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Counsellors, family support workers, family and children's contact workers, or equivalent practitioners, seeking to enhance their skills to work with individuals and families affected by domestic and family violence.

Online, in-person & hybrid
Offered part-time over 18 months:
• Semester one includes a combination of self-paced and interactive online learning, together with face-to-face classes and skills workshops.
• Semester two includes a fully arranged and supported work placement for all students, along with monthly, face-to-face seminars, and some added online learning and field experiences.

Observations
Students will have the opportunity to observe men’s behaviour change program groups during their placement and gain an understanding of family violence court process.

Guest speakers & excursions
We provide instructor-led guest speaker sessions, forums and excursions to relevant organisations working within the family violence sector.

These experiences allow students to engage with community organisations that work in the field of family violence, learn from experts in the field and broaden their knowledge of the sector.

Core Inclusion Program
All students also take part in a self-paced online Core Inclusion Program on working with people across diverse cultural groups.

This course is delivered in both
Victoria (VIC) and New South Wales (NSW). 
New dates for the next intake will be available soon.
We also offer full-time, intensive and rural Victoria intakes on demand.

• Registered Training Organisation
• Facilitated by skilled, practicing counsellors
• More than 70 years' service delivery experience
• Integrated online, face-to-face & hybrid learning options.

The Graduate Diploma is accredited with Family Safety Victoria in meeting the principles for Family Safety Practitioners, and accredited and recognised with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) for registered members.

Relationship counsellors support individuals and families with a range of complex personal and relational issues affecting individual and family functioning. Their role may include family violence service delivery including risk assessment, risk management and multi-disciplinary collaborative practice that is aligned with practice requirements, family violence practice guidelines and legal/statutory obligations.

This course is delivered by highly experienced and currently practising relationship counsellors who have worked in a range of organisational, private practice and family violence contexts. Trainers have current training and assessment qualifications and relevant industry experience.

Semester one

Module 1: Introduction to Relationship Counselling and Family Violence

Module 2: Skills for Sustainable Practice

Module 3: Diversity of Family Structures

Module 4: Family Violence in Relationship Counselling

Module 5: Risk Assessment, Management, Safety Planning and MARAM

Module 6: Trauma-Informed Theory and Practice

Module 7: Foundations of Counselling Modalities

Module 8: Cultural Diversity

Module 9: Lived Experiences of Family Violence

Module 10: Counselling Practice with Couples

Module 11: Counselling Practice with Children and Young People

Module 12: Counselling Practice with Families

Module 13: Family Violence Screening and Assessment with Couples and Families

Module 14: Separation and the Family: Parenting Arrangements and Family Law

Module 15: Mediation

Semester two

Fully arranged and supported work placement (50 hours) allowing students to apply their learnt theories and frameworks into practice under the supervision of experienced counsellors and practitioners.

Students have the option to undertake placements in their workplace or within a RAV-nominated centre

Please visit www.training.gov.au for detailed information on the course units.

CHCDFV008 Manage responses to domestic and family violence in family work

CHCDFV013 Manage domestic and family violence screening and risk assessment processes

CHCDFV010 Promote accountability and assist users of domestic and family violence to accept responsibility

CHCFAM002 Work with a child-focused approach

CHCDFV002 Provide support to children affected by domestic and family violence

CHCFCS001 Facilitate the family counselling process

CHCFCS002 Provide relationship counselling

CHCFCS003 Provide counselling to children and young people

CHCFAM001 Operate in a family law environment

CHCFAM007 Assist clients to develop parenting arrangements

CHCPRP007 Work within a clinical supervision framework

Upon successful completion of the course, graduates can apply for:
• roles within community service organisations and government departments
• senior roles involving oversight of family violence service delivery including risk management, multi-disciplinary collaborative practice that is aligned with current practice requirements, family violence practice guidelines and legal/statutory obligations.

To gain entry into the Graduate Diploma, a candidate must have one or more of the following:

• an undergraduate degree or higher qualification in counselling, psychology, social work, social science, or equivalent;
• a Diploma of Counselling from the CHC Community Services Training Package or equivalent
• documented evidence of previous experience in a family counselling environment in a job role involving:
  • self-directed application of knowledge with substantial depth in some areas
  • exercise of independent judgement and decision-making
  • a range of technical and other skills.

Upon request and where applicable, candidates may request a credit transfer and/or Recognition of Prior Learning process.

RPL enables students to have their existing skills and knowledge relating to FDR acknowledged and status granted where appropriate.

This is available for people with extensive and relevant experience in family law, mediation, counselling or family and domestic violence.

To apply for RPL, you will need to provide evidence of the competencies needed for FDR by completing our RPL Application and Assessment Form, which we can provide on request.

$13,390 (payable by instalment). This cost includes the fully supported work placement.

A $1000 deposit is required on enrolment. The deposit is non-refundable, except under certain conditions.

From 1 January 2015, students undertaking nationally accredited training with RAV (i.e. enrolling into VET courses) will need to set up a Unique Student Identifier (USI) and provide this to RAV’s administration team via email.

RAV is required to record and verify a USI for each student.

For more information and help to apply for a USI, visit usi.gov.au

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