DHS South Australia leverages Dynamics 365 to support vulnerable community members

The Department of Human Services South Australia needed to digitise its infrastructure to support the management of high-risk domestic violence cases. Reliance on paper-based methods and COVID-19 restrictions hindered timely support for victims.

DHS developed the Family Safety Portal, using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service, Microsoft Power Platform and Microsoft Azure. This secure platform enables real-time collaboration across 10 agencies and supports evidence-based decision-making.

The Family Safety Portal reformed interagency collaboration, reduced response times and improved data-driven policy decisions. This digital transformation set a new standard for managing domestic violence cases in Australia.

Our work with the Family Safety Portal and ROMS is not just about improving our own operations – it’s about setting a new standard for how technology can be used to protect and support vulnerable communities.

Shikha Sharma, Chief Information Officer and Director of Business Improvement and Technology, DHS South Australia

The Department of Human Services South Australia (DHS) plays a critical role in supporting the state’s most vulnerable citizens, particularly women and children at risk of domestic and family violence. In 2013, the South Australian Government launched the Family Safety Framework (FSF) to offer a statewide, multi-agency response to high-risk cases. Ten government agencies collaborate under this framework, including South Australia Police (SAPOL), SA Health and the Department for Child Protection (DCP).

The framework’s reliance on paper-based processes and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets created security, data management and meeting management issues, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person meetings were no longer feasible. This needed to be rectified using modern digital solutions to enable the timely delivery of essential services and exposed the need for a more secure, efficient way to manage and share sensitive information across multiple agencies.

To address these challenges, the DHS Office for Women approached the department’s technology team to find a solution that would enable virtual collaboration while maintaining the security and integrity of the information being shared. The result was the Family Safety Portal, a secure digital platform built using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service,Microsoft Power Platform and Microsoft Azure. This portal not only digitised the FSF but also transformed how agencies collaborate, enabling real-time information sharing and improving the speed and security of their operations.

“Our work with the Family Safety Portal is not just about improving our own operations – it’s about setting a new standard for how technology can be used to protect and support vulnerable communities,” says Shikha Sharma, Chief Information Officer and Director of Business Improvement and Technology at DHS.

Real-time, interagency collaboration

Coordinating the efforts of the 10 core agencies was required. All core agencies were able to share information under the SA Information Sharing Guidelines. However, each agency had unique ICT protocols and responsibilities, which posed significant challenges. To meet these challenges, DHS collaborated with a trusted Microsoft partner to develop the portal, leveraging Dynamics 365 Customer Service as the backbone for managing workflows and data.

DHS used Microsoft Entra ID to implement advanced security measures, including role-based and record-based access controls, ensuring that only authorised personnel could access sensitive information. To further protect user identities, DHS incorporated multi-factor authentication through Entra ID. It also applied restricted print privileges and automatic screen timeouts to prevent unauthorised data exposure.

“The technical challenge of protecting sensitive information across multiple agencies required a solution that could enforce stringent security protocols while still allowing for seamless collaboration,” says Sharma. “With Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Azure, we were able to achieve that balance, ensuring that our partners could work together effectively without compromising the privacy of the individuals we serve.”

The portal has changed the way agencies collaborate under the FSF. It provides an easily accessible, highly secure environment for agency workers to conduct risk assessments, refer cases to Family Safety Meetings and share information to improve safety responses for those experiencing domestic and family violence. By enabling Family Safety Meetings to occur online in a digitally secure environment, the portal has effectively replaced paper-based risk assessments and referrals, allowing for real-time collaboration that addresses the complexities of domestic violence more effectively.

By centralising data and using real-time analytics, we’ve transformed how we make decisions. We can now respond to emerging trends faster and more effectively, enhancing opportunities to support better outcomes for the people we serve.

Shikha Sharma, Chief Information Officer and Director of Business Improvement and Technology, DHS South Australia

Evidence-based decision-making with better data

DHS has a critical role in shaping policies that protect the most vulnerable members of the community. However, before implementing the Family Safety Portal, the department’s existing technology and processes created challenges in gathering comprehensive, accurate data necessary for informed decision-making. Paper-based processes and manual data entry not only slowed down operations but also made it difficult to track and analyse information across multiple agencies.

DHS addressed this challenge by integrating Microsoft Power BI with the Family Safety Portal, enabling real-time data analytics. This provides deeper insights for more effective management of domestic violence cases. By centralising and digitising data, DHS now collects and analyses information on referrals, response times and case management with greater clarity. This data-driven approach allows DHS to identify trends, better allocate resources and develop policies that are grounded in solid data and evidence.

The portal’s data analytics capabilities also empower DHS to generate detailed reports that can inform policy decisions. For example, DHS uses Power BI to monitor the number of referrals made through the portal, track how quickly agencies respond to high-risk cases and analyse the geographic distribution of incidents. These insights enable DHS to inform policies that address specific needs within the community and provide timely and effective support services.

In addition to the Family Safety Portal, DHS developed the Referral and Outcomes Management System (ROMS), using Dynamics 365 to enhance the management of child and family services. ROMS digitises the referral process, allowing DHS to track when families are referred for support, monitor the outcomes of these referrals and adjust services as needed. With the development of solutions like ROMS and the Family Safety Portal, DHS is advancing its broader digital strategy of leveraging data-driven insights to improve service delivery and policy development.

“By centralising data and using real-time analytics, we’ve transformed how we make decisions,” says Sharma. “We can now respond to emerging trends faster and more effectively, enhancing opportunities to support better outcomes for the people we serve.”

Transforming domestic violence response

DHS’s successful implementation of the Family Safety Portal has set a new benchmark for collaboration and data-driven decision-making in the public sector. By integrating advanced digital solutions across multiple agencies, the department has demonstrated how technology can assist with managing the complexities of domestic and family violence cases. These improvements help streamline processes to enable the safety of people at high risk of harm, particularly those who are living in situations of domestic, family and sexual violence.

DHS has enhanced the speed and accuracy of interagency communication, ensuring that victims of domestic and family violence receive timely and coordinated support. The portal’s ability to facilitate near real-time collaboration has enabled the department to reduce the time required to implement safety plans and provide critical interventions. This proactive approach has improved the efficiency of multi-agency functions and established a secure, centralised and evidence-based model for other government agencies and organisations in South Australia and nationally.

By leading this digital transformation, DHS has set the stage for broader change in the management of challenging social issues. The lessons learned from this project are already influencing other public sector initiatives, driving a shift towards more integrated, data-driven solutions that can better address the needs of communities across Australia.

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