The Victorian Government has updated the Mandatory Minimum Qualifications (MMQ) Policy, which first launched in 2021. The updated MMQ Policy outlines the minimum qualifications people need, or must be working towards, to work as a specialist family violence practitioner in Victoria.
This updated policy applies to specialist family violence response roles that hold Comprehensive level responsibility under the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) framework and deliver family violence response functions. The main changes to the MMQ Policy include:
- All roles from 1 July 2021, must have or be ‘working towards’ an Australian Qualification Framework Level 7 or above qualification (e.g. Bachelor’s Degree, Graduate Certificate, Master’s Degree) related to family violence.
- Practitioners who already have a Diploma or two years of related professional experience can ‘work towards’ the minimum requirement over 10 years while employed in a specialist family violence response role.
- People who were employed in a specialist family violence response role before 1 July 2021 are permanently exempt from the MMQ Policy requirements.
The updated MMQ Policy came into effect on 31 March 2026.
To better understand the importance of the MMQ Policy and these changes for Victoria’s family violence sector, watch the video below.
00:00:05.400 — 00:00:21.230 · Tania Farha
The mandatory minimum qualifications policy is really important for the sector because it creates a consistent level of expertise. It also is important because it recognises the expertise that already exists in the sector and formalises it.
00:00:21.2300 — 00:00:40.360 · Ellen McGregor
The specialist family violence workforce does hold really specialised skills in risk assessment, risk management, responding to the needs of victim survivors. And this policy really affirms that highly specialised nature of our work and sets apart the work of our sector from other community services.
00:00:40.360 — 00:01:07.640 · Phillip Ripper
The first mandatory minimum qualification framework was developed as a response to an urgent need identified by the Royal Commission, and with all good policy. We need to reflect, see how it's going in operation and the Department of Dunlap. They've spent a lot of time talking to people working in the family violence sector.
They've spent a lot of time talking to peak bodies such as No to Violence and Safe and Equal and others who are committed to this work.
00:01:08.360 — 00:01:39.880 · Aunty Daphne Yarram
To me, the opportunity to participate has been to ensure that Aboriginal voices. Aboriginal organisations and Aboriginal communities are front and centre. So we didn't feel like this was an add on to a process where historically that happened a lot. We were front and centre and a part of the journey to develop a policy in the process that was inclusive, responsive and ultimately to ensure that the voice of Aboriginal community, our most vulnerable, were heard.
00:01:40.920 — 00:02:11.060 · Ellen McGregor
Key changes to the redeveloped mandatory minimum qualification policy include a broadening of the Bachelor level qualification, replacing the Bachelor of Social Work as a core focus. Removal of the seven equivalency principles and ongoing and simplified working towards pathway changes to workforce scope, using a function based definition and a permanent exemption for practitioners employed prior to July 2021.
00:02:12:130 — 00:02:28.050 · Tania Farha
The new policy is really important for all targeted organisations because the broader range of options to enter the workforce means that you can have a more diverse workforce, which reflects the clients that you're responding to.
00:02:28.330 — 00:02:43.210 · Phillip Ripper
Well, look, it creates pathways that are simpler for people to move from one part of the system to another really will enhance opportunities for the sector, but really opportunities for practitioners to grow and broaden their career within the space.
00:02:43.930 — 00:02:52.200 · Ellen McGregor
We would hope that the uplifted policy gives our member organisations greater autonomy in their decision making around who is the right fit for roles within their services.
00:02:53.100 — 00:03:13.610 · Aunty Daphne Yarram
If you bring in this knowledge and wisdom and thinking within the Aboriginal sector, it will resonate in any person who is affected by family violence in a positive way and be seen against their colleagues, both allies and others, that they have the qualifications and skills to meet the demands of our community.
00:00:05.400 — 00:00:21.230 · Tania Farha
The mandatory minimum qualifications policy is really important for the sector because it creates a consistent level of expertise. It also is important because it recognises the expertise that already exists in the sector and formalises it.
00:00:21.2300 — 00:00:40.360 · Ellen McGregor
The specialist family violence workforce does hold really specialised skills in risk assessment, risk management, responding to the needs of victim survivors. And this policy really affirms that highly specialised nature of our work and sets apart the work of our sector from other community services.
00:00:40.360 — 00:01:07.640 · Phillip Ripper
The first mandatory minimum qualification framework was developed as a response to an urgent need identified by the Royal Commission, and with all good policy. We need to reflect, see how it's going in operation and the Department of Dunlap. They've spent a lot of time talking to people working in the family violence sector.
They've spent a lot of time talking to peak bodies such as No to Violence and Safe and Equal and others who are committed to this work.
00:01:08.360 — 00:01:39.880 · Aunty Daphne Yarram
To me, the opportunity to participate has been to ensure that Aboriginal voices. Aboriginal organisations and Aboriginal communities are front and centre. So we didn't feel like this was an add on to a process where historically that happened a lot. We were front and centre and a part of the journey to develop a policy in the process that was inclusive, responsive and ultimately to ensure that the voice of Aboriginal community, our most vulnerable, were heard.
00:01:40.920 — 00:02:11.060 · Ellen McGregor
Key changes to the redeveloped mandatory minimum qualification policy include a broadening of the Bachelor level qualification, replacing the Bachelor of Social Work as a core focus. Removal of the seven equivalency principles and ongoing and simplified working towards pathway changes to workforce scope, using a function based definition and a permanent exemption for practitioners employed prior to July 2021.
00:02:12:130 — 00:02:28.050 · Tania Farha
The new policy is really important for all targeted organisations because the broader range of options to enter the workforce means that you can have a more diverse workforce, which reflects the clients that you're responding to.
00:02:28.330 — 00:02:43.210 · Phillip Ripper
Well, look, it creates pathways that are simpler for people to move from one part of the system to another really will enhance opportunities for the sector, but really opportunities for practitioners to grow and broaden their career within the space.
00:02:43.930 — 00:02:52.200 · Ellen McGregor
We would hope that the uplifted policy gives our member organisations greater autonomy in their decision making around who is the right fit for roles within their services.
00:02:53.100 — 00:03:13.610 · Aunty Daphne Yarram
If you bring in this knowledge and wisdom and thinking within the Aboriginal sector, it will resonate in any person who is affected by family violence in a positive way and be seen against their colleagues, both allies and others, that they have the qualifications and skills to meet the demands of our community.
For more information about the MMQ Policy and what has changed, visit Mandatory minimum qualifications for specialist family violence response roles.