What a Protection Order does
“Safety programmes” for you and your children
Free, confidential programmes are available to any protected person
Family Violence Act 2018, s 187
If you’ve obtained a Protection Order, education and support programmes – called “safety programmes” – are available for you, your children and any other person who’s specifically named in the order as a protected person. The programmes are free and confidential, and they’re available to you at any time while the Protection Order is in force.
Your lawyer – or the judge or court registrar if you don’t have a lawyer – must tell you about your right to attend a safety programme.
You can also find out about programmes through the Family Court coordinator or a family violence service.
What’s the purpose of the safety programmes?
These safety programmes aim to help protected people understand family violence and the laws relating to it, to understand the effects of this violence on families, and to learn how to protect themselves from family violence in the future.
Programmes developed specifically for children can help them understand and deal with family violence and its effects on them and the family. Although they cover very serious issues, these programmes are designed to be interactive and fun so that children will enjoy the programme.
Note: Safety programmes provided for protected people are very different from the non-violence programmes that respondents must attend. You and the respondent won’t be required to attend a programme together.
