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Table 2 Common DFV service adaptations to COVID-19 including outreach care, infection control, telehealth and digital support

From: “The real pandemic’s been there forever”: qualitative perspectives of domestic and family violence workforce in Australia during COVID-19

Increased focus on outreach care

As demand increased, services extended their hours. Some professionals went from working 9–5 to 24/7

“Most of our services have gone into a 24/7 contactable service which used to be more of like a nine to five service, just to ensure that- they [the clients] might be able to seek help.” P4, CEO, DFV advocacy and crisis service

Work spaces were adapted to minimise COVID-19 exposure for clients and staff. Home visits, outdoor meetings and welfare checks were used to connect clients to their community. Staggered office hours/days were also used to minimise contact between staff

“You can still go and knock on someone’s door and stand three metres back and check on their safety and wellbeing, especially in towns where we didn’t have phone numbers for them or they weren’t answering the phones.” P9, manager, DFV advocacy and crisis service

Some services partnered with charities to provide clients with access to practical resources such as food, housing and financial assistance to pay for utilities

“We brought in the [deidentified charity organisation]…to help with COVID because of the costs of living and stuff so we asked them to come to us and they set up a little office here once a week where people could just come and get their bills paid or emergency relief.” P28, manager, health care

Infection prevention

As ‘essential services’, shelters were able to operate face-to-face during COVID-19 provided they adapted their policies to comply with public health protocols. Shelters introduced temperature checks and COVID-19 screening for clients and staff. Many were also limited in the number of clients they could accommodate

“All the policies have been changed around how we assess a client coming into the service, with their children. We've got a whole list of health questions that we need to ask… no one’s allowed to walk in the door unless they’ve been asked all the questions about, sick, all that, symptoms, hot spots. Temperature taken, the same with staff.. If they're not feeling well, they're sent home.” P13, manager, DFV advocacy and crisis service

Shelters increased the intensity and frequency of their cleaning and provided clients with hygiene packets including hand sanitizer, wipes and gloves. The wearing of personal professional equipment (PPE) was mandated among staff

“We increased the cleaning in our shelter. So we used to have fortnightly cleaning…but we now have weekly cleaning and we increased it from two hours to three hours. We give all the women a little pack with wipes and hand sanitizer, and we’ve taken masks to the shelter, and gloves. We had a dishwasher installed…to try and increase hygiene and infection control.” P5, executive director, DFV advocacy and crisis service

Telehealth/Digital services

Most services other than shelters could no longer operate face-to-face. They adapted to deliver services remotely by telephone/digital platforms

“We’ve changed over to providing our services over the phone, and our playgroups and parenting support either through a Facebook group or the newsletter or by phone as well.” P12, manager, counselling

“I do some group work via Zoom, so that works quite well. And generally my day to day work is telephone work.” P10, counsellor, DFV advocacy and crisis service

Legal services supported their clients to navigate video court appearances and online Applications for Apprehended Violence Orders (AVO)

“We've also been using things like Microsoft Teams or the court Zoom account for court appearances and so forth.” P44, Manager, court and legal support