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Family violence services for Melbourne's northern suburbs


Need help?

Call 000 if you or someone you know is in danger.


In the Northern Metropolitan region of Melbourne, Berry Street’s Northern Specialist Family Violence Service (NSFVS) team provides free family violence services to victim survivors, including LGBTIQ+ people and children, who live in:

  • City of Hume
  • City of Merri-bek (formerly Moreland)
  • Shire of Nillumbik
  • City of Banyule
  • City of Whittlesea
  • City of Darebin
  • City of Yarra.
Woman sitting drinking out of a mug

How we work

When people contact us or are referred to us, we talk to them to determine what help and support they need. This can be done by phone and/or face to face.

The next step may be to:

  • assess their risk
  • come up with a safety plan
  • refer them to refuge and emergency housing if they and their children are at immediate risk
  • refer victim survivors and children who have experienced family violence to therapeutic services
  • provide a secondary consultation for professionals.

Service charter

To find out more about how we deliver family violence services and to read our service charter, go to our service charters.

Intake points

NSFVS has two primary intake points, known as The Orange Door.

For people residing in Nillumbik, Banyule, Whittlesea, Darebin or Yarra council areas, please contact:

NEMA Orange Door
Office locations in Heidelberg and Epping
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Phone 1800 319 355
Email nema@orangedoor.vic.gov.au

For people residing in Hume and Merri-bek (formerly Moreland) council areas, please contact:

Hume/Merri-bek Orange Door
Office locations in Broadmeadows, Coburg & Sunbury
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Phone 1800 271 151
Email hma@orangedoor.vic.gov.au

Or visit www.orangedoor.vic.gov.au for more information about The Orange Door.

NSFVS Core Services provide assistance with; understanding family violence, risk assessment, crisis response, safety planning, advocacy, counselling, referral, practice development, training and secondary consultation to professionals.

If you are experiencing a family violence crisis and need support, you can contact NSFVS Core Services Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm via Phone 03 9450 4700.

If you require family violence crisis support outside of NSFVS business hours you can contact Safe Steps via email safesteps@safesteps.org.au or phone 1800 015 188.

If you are in immediate danger call 000.

Core services

We also offer services that help people to get help, navigate the legal system and find a safe place to live.

Our case managers assess victim survivors' needs and make a plan that aims to work with them to meet their needs. We also have a small team dedicated to working with victim survivors under 25 years old.

The Communities team provides practical responses to family violence through capacity building, training and specific out posting partnerships within the Northern Region.


The communities team hold partnerships with Maternal Child Health services, playgroups, Community Hubs, Early Learning Centres and Early Years services across the Hume local government area. The Communities team also provide tailored responses to address the needs of young people (18-25) through direct practice in addition to community development and capacity building.


Access to the communities’ team is triaged via the NSFVS intake service 03 9450 04700.

We have a therapeutic team that can support some victim survivors with working through their experience, and developing strategies to stay safe and heal from trauma. We can also refer to other local counselling services.


The NSFVS refers to other Berry Street programs and external programs for therapeutic support for families, including children.

A specialist family violence worker provides support for victim survivors of family violence at the Neighbourhood Justice Centre.

We support victim survivors to explore safe and affordable housing options, this is usually in partnership or via a referral to your local housing service. We can also explore with you how security at your home can be increased to make it safer.

Contact us

Berry Street Eaglemont office
677 The Boulevard, Eaglemont VIC 3084
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Phone 03 9450 4700
Email CAFVS@berrystreet.org.au

Rainbow Tick

Our family violence services have received Rainbow Tick accreditation. This means that staff have completed training and the systems and processes in our family violence service are inclusive for LGBTIQA+ people.