Evaluation of the National Plan to Respond to the Abuse of Older Australians

Executive summary

Background

This report sets out the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) findings of an evaluation of Australia’s first National to Respond to the Abuse of Older Australians (Elder Abuse) 2019–2023 (the National Plan). The National Plan is supported by the Commonwealth, state and territory governments and was developed to address concern about the abuse of older Australians particularly in the context of an ageing population. The evaluation was commissioned and funded by the Commonwealth Attorney‑General’s Department (AGD).

The evaluation methodology examines progress in several areas of focus under the National Plan and includes consideration of the implications of the findings and lessons learnt to inform the development of future policy approaches. The focus areas are:

• Whether or not the National Plan focused efforts in response to the abuse of older Australians.
• How, and to what extent the National Plan has been effective in increasing the focus of preventing and responding to the abuse of older Australians and creating a foundation for further action.
• Whether the priority areas in the National Plan and their subsequent initiatives have been achieved, are ongoing (to continue) or should no longer be priorities for governments.
• Whether the term of the National Plan was sufficient to achieve the state initiatives and propose a suitable term for future iterations.

Key evaluation questions (KEQs) guided data collection and analysis under three broad categories: ‘appropriateness’, ‘efficiency’ and ‘effectiveness’.

Eight methods were employed during the evaluation including

• a desktop review of core program and policy documents that detail jurisdictional responses to elder abuse
• a synthesis of insights from previous evaluations of initiatives performed under the National Plan
• targeted consultations and requests for information from Commonwealth, state and territory representatives with lead jurisdictional responsibility for the National Plan
• a survey of community members aged 18 years and over
• interviews and focus groups with professionals concerned with or working within organisations/agencies responding to elder abuse
• a Delphi study with professionals concerned with or working within organisations/agencies responding to elder abuse
• case studies of initiatives performed under the National Plan.

The Australian Institute of Family Studies Human Research Ethics Committee provided ethical clearance for this research.

Acknowledgements

This report was commissioned and funded by the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department (AGD). The authors would like to acknowledge the support and assistance provided by the AGD, in particular, colleagues from the Family Safety Branch.

Special thanks also go to our research partners at the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI), in particular Bianca Brijnath, Peter Fieldman and Rachel Muoio.

We would also like to thank all representatives from Commonwealth, state and territory jurisdictions who participated in or contributed to this evaluation in some way.

We also acknowledge and thank Dr Sharman Stone, AIFS Director; Liz Neville (Acting Director); Dr Rae Kaspiew, AIFS Research Director, Systems and Services for their valuable contributions to this report. Further, we would like to thank Lisa Carroll, Cindy Hetherington, and Katharine Day for their communications and editing support. We also thank members of the AIFS Human Research and Ethics Committee.

Views expressed in this publication are those of individual authors and may not reflect those of the Australian Commonwealth, State or Territory Governments, or the Australian Institute of Family Studies.

Cover artwork is titled ‘Red Today’ © Michael Minniti.

Michael Minniti is a skilled artist in drawing, painting, ceramics and sculptural forms. Michael uses lines and shapes to create geometic designs. These shapes feature in much of his work. Michael calls the shapes ‘ladders’ and they reference personal memories of working with his father in their shed.

Michael is supported by St John of God Accord. St John of God Accord supports people with a disability and runs a renowned ceramics and arts program at Greensborough Community Campus.