Dandenong MDC Highlights

By Saihini Naidoo

SECASA has counsellors at 12 locations across the South Eastern Metropolitan region of Melbourne. The Dandenong office is responsible for teams that are located in Packenham, Cranbourne and Dandenong. The Dandenong office is co-located with Victoria Police and Department of Health and Human Services staff.

Tzedek joins SECASA

By Saihini Naidoo and Jessica Wooley

Tzedek is an organisation dedicated to the prevention and control of sexual abuse within the Jewish and broader community.  At the end of 2018, Tzedek became a program provided through SECASA.

Joining SECASA, saw Tzedek become the first Jewish not-for-profit to receive funding from a Government organisation.

School’s Program Success, but a work in progress

By Saihini Naidoo

SECASA’s Schools Program is designed to educate young people on important issues that relate to their bodies and their mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.

Hayley and Elizabeth run this program and visit different Primary and Secondary Schools across the South Eastern region. This program raises greater awareness on subjects such as: protective behaviours, bodily autonomy, respectful relationships and online safety.

Specialist assessment

By Jessica Wooley

Specialist assessment is not counselling, as it is a more structural approach constrained by time. A specialist assessment will generally be used to assist Child Protection’s investigation.  Specialist assessment is a process to clarify allegations of concern around sexual abuse. CASAs conduct specialist assessments for children up to 17 years of age.

Duty team update

By Jessica Wooley

CASA duty teams are made up of especially trained and qualified sexual assault and family violence counsellors. Each CASA has their own duty worker who will answer crisis calls during business hours. After hours these calls are answered by the Sexual Assault Crisis Line (SACL) 1800 806 292. This service is provided free of cost.

Protective behaviour education

By Jessica Wooley

‘Protective behaviours’ is an education program aimed at children who receive counselling services from SECASA. It teaches them what it means to be safe and unsafe, in their own behaviour and the behaviour of others.

This education program provides an opportunity to understand boundaries. The definition of ‘safe’ is explored thoroughly, looking at safe places, safe people and warning signs that a person or activity is unsafe. Usually the child has been in an unsafe situation in the past which has led them to becoming a client at SECASA.

Community Health Nurses in MDCs

By Jessica Wooley

Community Health Nurses (CHNs) offer free and confidential health support to individuals who have experienced sexual assault, as well as their family members.

Sexual assault and family violence are linked to poor outcomes, such as poor mental and physical health. CHNs aim to minimise poor outcomes through education and support. They undertake an initial general health needs assessment of the client, providing health information, assisted referral and education for all health matters.