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Key Frameworks and Policy Context · Capability Framework

Capability Framework

The knowledge, skills and behaviours every workforce needs to respond safely and effectively to family and domestic violence — whatever the role.

The Capability Framework is for all workers and organisations who may encounter victim-survivors or users of violence in their work.

It has been developed to strengthen our collective response to family and domestic violence, to support the safety of victim-survivors and to hold people who use violence accountable.

People experiencing family and domestic violence often deal with many services at once, and this Framework helps ensure that everyone responds to them consistently, safely and respectfully.

Who it applies to

The Capability Framework applies to anyone who may come across family and domestic violence at work, including:

  • Community services staff
  • Health professionals
  • Justice and law enforcement
  • Education staff
  • Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations
  • Not-for-profit organisations
  • Government workers
  • Training providers

The Capability Framework has been designed so that you do not need to be a family and domestic violence specialist to understand your role, and uphold a duty of care to clients, patients, students, or community members.

What it focuses on

  • Keeping victim-survivors safe
  • Holding people who use violence accountable
  • Providing culturally safe and inclusive services
  • Supporting recovery and long-term wellbeing
  • Helping organisations build a skilled and supported workforce

What it is not

The Capability Framework is not a step-by-step practice manual. It doesn’t replace laws, policies or professional standards, and should be used alongside risk assessment tools, codes of practice and organisational policies.

The three workforce groups

The Framework supports three Workforce Groups: Specialist, Response and Broader Supporting workforces. It groups workers based on how family and domestic violence fits into their role.

Specialist Workforce

The Specialist Workforce has family and domestic violence as a core focus of their role. They have responsibility for:

  • Identifying family and domestic violence
  • Ongoing risk management
  • Case coordination
  • Behaviour change interventions
  • Advocacy and system leadership

Examples include family and domestic violence case managers, refuge workers, counsellors, men’s behaviour change facilitators, and family and domestic violence response teams.

Response Workforce

Family and domestic violence is an explicit part of the role, but not the main focus. Their responsibilities are to:

  • Identify family and domestic violence
  • Assess risk
  • Support safety planning
  • Refer to specialist services

Examples include police, GPs, social workers, nurses, child protection workers and housing officers.

Broader Supporting Workforce

Family and domestic violence is not a core part of the role; however they still have a duty of care. This workforce has responsibility for:

  • Recognising warning signs of family and domestic violence
  • Listening and believing victim-survivors
  • Connecting people to appropriate help

Examples of roles in this workforce are staff at the bank, staff in Centrelink, pharmacists, teachers, support workers, and coaches.

Where it comes from

The Capability Framework was developed as part of Western Australia’s Strengthening Responses to Family and Domestic Violence System Reform Plan 2024–2029.

Resources Hub

Read it, or take it away.

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Training and events

Training for this framework

Nothing is tagged to this framework yet — here’s what’s coming up across the sector.

See Capability Framework training