The Australian Government, through the National Initiatives program, has provided funding to the Tasmanian Government to deliver the Keeping Women Safe in their Homes (KWSITH) Program. Safe at Home, on behalf of the Department of Social Services, is responsible for delivering the KWSITH financial assistance program to support victim-survivors of family violence.
Objectives
KWSITH supports women and their children who experience family violence to have security upgrades made to their homes, or a home of their choice, so they may safely stay there. Risk assessment and safety planning are key components of KWSITH to support a holistic, individualised response to safety in the home.
Eligibility Criteria
To access funding through the KWSITH program, a victim-survivor is required to be part of the Safe at Home service system by making a report about family violence to Tasmania Police.
KWSITH will not be accessible to victim-survivors who wish to continue their relationship with the family violence perpetrator. If a victim-survivor resumes their relationship with a family violence perpetrator, access to the financial assistance will cease.
To be eligible, women must meet one of the following criteria
- have a current Police Family Violence Order (PFVO) or Interim/Family Violence Order (I/FVO) through a Safe at Home intervention
- have a partner who is due for release from a custodial sentence who is deemed at risk of committing future violence
- have an expired PFVO or FVO but identify as feeling unsafe in their home due to recent changes in their circumstances with a family violence perpetrator which increases the risk to safety
- deemed as requiring additional security to ensure their sense of well-being, including women accessing the Homes Tasmania - Family violence rapid rehousing initiative.
Security Upgrades
Funding is available to provide a range of security upgrades including, but not limited to:
- solid core doors
- security screen doors
- door viewers
- door chains
- door locks
- sensor lights
In some cases, funding may also be approved for the addition of:
- window locks,
- security window screens
- security camera/s with the capacity to collect admissible evidence
- mobile phone where it provides additional safety
- monitored personal safety devices
- other relevant technology solutions
Disability Modifications
KWSITH funding may be approved for disability modifications alongside security upgrades. Where there is a delay in access to NDIS funded supports, and a disability modification is required in order to facilitate a move to a new home, applications for modifications may include, but are not limited to:
- Installation of ramps
- Widening of doorways
- Bathroom modifications
- Bedroom modifications
Disability modifications may related to the needs of the woman or the needs of any child(ren) in her care.
How to Apply
1. To apply, eligible persons should contact a victim support service who will make an application for KWSITH funding on their behalf. You can find a list of victim support services here (internal link) who can complete an application with you.
2. Government and non-government service providers who work with family violence victim-survivors can submit an application to Safe at Home on behalf of a client who is leaving a family violence situation after they have undertaken a family violence risk assessment and created a safety plan.
3. Please note that you cannot apply for this funding directly through the Safe at Home Coordination Unit. However, if you have any questions, Safe at Home Coordination Unit staff are able to help and can be contacted via email safeathome@justice.tas.gov.au.
4. Applications will be assessed by the Integrated Case Coordination Committees. They may be approved in full, in part, or declined based on an assessment of risk and safety needs to ensure that the objectives of KWSITH are achieved within the funding available.
For further information visit the National Keeping Women Safe in their Homes website (external link)
Or download the Keeping Women Safe In Their Homes information sheet