Measuring Outcomes in Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence: A practical Informed Framework From the Salvation Army
Family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV) services play a critical role in supporting victim-survivors’ safety, recovery, and healing. While these services are widely recognised as essential, demonstrating their impact has traditionally relied on service outputs and qualitative accounts. This has limited the sector’s ability to understand what works, for whom, and how services can be strengthened.
Building a national approach to outcomes measurement
To address this evidence gap, The Salvation Army (TSA) partnered with Centre for Social Impact UWA (CSI UWA) to develop a national Outcomes Measurement Framework for its FDSV accommodation and outreach services.
Launched in 2025 following a four-year development process, the framework was informed by an advisory network of lived experience representatives, government and sector stakeholders, and extensive engagement with practitioners and managers. It draws on evidence-based literature, government strategies, and learnings from two pilot phases.
CSI UWA led the evaluation methodology and psychometric validation of the purpose-designed The Salvation Army Wellbeing and Recovery Indicator (TSAWRI), ensuring the framework was supported by robust evidence and measurement.
Report aims
- Provide insights for governments and funders regarding the outcomes measurement needs of FDSV service providers and how these needs can be supported.
- Share resources and learnings with service providers to assist them in developing and implementing their own outcomes measurement frameworks and advocating for service needs.
- Contribute to outcomes measurement in the FDSV sector by offering a working example that may support improved outcomes for victim‑survivors across Australia.
The report includes key decisions, learnings, and resources from the development and implementation of the framework.
Recommendations for government, funders, services and the broader sector
Embedding robust outcomes measurement across FDSV services will strengthen accountability, support continuous service improvement, and build the evidence needed to improve outcomes for victim-survivors. Achieving this requires a shared commitment from governments, funders and service providers to invest in workforce capability, data quality and safe, ethical measurement practices.
The framework provides a practical model that can be adapted by FDSV services across Australia, supporting more consistent and meaningful outcomes measurement while recognising local service contexts and strengthening the evidence base for service improvement, funding and policy decisions.