Client outcomes measurement pilot 

Pilot commencing September 2026 

Our client outcomes measurement pilot is a participatory, action learning initiative designed to help specialist DFV services better describe and evidence the difference their work makes in the lives of people experiencing domstic and family violence.  

Grounded in extensive research and engagement, this project explores how service providers can measure outcomes and impact in ways that are meaningful, useful and grounded in the realities of specialist DFV practice. 

At the heart of the pilot is a provisional framework developed in consultation with service providers and people who have accessed DFV services across the Northern Territory, South Australia and Victoria. The framework recognises that meaningful measurement extends beyond counting activities or outputs. It focuses on understanding clients' experiences of support, the changes in their lives that occur through engagement with services, and the wider contribution specialist DFV services make to safety, recovery, wellbeing and social change.  

The framework is underpinned by a simple but important idea: victim survivors are the experts in their own lives. Understanding impact requires attention to what matters most to the people who access services, including whether they feel safer, more supported, more empowered and better able to achieve their own goals. It also acknowledges that outcomes are often non-linear, shaped by broader systems and circumstances, and may continue to emerge long after a person's direct engagement with a service has ended. 

Through the pilot, participating services are testing and adapting the framework within their own contexts. Safety Measures is working alongside service providers to develop practical approaches, tools and processes for collecting, interpreting and using outcomes information. An action learning approach enables participating organisations to share experiences, identify challenges and refine methods together. 

The pilot is running between September 2026 and May 2027 with a small group of specialist DFV services across the Northern Territory, South Australia and Victoria. As the pilot progresses, learnings will be used to strengthen the framework and inform the development of resources that can support outcomes measurement across the broader specialist DFV sector. The framework and implementation resources will be shared publicly in 2027.  

Ultimately, this work aims to support services, funders and policymakers to better understand the value and impact of specialist DFV support, while ensuring that measurement remains purposeful, proportionate and centred on the experiences and priorities of victim survivors.