilities under this important reform, and to develop the skills and knowledge required in your role.

This includes:

• an applied understanding of the MARAM Framework, practice guidance and tools
• foundational knowledge and practice skills to support:
  • effective engagement
  • risk identification assessment and management at an Intermediate level.

The modules focus on working with both adult and child victim survivors of family violence. It does not address working with perpetrators of family violence.

SHRVF – Antenatal MARAM Family Violence Screening and Response – eLearn

The Strengthening Hospital Responses to Family Violence (SHRFV) program has developed a training module for clinical staff working in antenatal services and Koorie maternity services.

The module takes approximately 45 minutes to complete and is designed to support your understanding of how to sensitively engage with and screen women who may be experiencing family violence. The module also discusses how staff can prioritise the safety of victim survivors respectfully. Within the module, key topics include:

• why screening for family violence is important in an Antenatal setting
• observable signs of family violence and evidence-based risk factors
• how to screen for family violence respectfully and sensitively
• how to provide appropriate support and referral options within your role’s responsibilities
• how to support colleagues who may be experiencing family violence.

DH MARAM Family Violence Against Older People (Elder Abuse) – eLearn

This course is tailored to the identification level of MARAM responsibility and is specifically targeted for the aged care workforce, to strengthen their response to family violence elder abuse risk. The course has also been tailored for health workforces and funded organisations.

The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) has developed a suite of MARAM self-paced eLearns suitable for DFFH and its workforces. The eLearns have been developed to support practitioners to understand their responsibilities under MARAM. The eLearns are provided at no cost. The current eLearns available are listed below.

To enrol in the eLearns, create an account or sign in to the Information Sharing and MARAM Online Learning System. Once you have signed in, select the Families, Fairness and Housing Workforces tile.

Family Violence Foundational Knowledge – eLearn

A stand-alone Family Violence Foundational Knowledge – eLearn has been developed for practitioners who may have limited family violence knowledge, or who may be new to working with people experiencing family violence.

This 20-minute eLearn covers understanding and recognising family violence, how to apply intersectional analysis and your role in responding to family violence.

MARAM Victim Survivor – Intermediate – eLearn (DFFH) 

The MARAM Victim Survivor – Intermediate – eLearn is suitable for practitioners with Intermediate MARAM practice responsibilities. It covers effective engagement, identifying and assessing risk, and managing risk and prioritising safety, all applied to the intermediate level of MARAM. 

MARAM Victim Survivor – Identification – eLearn (DFFH)

The MARAM Victim Survivor – Identification – eLearn is suitable for practitioners who may come in contact with family violence victim survivors in a one-off or episodic situation as part of their normal work. The course is designed to create a shared understanding of family violence and MARAM and to help professionals confidently identify and respond to family violence risk and collaborate with specialist services.

Family Violence Foundational Knowledge – eLearn

The Family Violence Foundational Knowledge – eLearn is suitable for practitioners, and service delivery and non-operational roles who may have limited family violence knowledge, or who may be new to working with people experiencing family violence. The eLearn aims to introduce foundational knowledge about MARAM and promote a shared understanding of family violence.

MARAM Family Violence Against Older People (Elder Abuse) – eLearn

This course is tailored to the identification MARAM level of responsibility, specifically to the aged care workforce, to strengthen their response to family violence elder abuse risk.

Please contact the MARAM Implementation team for further information about training: infosharing@dhhs.vic.gov.au

The Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS) has developed the eLearn: DJCS Introduction to the Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment adn Management Framework (MARAM), for justice workforces.

This eLearn introduces key concepts of the MARAM Framework, that guides organisations and services in consistent and effective practice when working with people experiencing and using family violence. 

To enrol, register for or sign in to the Information Sharing and MARAM Online Learning System. Once you have signed in, select the Justice workforces tile.

For more information email familyviolencetraining@justice.vic.gov.au

Courts employees can find more information about MARAM training on their department's intranet page.

These courses have been developed for workforces that want to voluntarily align with the MARAM framework, even though they are not currently prescribed under the framework.

Family Violence Foundation Knowledge – eLearn for Community Services

This eLearn is designed to support understanding and recognising family violence, how to apply intersectional analysis, and your role in responding to family violence.

MARAM Victim Survivor – Intermediate – eLearn for Community Services

This course is designed to support practitioners with Intermediate MARAM practice responsibilities.

MARAM Victim Survivor – Identification – eLearn for Community Services

The course is designed to create a shared understanding of family violence and MARAM and to help professionals confidently identify and respond to family violence risk and collaborate with specialist services.

MARAM Family Violence Against Older People (Elder Abuse) - eLearn for Community Services

This course has been developed for practitioners who work with older people and are required to use the Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) Framework and information sharing schemes in their every day work.

The eLearn is tailored to the screening and identification level of MARAM responsibility and is specifically targeted for the aged care workforce, to strengthen their response to family violence elder abuse risk.

Victoria Police employees can contact the Centre of Learning for Family Violence, to learn more about Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS) and Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS) training.

Leading Alignment training

This training is suitable for organisational leaders‚ CEOs, directors or senior managers across all organisations and agencies prescribed under MARAM.

The training is pitched at a senior level to those who have decision making responsibilities leading the embedding of MARAM in the organisational context.

The training promotes an understanding of the MARAM Framework including key strategies and requirements such as practice, policies and procedures necessary to align with MARAM.

Currently offered online as 2 x 2 hour webinars. This course is free.

To access, visit the Safe and Equal website(opens in a new window)

MARAM Collaborative Practice

This 1-day training is relevant to all professionals who may need to respond to family violence in Victoria.

It's delivered across the 17 DHHS regions and focuses on collaborative practice and foundations of MARAM that enable collaboration.

The training enables professionals to collaborate locally on risk assessment and management, through:

• respectful and sensitive engagement with victim survivors
• information sharing
• referrals
• secondary consultation.

To register for this training, contact the Principal Strategic Advisor in your region. You can find this information on the Safe and Equal website

Family Violence Foundations

A self-paced online module and provides foundational knowledge and is offered by Safe and Equal (formerly Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria).

Foundational knowledge about preventing and responding to family violence and violence against women.

This is a precursor to MARAM training which is helpful for those who have less familiarity in responding to family violence who would like more orientation.

Those working in prescribed organisations are encouraged to undertake further training but may want to start here.

To access visit the Safe and Equal website(opens in a new window).

Adults Using Family Violence (AUFV)

The Adults Using Family Violence (AUFV) learning program will teach you how to keep adults using family violence in view and accountable, and to promote the safety of victim survivors of family violence.

This training is suitable for all professionals prescribed under MARAM in Victoria, who need to have an applied understanding of MARAM and information sharing in their roles when working with adults using family violence.

There are 3 levels of AUFV training available. You should register for the AUFV session that aligns with your role and MARAM responsibility level.

Please note that the AUFV learning program has been customised for priority workforces. Please speak to your manager about how to register for customised delivery if you work within:

• The Orange Door
• housing (including reception staff)
• complex needs services as a Complex Needs Coordinator (CNC)
• child protection
• forensic disability.

The 3 levels of AUFV training available are listed below.

Identification – delivered by Safe and Equal

This training is suitable for all professionals prescribed under MARAM in Victoria who may come in contact with family violence victim survivors, or adults using family violence while providing universal services.

During this training, practitioners will learn to identify indicators for a person likely to be using family violence by observation of common narratives and behaviours. Participants will learn how to respond according to their roles and responsibilities and will be supported to use the Identification Tool.

Visit the Safe and Equal website to access the training.

Intermediate – delivered by No to Violence

This training is suitable for all professionals who may have contact with people experiencing or using family violence in their work, however responding to family violence is not their core role or function.

During this training, practitioners will learn to develop safe engagement and appropriate questioning to support identifying, assessing, and managing family violence risk when working with adults using family violence. They will also learn how and when to use MARAM tools in practice, including:

• the Adult Using Family Violence Intermediate Assessment Tool
• the Intermediate Safety Plan
• the Intermediate Risk Management Plan.

Visit the No to Violence website to access the training.

Comprehensive – delivered by No to Violence

This training is suitable for:

• professionals whose core role is to respond to people experiencing or using family violence, and
• professionals who require a specialist level of knowledge and expertise in family violence practice with adults using family violence.

For example, professionals in family violence case management, behaviour change programs, crisis response services, and specialist targeted programs.

During this training, practitioners will learn to develop safe engagement and appropriate questioning to support identifying, assessing, and managing family violence risk when working with adults using family violence. They will also learn how and when to use MARAM tools in practice, including:

• the Comprehensive Assessment Tool
• the Predominant Aggressor Identification Tool
• the Comprehensive Safety Plan
• the Comprehensive Risk Management Plan.

Visit the No to Violence website to access the training.