FSV commissioned Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) to complete a process evaluation in 2014. This has been completed but is not yet publicly available.

Overall, the evaluation concluded that services were delivered to a high standard, and reinforced the need for a dedicated, youth-focused program such as AFVP to fill service delivery gaps in specialist interventions. However, various program components were not implemented according to the intended service model, with little consistency between sites.

The evaluation was hindered by relatively small sample sizes. While some outcome improvements were seen, it is worth noting that this was not universal for all participants.

• Many participants saw a reduction in violence, but for 27% the levels remained and for 5% violent conflict increased.
• Some young participants gained an increased in understanding about the harm inflicted by their use of violence, but over one third (34%) demonstrated no increase in understanding.
• There is limited evidence that the AFVP had any impact in reducing drug and alcohol use, improving mental health outcomes, or increasing school engagement, although service providers were proactive in referring families to other relevant services for additional support.
• Many participants experienced improved family relationships, but in 20% of cases the young person’s relationship with parents deteriorated.

‘Changes that were observed may not be sustained beyond the intervention period, and may better reflect the impact of the program while supervising and supporting families, rather than the impact of the program in terms of producing meaningful behavioural change’ (AIC, p. 28)