Family Violence and Disability: Co-designing with Diverse Children and Young People to Shape Future Research, Policy, and Practice
⚠️ Content Note
This page and relevant resources linked on this page discuss the impacts of domestic violence, abuse, and injury for disabled people and their families.
Safety Beyond Barriers (SBB)
Children and young people with disability experience family violence at higher rates, yet their experiences are often overlooked or poorly understood. Rates of violence and misunderstanding are even higher for disabled First Nations, multicultural, LGBTIQA+, and regional/remote children and young people. Support systems for disability and for family violence are frequently separate, making it harder for victim-survivors to get the help they need.
This project is working with diverse children and young people with disability to ensure their experiences shape future research, policy, and practice, through a co-design team with lived and family experience of disability from LGBTIQA+, First Nations, multicultural and regional and remote backgrounds.
The project also involves an Advisory Group of disability and family violence experts from:
- Australia’s Research Organisation for Women’s Safety
- the Australian Institute of Family Studies
- Children and Young People with Disability Australia
- First Peoples Disability Network
- National Ethnic Disability Alliance
- Women With Disabilities Australia
- Inclusive Rainbow Voices, and
- Regional Disability Advocacy Service.
The project aims to generate practical, evidence-based recommendations to improve family violence prevention and response systems. It comes at a time when conversations about family and domestic violence, child safety and disability rights are intensifying.
This project is part of National Disability Research Partnership’s (NDRP) Safety of People with Disability research funding, supporting research led by and with people with disability. CYDA is the lead organisation for this project, working in partnership with the Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Learn more about Safety Beyond Barriers
You can download resources from this page:
The SBB Project Evidence Scan was prepared by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) and provides a summary of research on family and domestic violence in families of children and young people with disability in Australia.
- The SBB Co-design Poster outlines what the project is doing, why this matters, and the project ecosystem.
Why this matters
Children and young people with disability face unique challenges when experiencing family violence. They are also victim-survivors in their own right, impacting their safety, wellbeing, relationships, and sense of belonging.
What the project is doing
- Building evidence: producing an accessible evidence scan
- Active co-design: co-designers and facilitators with lived experience
- Strategic insight: Advisory Group of disability and family violence sector experts.
Project ecosystem
- Project co-leads: Dr Liz Hudson (she/her) and Dr Tess Altman (she/her)
- Project support: Madeleine Gay (she/her)
- Lead organisation: Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA)
- Partner: Australian Institute of Family Studies
Support is available
Reading about domestic violence, abuse, and injury may bring up strong feelings. You’re not alone, and help is available.
1800RESPECT is a free support service for people impacted by domestic, family, or sexual violence. Call 000 if you are in danger.
If you or someone you know is in distress or needs support, please contact:
Lifeline – 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support)
Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636 (mental health support)
Carer Gateway – 1800 422 737 (support for carers)
Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800 (for children and young people aged 5–25)
13YARN – 13 92 76 (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, 24/7)