Information for Practitioners
If you are a Family Violence (FV) specialist or Child & Family Services worker and a client discloses issues with gambling –
- you may be able to manage these in the context of your role
- you may need to access additional resources on gambling
- you many wish to have secondary consults with an problem gambling worker
- you may need to refer your client to a problem gambling specialist service
For information and resources about problem gambling, visit the website of The Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation a statutory authority created by the Victorian Parliament specifically to address the challenge of gambling harm in the Victorian community.
Other general information on gambling:
Resources for Practitioners addressing Gambling Harm
If you are an gambling worker and a client discloses that they are experiencing family violence (FV) or you believe FV is an issue, you need to be able to respond appropriately – visit our Understanding Family Violence page to learn about:
- what FV is
- how to identify FV
- how to respond within Victoria’s MARAM Framework
- understanding information sharing legislation
Secondary Consults regarding Gambling Harm
If you need advice or support for your client you can access secondary consultations through:
- Gambling Minds – Secondary consultation service to all providers working in the area of mental health and gambling harm. All discussions are confidential and you can choose the format.
- The Alfred Mental Health and Gambling Harm Program is a state-wide multidisciplinary service that provides support to front-line problem gambling services in their work with clients that are experiencing mental health as well as gambling difficulties.
- Turning Point – Provides a range of addiction treatment, consultation and workforce development programs, for health and welfare professionals working with Victorians with substance use and gambling problems.
Referring clients to services addressing Gambling Harm
Various gambling services are available in Bayside Peninsula and across Victoria that you can refer a client to:
- Connect Health for the Bayside, South Eastern Melbourne, Frankston–Mornington Peninsula areas
- Aboriginal Health Service for support of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients
- Gamblers Help Southern
General Resources & Research on Gambling Harm
- For information and resources about problem gambling visit Gamblers Help.
- Understanding the Link between Family Violence and Gambling Aimed at local governments this paper explains the link between family violence and gambling. (Women’s Health In the North)
- The Relationship between Gambling and Domestic Violence Against Women This qualitative study investigated the relationship between gambling and violence by men against their female intimate partners. (ANROWS)
- Increasing the Odds for Safety and Respect The Increasing the Odds for Safety and Respect project is a Women’s Health In the North and Women’s Health East project working with family violence and problem gambling service providers across the northern and eastern metropolitan regions of Melbourne to share knowledge.
- Prevention project focused on the co-occurrence of family violence and problem gambling (NIVFS)
- Problem Gambling and Family Violence Research Update (Associate Professor Nicki Dowling)
- The Dangerous Combination of Gambling and Family Violence A practice guide for gambling counsellors, financial counsellors and domestic and family violence workers