The framework seeks to evaluate the client voice in community services delivery, design and review, and in system-level policy and planning. It will also act as a resource for clients, helping them to understand the ways services seek to listen and respond to the client voice.
It's intended to provide the broad principles and guidance to drive and anchor related work across the department and emphasise the critical link between quality governance, client voice and outcomes. It provides useful information on how to translate the principles into practice.
The guidance provided in the framework is relevant to all Victorian community service organisations such as those providing child protection, disability, alcohol and drug, community mental health and family violence services.
This framework is deliberately aligned to Safer Care Victoria’s Partnering in Healthcare Framework released in March 2019. This recognises that some organisations and clients span and access both health and community services.
The framework was released on 7 November 2019 by the Hon Luke Donnellan MP, Minister for Child Protection. A celebratory event was hosted by Voice at the Table to mark the occasion and to thank the many people with lived experience who contributed to the development of the framework.