“Validating a child’s lived experience and helping them to feel safe and supported is everyone’s responsibility. We can all play a supportive role within the communities we live to achieve this.” Megan Pavich
Latrobe Valley local Megan Pavich is the Children’s Practice Leader at The Orange Door family violence hub in Inner Gippsland. She said the support systems she’s implemented, and the families she’s been able to help, wouldn’t have been possible without the trust and support of Latrobe Health Services (LHS).
“The team has been incredibly generous by allowing us to develop this role to ensure children remain a priority in family violence services for the long-term. We all need to be advocates for children that are experiencing family violence or hardship,” Megan said.
Latrobe Health Services is a Gippsland-based, not-for-profit private health insurer to more than 81,000 members Australia-wide.
In May 2020, LHS donated $350,000 to Anglicare Victoria in Gippsland. The generous gesture allowed the agency to provide further assistance to local families impacted by domestic violence, connect with young people facing social isolation, and support parents with children who are violent or abusive at home.
The Children’s Practice Leader position has been running in Inner Gippsland for the past12 months as a result of the LHS funding. It has been so successful that all Orange Door family violence and family support hubs across the state will soon have a Children’s Practice Leader position of their own.
The specialised role works to put children first in family violence situations, particularly where the child has experienced adversity as a result of traumatic life events. The Children’s Practice Leader seeks to create a community of support around each child, assessing their individual holistic needs and allow them to heal and reconnect.
