In June 2021, the Attorney-General’s Department engaged Inside Policy to undertake an independent final evaluation of the Elder Abuse Service Trials (the service trials). The purpose of the evaluation was to assess the extent to which the service trials have achieved their ultimate intended outcomes, namely older people feel supported and services meet their needs. Through building on the findings of the mid-point evaluation, this evaluation provides additional insights into:

• How the service trials have been implemented and whether the service trials have been implemented as intended.
• The extent to which the service trials outcomes have been achieved.
• The extent to which each service trial type contributed to its immediate and intermediate outcomes.

The final evaluation provides insights into the implementation of the program and how achievements and lessons have been built on to date, along with implications for the future delivery of elder abuse services.

Implications:

The growth in client numbers since the mid-point evaluation clearly indicates that there is a need for specialist services for older people experiencing or at risk of elder abuse. This cohort requires combined legal and social worker support, including co-case management, which is not otherwise provided by the existing service ecosystem.

Services addressing elder abuse need to be client centred and client-led and acknowledge the significant variability in the nature and drivers of elder abuse and client circumstances. For many clients, the ‘process’ outcomes of being listened to, acknowledged, validated and empowered were as valuable as the ability to action tangible outcomes. These elements also act as protective factors for those experiencing abuse who do not wish to sever their relationship with the perpetrator/s, given they are most commonly their child/children.

The evaluation findings suggest that specialist elder abuse services should continue to be funded by the Commonwealth Government. Those services should:

• Be client-centred and client-led, enabling flexibility in the mode and point in time at which supports are provided.
• Address legal needs in ways that recognise that legal and social needs are interconnected for people at risk of or experiencing elder abuse.
• Be based on a therapeutic model with specific service features (e.g. legal and financial supports) able to be provided as required.
• Provide case management or at minimum ongoing support beyond initial advice and referral, including through partnerships within and across services.

Further to support future evaluation and research on elder abuse, the evaluation suggests:

• Providers continue to collect client surveys and case studies as valuable sources of qualitative data on the nature of elder abuse and effective service responses.
• Minimum dataset data (in addition to data collected through DeX) be collected through an online tool, such as Survey Monkey or Qualtrics, to improve consistency and support future data analysis.
• The program logic model be reviewed in light of the evaluation findings to reconsider design of outcomes, and the evaluation framework be adapted accordingly.