The Little Red Company
Young people shape a groundbreaking response to help end the cycle of violence and homelessness
4 minutes read
Thursday, 22 May 2025
A bold new blueprint to end the harrowing cycle of homelessness will redefine how young people impacted by domestic, family, and sexual violence (DFSV) are supported, with an urgent call for government support.
Driven by data that shows DFSV is a leading cause of youth homelessness, Brisbane Youth Service has developed the groundbreaking Youth Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence Practice Framework with direct input from young people.
It signals a shift in the national response to DFSV by centring young people rather than relegating them to the margins of a system targeted at adults.
Brisbane Youth Service launched the Queensland-first DFSV Framework for people aged 12 to 25 on Wednesday 21 May to coincide with Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month.
The Framework draws on frank and fearless feedback from young people with lived experience of violence to bring together youth voices, frontline experience and best practice to create a clear path for holistic, informed, and appropriate support.
Brisbane Youth Service CEO Pam Barker said there is a clear and urgent need for youth-centred solutions and support structures to end the intergenerational cycle of violence and homelessness.
She said research shows time and again that early intervention and recovery are key to stemming the devastating societal impact of DFSV.
“Homelessness and violence come hand-in-hand. What we know to be true is that last year, 75 per cent of young people who accessed Brisbane Youth Service reported past family violence and 46 per cent have experienced relationship violence,” Barker said.
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Nationally, we have a very serious problem with youth homelessness and violence but there is no response, early intervention or support structure in place to meet the specific needs of young people. ”
“Brisbane Youth Service developed the BYS Youth Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence Practice Framework based on years of frontline experience, irrefutable data and the insights of impacted young people to fill this critical policy and service gap.
“This Framework maps a clear pathway for understanding and appropriately responding to young people whose needs are not always met by adult-focused services.”
The BYS Youth Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence Practice Framework encompasses eight core principles:
• Relationship: Young people have a trusting and safe relationship with workers.
• Paced: Support must meet young people where they are, not overwhelm them.
• Safety: Emotional, relational and systemic safety.
• Choices: Empower young people with information and autonomy, not directives.
• Information: Accessible, age-appropriate DFSV education to help young people make sense of their experiences.
• Harm Reduction: Support must be realistic and contextual.
• Listening: Hearing young people, especially through non-verbal cues.
• Non-Judgmental: Mistakes are part of healing; support should never be conditional.
Brisbane Youth Service self-funded the Framework and DFSV crisis response services with Ms Barker calling on the Queensland Government to commit to dedicated funding for youth-specific DFSV services.
“Violence is becoming normalised for young people. For example, BYS Youth Workers are responding daily to disclosures of non-fatal strangulation in young people’s intimate partner relationships as well as within their family of origin.
“Sexual violence, threats to kill and rape feature in most disclosures we receive, and again these experiences are happening within both family of origin and in intimate partner relationships.
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Our hope is to share this Framework across the state to make a genuine impact and prevent the cycle of violence and homelessness but to do that, we need the Queensland Government to acknowledge and invest in vital youth-specific DFSV services,” she said. ”
“We must work together as a community to drive effective early intervention and recovery-focused support.
The Youth Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence Practice Framework is the latest proactive step by Brisbane Youth Service to address a key cause of youth homelessness.
Earlier this month in partnership with La Trobe University, Brisbane Youth Service launched SAGE+, a new group-based initiative supporting LGBTIQA+ young people aged 18–25 to build safe, respectful relationships and recover from past experiences of violence.
SAGE+ supports LGBTIQA+ young people who experience disproportionately high rates of DFSV and/or homelessness and offers a trauma-informed, inclusive environment that promotes connection, confidence and long-term wellbeing.
For more information about Brisbane Youth Service, visit brisyouth.org.
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