About us

Our story

CADA works from a feminist framework. We understand domestic and family violence (DFV) is a social issue. We work with a gender view focussed on the power and control dynamics in relationships. We believe in the equality of all people regardless of gender, race, ability, class or sexuality.  We understand the importance of change on a systemic level as well as an individual level.

Our work is grounded in women’s experiences. Although anyone can be a victim of domestic violence, the gendered nature of domestic violence means the vast majority of survivors are women.

We support all people experiencing domestic and family violence regardless of gender or sexuality.

We aim to empower our clients and minimise power differences between our staff and our clients.

We are client focused and client driven.  We encourage a high degree of participation and collaboration with our clients. We acknowledge our clients’ rights to make their own decisions and their expertise in their own lives.

Woman standing tall, looking content and empowered. She is wearing a white top and has short brown hair and light skin.

Our leaders

CEO
Holly Brennan OAM

Holly Brennan has worked in women’s health, prevention of violence against women and children, sexual and reproductive health, child protection, sexuality and respectful relationships education and health promotion for over 25 years.

CADA BOARD
Brenda Stephens

President
Brenda Stephens

Brenda is Head of People and Culture at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra and has previously led People and Culture programs at the Australian National University and for the Paladin Group in Papua New Guinea. 

Vice President
Tony Latter

Tony Latter is the Moreton Bay Regional Councillor for Division 12. He chairs the Progressive Economy portfolio and is Vice Chair for the Local Disaster Management Group and the Moreton Recovery Group.  

Treasurer
Leigh-Anne Sorensen

Leigh-Anne Sorensen is a Executive Manager with Queensland Fire and Emergency Service where she has worked since 2010. In this role Leigh is running an organisational change program transforming the way emergency services are delivered in Queensland.  She is also Consortium Chair of headspace.

Members

Sue Mayo

Sue Mayo is a consultant to workplaces on health and safety policies and standards for safe pools, life saving, safe sports and child protection. She offers presentations and training on child development and trauma informed practice to swim teachers, business operators, parents and carrers. 

Dr. Melissa Hobbs

Dr. Melissa Hobbs is the population health lead at North Coast Primary Health Network. Prior to this role, Melissa worked in senior roles with the ACT Government’s Health Directorate and in population planning for the Capital Health Network

Michelle Watson

Michelle Watson is a Ghangandji, Kuku Yalenji, Wulgurukaba, First Nations Woman from North Queensland and Cape York. Michelle has worked in Commonwealth and State Government where she provided leadership to establish and deliver programs to assist in improving the social and economic wellbeing for First Nations People as well as strategically advancing organisations and development of Reconciliation Action Plans. Michelle is the Chair for the Pumicestone Indigenous Education and Employment Council (PIECC) and is a member of Nungeena, Aboriginal Women’s Centre in the Glass House Mountains.

CADA is an award winning domestic and family violence service

Timeline

1992

Caboolture Domestic Violence Service (CDVS) is founded. It is one of the first domestic violence services funded by the State Government under the Domestic Violence Initiative Program.

1996

CDVS employs a Child Witness Counsellor to provide counselling to children who had witness domestic violence.

1997

CDVS is incorporated and renamed Caboolture Regional Domestic Violence Service Inc. (CRDVS).  CRDVS expands to cover Caboolture, Kilcoy, Pine Rivers and Redcliffe local government areas.

1999

CRDVS is funded to provide Court Support in Caboolture, Petrie, Sandgate and Redcliffe Magistrates Courts.

2001

In conjunction with the Queensland Police Service in Moreton Bay, the Kids In Domestic Violence Situations (KIDVS) Faxback project is launched to raise awareness of the effects of witnessing domestic violence on children.

2002

The KIDVS Faxback project wins a Police Commissioners Silver Lantern Award.

2003

CRDVS is funded to support people experiencing domestic and family violence in intimate personal relationships, family relationships and informal care relationships. We extend the premises of the existing domestic violence service and set up the Centre Against Violence.

2006

CRDVS launches the ‘Coordinated Community Response to DV’ (CCR2DV) and ‘Integrated Response to DV’ (IR2DV) programs reflecting our mission to reduce violence by collaborating with external agencies and the community.

2009

CRDVS partners with the Moreton Bay Community Consortium to provide DFV services throughout the Moreton Bay region through a combined community response. Other consortium members include Encircle (formerly Pine Rivers Neighbourhood Centre and Redcliffe Community Association), Bribie Island Neighbourhood Centre, and Deception Bay Neighbourhood Centre. CRDVS delivers interventions for perpetrators of violence, family support and therapeutic counselling.

2010

CRDVS commits to building and maintaining the cultural capability of our service and increase engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with the introduction of the Indigenous Community Engagement Project (ICEP).

2011

The Child Witness Counselling program is renamed Kidz Matter 2.

​2012

The Keeping Safe at Home Program (KSAH) is launched to provide safety upgrades for people affected by DFV to help people stay in their homes. 

The Partnership Response to Domestic Occurrences (PRADO) Project becomes a program.

2015

CRDVS is funded to establish outreach services in Redcliffe and Pine Rivers, including provision of an Adult Counselling and Crisis Support Practitioner, Child Witness Counsellor and PRADO Case Worker for each area. 

CRDVS has DFV specialist practitioners in Mercy Community Services Family and Child Connect (FACC) program and Churches of Christ Care Intensive Family Support (IFS) program.

2016

KSAH is invited to participate in the Federal/State technologies trial designed to keep people affected by DV safer in their homes.

CRDVS is certified to operate under the Queensland Government’s Human Services Quality Framework (HSQF), a requirement for funding by the Queensland Government.

2017

CRDVS is renamed the Centre Against Domestic Abuse Inc. (CADA). The name change reflects the way domestic abuse is not limited to physical violence. It also reflects the rapid growth of the organisation in recent years including extra staffing, additional premises and commitment to prevention of DFV in our response. 

This year CADA with the help of the Domestic Violence Action Centre (DVAC) is able to provide therapeutic counselling and crisis support in Kilcoy.

We start the Partner Advocate for the Men’s Behaviour Change program with Uniting Care Community (UCC). 

CADA wins the Queensland Child Protection Award for ‘Regional Program’ for our collaborative work with families and child protection services.

2021

CADA wins a Child Protection Award for its Safe Connections: Early Years Linkages program

2022

30th Anniversary. CADA celebrates 30 years of making a positive difference in the lives of people experiencing domestic and family violence.

CADA Policies