---
title: "Client safety screening and safety planning checklist for family violence matters"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/precedents/family-violence-and-protection-orders/safety-plan-risk-assessment-checklist"
type: "precedent"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "a53-safety-plan-risk-assessment-checklist"
area_id: "A53"
kind: "checklist"
ai_level: "red"
version: 1
law_stated_as_at: "2026-10-17"
---

# Client safety screening and safety planning checklist for family violence matters

> Lawyer's checklist for screening family violence risk at intake and through the matter, making a safe communication and document plan, and referring to specialist services.…

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/precedents/family-violence-and-protection-orders/safety-plan-risk-assessment-checklist  
Law stated as at: 2026-10-17

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

Lawyer's checklist for screening family violence risk at intake and through the matter, making a safe communication and document plan, and referring to specialist services. It supports, and does not replace, specialist risk assessment.

## Key facts

- Kind: Checklist. Steps or checks to work through and tick off.
- Practice area: [Family Violence & Protection Orders](https://ailawframework.com/precedents/family-violence-and-protection-orders.md)
- Jurisdictions: Australia, New South Wales, Victoria
- AI level: Red. Keep AI out of the decisive steps. A lawyer does the work.
- Law stated as at: 2026-10-17
- Status: Maintained. Checked on 2026-10-17 against the 6 authorities it cites, for Australia, New South Wales and Victoria.

## When to use it

Use at first contact in every family law, protection order, child protection or elder law matter where family violence may be present, and again at known risk points (separation, service, hearings, release from custody). It is not a clinical risk assessment tool.

## How AI may be used

Lawyer-led. Safety screening and planning are human tasks. AI risk-scoring tools must not replace professional or specialist risk assessment, and location, contact and safety-plan details must never go into general-purpose AI tools.

**AI may:**

- Produce a blank screening form or referral list template from the firm's approved checklist
- Diary review dates for the safety plan in the practice management system

**AI must not:**

- Must not score, rank or predict the client's risk
- Must not receive the client's address, routines, safety plan, or the perpetrator's details
- Must not draft referral content that includes identifying details in an unapproved tool

**The lawyer checks:**

- Screening completed and recorded, and urgent risk escalated the same day
- Safe contact plan agreed and recorded on the file in a restricted field
- Every outgoing document checked for location details before it leaves the firm

## Authorities

- [Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) Pt 11, ss 189–191 (MARAM Framework)](https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/family-violence-protection-act-2008)
- [Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 (NSW) s 6A (meaning of domestic abuse) and Pt 13A (information sharing)](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2007-080)
- [Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 (NSW) s 43 (protected person's address not to be stated)](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2007-080)
- [Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) s 4AB (family violence) and s 102NA (mandatory protections against personal cross-examination)](https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2004A00275/latest/text)
- [NSW Department of Communities and Justice, Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool (DVSAT) (official page)](https://dcj.nsw.gov.au/service-providers/supporting-family-domestic-sexual-violence-services/dfsv-tools-and-resources/domestic-violence-safety-assessment-tool.html)
- [Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules 2015 r 9 (confidentiality)](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2015-0244)

## Full text and drafting notes

The full text and the drafting notes are not part of this public page. Signed-in firm accounts can read them at https://ailawframework.com/precedents/family-violence-and-protection-orders/safety-plan-risk-assessment-checklist and through the signed-in MCP connector https://ailawframework.com/mcp/firm.

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*