Our department

The Aboriginal Self-determination and Outcomes division elevates Aboriginal leadership and practice expertise in the department. This division is central to: 

• embedding cultural safety in workplaces, policy, programs, projects and service delivery
•  building and maintaining strong community engagement and stakeholder relationships within the Aboriginal community. 

The division drives Aboriginal self-determination by ensuring First Peoples’ voice, ways of knowing, being and doing is embedded into the department’s decision-making processes to drive policy, program design and implementation. The division is also leading our response to the Yoorrook Justice Commission and preparation for Treaty.
 

The Community Operations and Practice Leadership division delivers vital services directly to the Victorian community. These services include child protection, housing, disability and emergency management. They are delivered through four geographical divisions, 17 areas and statewide services. This division stewards the broader funded community services sector through contract management and implementing operational policy and funding frameworks. This work is undertaken by actively responding to current and emerging place-based, population and community wellbeing issues across:

• child and family services
• family violence and sexual assault services
• homelessness
• community settings

It is also the responsibility of this division to prepare for, and respond to, local and statewide emergencies and critical incidents. 

The Corporate and Delivery Services division is an enabling division delivering centralised: 

• finance and human resources services
• health, safety and wellbeing services
• management of industrial relations, legal and executive services
• information technology services
• procurement, contracting and business service functions to support the department to serve Victorians.

This division houses the Child Protection Litigation Office, which represents the Secretary in child protection applications, and provides legal advice and support for the most complex and sensitive child protection matters. This includes matters where the protection of a child is directly relevant to a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal matter, the Federal Circuit Court and Family Court and in criminal and intervention order proceedings. 
 

The Children and Families division supports the Children’s portfolio with policy and strategic advice, program design and management, and reform delivery. This also includes funding: 

• statutory child protection services
• family support and parenting services
• care services
• specialist support services including for young people leaving care
• initiatives supporting Aboriginal children and families.

The division aims to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people at risk of harm, abuse and neglect. It seeks to improve outcomes for all Victorians, particularly families and children from cohorts and communities experiencing disadvantage and vulnerability.

Disability, Fairness and Emergency Management supports Victorians by standing up for inclusion and equity and preventing harm and discrimination. The division does this through the development and implementation of policies, programs and services that improve social, economic and wellbeing outcomes and drive improved community safety – including providing great specialist disability homes and more choices for people with a disability. The division focuses on people with disability, complex needs, seniors, carers, volunteers, veterans, youth, women and LGBTIQA+ Victorians, along with people and communities experiencing vulnerability. Together with internal and external partners, it supports all Victorians, including those most at risk before, during and after emergencies.

The branches in this division include:

• Disability Homes Victoria
• Disability Reform and Complex Needs
• Emergency Management
• Policy and Delivery, Fairness
• Policy and Systems, Fairness.
   

Family Safety Victoria has primary responsibility for the Prevention of Family Violence portfolio. The division is responsible for strategic policy, statewide reforms and system stewardship for family and sexual violence prevention and response. The division brings individuals, communities and organisations together to create new and coordinated ways to prevent and respond to family and sexual violence, and better support families. Family Safety Victoria works collaboratively to ensure the family and sexual violence system is inclusive and culturally safe and underpinned by the voices of victim-survivors including children and young people.

Homes Victoria is responsible for the Housing portfolio and works towards supporting all Victorians to have access to safe, secure and affordable housing. As the state’s building authority for social and affordable housing, Homes Victoria is also accountable for its asset base, as well as for housing and homelessness policy and program support. Homes Victoria acts as the steward for the social housing and homelessness systems, working in partnership with operations and sectors.

Homes Victoria is established under the Housing Act 1983 and is treated as a Public Non-Financial Corporation.

The System Reform and Workforce and Engagement division drives whole-of-system reform across the department’s areas of portfolio responsibility and delivers an extensive range of communication activities on behalf of the department.

The division leads work on: 

• community sector workforce development
• strategic and regulatory reform
• performance, evidence and analytics
• evaluation
• public engagement.

The division works closely with program and operational areas, other departments and sector and industry partners to improve outcomes for all Victorians. The division is also responsible for budget strategy, strategic planning and reporting across the department as well as delivering progressive and best practice external and internal communications, media, community engagement, emergency management and digital and media services.