Response from Te Puna Aonui on progress on implementing 2023 recommendations

The Interdepartmental Executive Board for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence (IEB) is committed to centring the voices of people affected by family violence and sexual violence. This lived experience is important for identifying access barriers, and making sure services are effective for people who need them. This includes perspectives of both victim-survivors and people who use violence. As shown below, IEB agencies have taken steps to increase input from people with lived experience of violence.

Action – Solutions Design with sector partners

Since 2024, Te Puna Aonui business unit has been partnering with advocacy groups and national bodies to make sure the voices of victim-survivors are heard in a safe and appropriate manner. These four sector partners are:

1. Te Ohaakii a Hine – National Network Ending Sexual Violence Together(TOAH-NNEST), which represents about 40 specialist sexual violence organisations thatoffer services for primary prevention, early intervention, crisis and recovery, behaviourchange for people with harmful sexual behaviour, and advice and training forpractitioners. Te Puna Aonui is currently finalising its memorandum of understandingwith TOAH-NNEST.
2. Te Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi Patunga (Te Kupenga), which represents independentcommunity-based organisations that have a primary or specialist focus on adults andchildren affected by family violence – whether victim-survivors or people who useviolence.
3. VisAble, which is a disabled person-led advocacy organisation that is a conduit for theperspectives of disabled people affected by family violence and/or sexual violence. Manyof the disability advocates involved with VisAble have previously advised Te Puna Aonui(including the development of Te Aorerekura and both Action Plans).
4. The Backbone Collective, which is an advocacy organisation for women and childrenwho have experienced family violence. The Collective regularly surveys its membersabout their experiences and shares these insights with Te Puna Aonui – most recently toinform the second Action Plan (2025-2030). One of the Collective’s co-founders alsodelivered a workshop for Te Puna Aonui staff that looked at practical ways for staff tocentre victim-survivor voices in their jobs.

Te Puna Aonui now has a dedicated Solutions Design workstream that seeks to effect change by working with these four groups to identify, define, and develop solutions to system barriers. This will improve responses to family violence and sexual violence in a targeted and incremental way. Te Puna Aonui meets regularly with all four sector partners and has given grant funding through to June 2025 to support this engagement.¹ The Solutions Design workstream is planning to change what ‘business as usual’ looks like. This builds on responses to ‘2021 – Recommendation 3’ and ‘2021 – Recommendation 4’.

Action – Ministry of Justice listening to victim-survivors and people who use violence

The Ministry of Justice also regularly engages with Te Kupenga to make sure frontline family violence providers are responsive to victims’ needs and comply with best practice. This collaboration seeks to identify challenges, share ideas, and improve coordination for people affected by family violence.

In February 2025, the Ministry of Justice contracted Gravitas OPG to conduct surveys of people who use violence who are participating in non-violence programmes. This survey sought to understand participants’ experiences and examine the effectiveness of nonviolence programmes. This includes reduction in violent behaviours, improvements to wellbeing, changes in relationships, use of new coping strategies, and the ability to recognise triggers. The survey will be finished in July 2025.

Action – Corrections using participants’ feedback to create and evaluate

The Department of Corrections is one of the largest providers of offence-focused programmes for family violence and sexual violence perpetrators. Its reviews and evaluations are often conducted using methods that uphold this recommendation. One example is from 2022/23 when Corrections reviewed its Kōwhiritanga rehabilitation programme. This used a bicultural perspective to elevate the mana, perspective, and voices of Kōwhiritanga participants. The review found Kōwhiritanga had generally positive outcomes but could be strengthened for wāhine Māori. It recommended that:

• any future programme redesign should be guided by tikanga takirua (bicultural lens)
• under a tikanga takirua approach, there needs to be adequate wraparound and postrelease reintegration support to improve outcomes for wāhine Māori
• more research is needed to understand the ideal duration of the programme
• further improvements are needed in respect of programme content
• outcomes are best when programmes have skilled facilitators with strong cultural capability and responsiveness.

Corrections also reviews and updates its programmes in response to feedback from people who engage with its processes. An example of this is Te Anga Whakamua, which is a group programme created for men who have been convicted of sexually offending but maintain their innocence. Traditional rehabilitation programmes require admission of guilt, which means people who denied their crimes were previously unable to access treatment. Participants in the parole process – including perpetrators, lawyers and the NZ Parole Board – had asked Corrections to develop an intervention for this cohort. In response, Te Anga Whakamua was piloted and successfully evaluated. It is now part of Corrections’ formal suite of programmes.

Another example is the Kimihia violence prevention programme, which is a high-intensity programme for women in ARWCF and Christchurch Women’s Prison. The programme design for Kimihia was informed by the experiences of people who use violence, community groups, and iwi and hapū from the delivery rohe.

Action – Disabled people informing Corrections’ Disability Action Plan

People may come to prison with pre-existing disabilities and some people develop disabilities while in prison. There are impairments specifically associated with family violence and sexual violence, including mental illness, neurological conditions, traumatic brain injuries, and other permanent physical injuries. In 2023, Corrections released its Disability Action Plan, which identified the need for targeted support for tangata whaikaha Māori, and a need to enable self-determination and mana motuhake in the design, delivery, and monitoring of health and disability services. In designing the Action Plan, Corrections canvassed key stakeholders, including disabled people affected by family violence and/or sexual violence (FVSV), whānau and family, former prisoners, and FVSV disability organisations.

Action – MSD listening to victim-survivors for Te Huringa ō Te Ao and ‘Love Better’

The Ministry of Social Development engages with peak bodies, and finds safe and appropriate ways to hear from victim-survivors and people who use violence. Two examples of action under this recommendation are Te Huringa ō Te Ao and the ‘Love Better’ campaign. Te Huringa ō Te Ao is an intervention for men who use violence to change their behaviours. To design this programme, MSD sought input from men who use violence and from stakeholders across the family violence sector. To develop the ‘Love Better’ campaign, MSD commissioned Kantar Public to undertake qualitative research directly with the target audience (young people) to understand their needs and ensure the campaign resonated with them. More information about these programmes is on MSD’s website: Te Huringa ō Te Ao and Love Better.

Action – ACC seeking input from clients with a sensitive claim

ACC has been working with MSD and Whakarongorau Aotearoa to develop a ‘front door’² to the sexual violence response system. ACC’s sexual violence customer advisory panel (SVCAP) has made sure victim-survivor voices informed the design. To do this, suppliers on the SVCAP identified clients with a sensitive claim to provide feedback. Those clients were then supported by their supplier and provider throughout the process.³ Clients provided valuable feedback about how the proposed system would work for them (or how it would have benefited them if it had been available when they were first seeking support). Clients were also positive about the opportunity to inform the design.

Te Puna Aonui has largely developed its partnership approach by working with iwi and hapū in regions and localities to support delivery of multi-agency responses to family violence. This includes:

• conducting all work through non-governmental organisations (NGO) and iwi providers
• adopting relational commissioning methods
• a new specialist advisor role to support whānau outcomes in partnership with Te Hiku Iwi Development Trust's Whiria Te Muka
• developing shared communications to ensure consistent messaging
• working with and through Regional Public Service Commissioners (RPSC)
• establishing a steering group for the ‘Keeping people safe’ focus area, which will be the first of three such groups to support delivery of the second Action Plan.

In addition, IEB agencies are working with tangata whenua and community partners in many other ways. Some notable examples are discussed below.

Action – Te Ao Mārama partnerships

Te Ao Mārama is a judicially-led kaupapa to ensure all district court participants, including victims and whānau, can better understand and participate in proceedings. To realise the vision of Te Ao Mārama, the Ministry of Justice has partnered with iwi and communities in eight district court locations to deliver locally relevant wraparound solutions. This includes referrals for family violence and sexual violence matters as needed. Through these partnerships, the Ministry has consulted with people who have lived experience of the district court system to ensure all solutions are trauma informed.

The Ministry continues to work with iwi partners on whānau wraparound services. By July 2025, these community-led services will be designed for the eight locations. This will support various courts and jurisdictions: Kaitāia (family), Kaikohe (family and youth), Whangārei (criminal), Hamilton (criminal, with a focus on the young adult list), Huntly (hybrid criminal), Tauranga (family), Gisborne (family and youth), and Napier and Hastings (family).

Whakaorangia te Mana Tangata contributes to the vision of Te Ao Mārama. It is a whānau-centred initiative that is designed and provided by local iwi or iwi-mandated service providers⁴ to support offenders, victims and their whānau through the court process. Whakaorangia te Mana Tangata primarily supports whānau Māori but is also available for non-Māori participants. The initiative does not exclusively focus on the needs of people affected by family violence and sexual violence, but its goal is to address underlying causes of offending or existing trauma (both of which may happen in an FVSV context).

Whakaorangia te Mana Tangata operates in Kaitāia, Kaikohe and Gisborne. The Ministry of Justice funds iwi-mandated service providers to work alongside court participants and make sure the judge gets necessary information (e.g. factors contributing to offending and plan to address this) to use at sentencing.

Action – NZ Police engagement via Family Violence Strategic Leads

During 2023, NZ Police funded a scoping exercise for Family Violence Strategic Leads to work in Waitematā, Auckland City, Bay of Plenty, Tasman, and Southern regions. This occurred in partnership with local family violence governance, including iwi representatives, Regional Public Service Commissioners, other government agencies, and community providers. The focus of this work is to shift leadership from government agencies to empower iwi and local communities to lead responses to family violence. After this initial scoping exercise, Strategic Leads have been employed in four regions: Waitematā, Auckland City, Tasman and Southern. The Strategic Lead in Southern District has supported Whāngaia Ngā Pā Harakeke Ki Ōtepoti. Other locations are in the early stages of developing this role. Contracts for Strategic Leads are ending in June 2025, and Police are working to ensure ongoing funding of these positions.

Action – Contract negotiations with kaupapa Māori providers

Corrections has contracts with several kaupapa Māori providers to deliver harmful sexual behaviour programmes. Recent contract negotiations focused on clarifying providers’ clinical authority and responsibility to their clients, and embedding clinically safe supervision and review processes. These will be audited in coming months. During these contract negotiations, Corrections talked with kaupapa Māori providers about new ways to meet clients’ needs (e.g. fee-for-placement versus fee-for-service funding) and options to support clients’ access to services (e.g. travel assistance and interpreters).

Action – Corrections partnering to develop strategies

Corrections supports the Māori-Crown relationship by working with tangata whenua at key levels of its business. This includes its overall approaches to family violence and sexual violence, which are guided by the principles articulated in Hōkai Rangi (e.g. the need for Māori involvement in its work). Māori partnerships were one of four key inputs for this strategy, which happened via co-design workshops and lived experience interviews. To develop Hōkai Rangi, Corrections gathered insights from a reference group, which included kaimahi Māori, kaupapa Māori service providers, academics with mātauranga Māori expertise, iwi partners, community groups, people currently under Corrections’ care and management (both Māori and non-Māori), and whānau of people in the system. These last two groups have significant FVSV-related needs. In 2023, Corrections then launched an internal Te Aorerekura implementation plan to build on its work under the first Action Plan (2021-2023), and in recognition of the fact that a significant proportion of people in its care have lived experience as victim-survivors and/or users of violence. This implementation plan was designed in collaboration with family violence specialists and mātauranga Māori experts who form part of Corrections’ family violence and sexual violence governance group.

Action – E Tū Whānau and MSD’s partnerships with tangata whenua

MSD works collaboratively with tangata whenua and community partners when designing services. One example is E Tū Whānau, which is a kaupapa Māori movement designed by Māori for Māori that supports positive community-led change. E Tū Whānau involves relational partnerships with whānau, hapori Māori, hapū and iwi. These are based on a shared understanding of roles and accountabilities that support the best outcomes for whānau. E Tū Whānau has also co-designed a bespoke research and evaluation programme with communities. This integrates community and whānau perspectives to assess and measure change. Insights are then shared back with communities. There is more information on its website: E Tū Whānau.

Another example of MSD’s partnerships was seen during the development of kaupapa Māori sexual violence service guidelines. They were developed by the sexual violence sector, including Te Taumata o Ngā Kaitiaki Mauri, and with guidance from MSD.

Action – Te Puni Kōkiri whānau-centred facilitation initiatives (WCFI)

Te Puni Kōkiri contracts 11 kaupapa Māori providers to develop and deliver local approaches for whānau at low-to-medium risk of family violence and sexual violence. These whānau-centred facilitation initiatives (WCFI) are based in te ao Māori, operate tikanga, and use te reo Māori. When services align with a Māori worldview, this empowers whānau and fosters wellbeing. The WCFI model gives providers the autonomy to exercise local leadership, make decisions and deliver culturally relevant services with whānau at the centre. This recognises that, while whānau circumstances and needs may differ, all whānau are empowered by strong relationships and providers that work alongside them to identify goals and meet those needs.

Funding for the WCFI is ending in June 2025. To date, Te Puni Kōkiri has commissioned formative, process and outcome evaluations. These provide evidence and support for the design and delivery of future initiatives. These evaluations are discussed further under ‘2023 – Recommendation 5’.

Action – Health NZ educating about the effects of colonisation

In 2024, Health NZ updated its violence intervention programme (VIP) core training to include information on the ongoing effects of colonisation for Māori, and how this connects to family violence (e.g. experience of victimisation and barriers to seeking help in healthcare settings). This update was done in conjunction with a rōpū that included Māori advisors. Feedback from Māori health professionals also shaped that training review (as mentioned in ‘2023 – Recommendation 1’).

Another example for this recommendation is how Health NZ developed its intimate partner violence education programme in partnership with Māori advisors to the Atawhai Project. The Atawhai Project is a network of researchers, healthcare providers, and whānau who are dedicated to preventing family violence and improving health, hauora and wellbeing. The education programme includes a focus on the effects of colonisation with links to external resources.

Action – Oranga Whakapapa and ACC’s support for kaupapa Māori providers

In 2024, ACC formalised a partnership with Te Taumata o Ngā Kaitiaki Mauri to support kaupapa Māori providers of sexual violence services to work with their own communities to determine effective and sustainable ways of preventing sexual violence. This partnership seeks to deliver mutually beneficial outcomes. ACC will be commissioning an evaluation of both the partnership itself and the individual initiatives. There is more information on ACC’s website: New strategic partnership to support sexual violence prevention.

ACC is also developing regionalised kaupapa Māori solutions across the motu. These are indigenous, local, whānau-centred solutions. They are designed by and with Māori, are underpinned by tikanga, are delivered by providers who identify as Māori, and are primarily for Māori but available to all. There are currently design panels in three rohe (Tainui Waka, Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Tokerau) with engagement happening in a further two rohe (Mātaatua and Te Arawa). The procurement process for the three design panels saw ACC engage with the community, and iwi and hapū of each rohe. This included culturally accessible engagement held kanohi-ki-te-kanohi.

As mentioned, the IEB considers all 2023 recommendations to be ongoing responsibilities. This particularly applies to the partnership between the Crown and tangata whenua because it is additionally upheld via Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Section 9 of the Education and Training Act sets obligations on the Ministry of Education in relation to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The Ministry of Education does not have a frontline role in developing partnership approaches for schools. Boards of Trustees have responsibilities in the Education and Training Act 2020, and the Education (School Planning and Reporting) Regulations 2023.

The IEB recognises the importance of strengthening connections between national and local efforts to improve services across the board. This is a critical component to the ‘Keeping people safe’ focus area of the second Action Plan. Across IEB agencies, there are numerous examples of this recommendation being upheld. These are discussed below.

Action – IEB agencies supporting multi-agency responses

The ‘Keeping people safe’ focus area in the second Action Plan focuses on strengthening multi-agency responses to family violence at a local level, and improving nationwide consistency. Both these give effect to this recommendation.

Multi-agency responses are local meetings of specialist and generalist services, including government and NGOs. These meetings discuss and respond to family violence episodes (largely those that come to the attention of the NZ Police). Multi-agency responses for family violence are also broader than this. In some Whāngaia Ngā Pā Harakeke locations, Police work with NGOs to ensure safety following the initial callout. In ISR locations, the multi-agency response also includes funded crisis intervention.

In 2023/24, Te Puna Aonui worked with three new localities (Hauraki, Murihiku and Te Tai Tokerau) to increase safeguarding for adults at risk⁵. Te Puna Aonui also continued its support for multi-agency responses in Hawke’s Bay, Tairāwhiti, Ōtepoti and Wairoa through ‘test and learn’ funding for ICR. From March 2025, two new sites (Rotorua and Auckland City) have received funding and support from Te Puna Aonui to implement specialist outreach for people at high-risk and with complex needs. Evidence shows that having specialist outreach can increase safety for victim-survivors and their children, curtail violent behaviour, and reduce revictimisation in support of Target 4.

Agencies like Police, Oranga Tamariki, Corrections, Health NZ and MSD have been actively involved with multi-agency responses for many years. The nature of that involvement varies according to the model operating in each region, e.g. Whāngaia Ngā Pā Harakeke, Te Kura, Whiria te Muka, Integrated Safety Response (ISR), safety assessment meetings (SAM), and family violence interagency response systems (FVIARS). Agency support also includes information sharing to understand risk, taking joined up action to protect victim-survivors, and co-location of staff.

The Ministry of Education is involved in some multi-agency responses through school alerts and Te Puna Mokopuna. In some locations, when Police attend a family violence episode, data gets shared with the Ministry and a school alert is issued. The child is then given appropriate support. Te Puna Mokopuna is a weekly hui that brings together youth specialist Whāngaia Ngā Pā Harakeke partners in some locations to provide wraparound support for tamariki and rangatahi who are perpetrating family harm. Experienced kaimahi attend these hui to determine what support the young person and their whānau needs.

ACC is another agency involved in most multi-agency responses across the country, and it regularly engages with local directors and leads. ACC also offers education sessions, including in priority locations (i.e. Rotorua, Auckland City, Canterbury and Auckland West). These sessions raise awareness about treatment and support options through ACC, and aim to increase lodgement of claims (an access point where disparities exist).

MSD also funds roles that participate in the family violence multi-agency responses, and provides funding for most of the NGOs that deliver services to people identified or referred through family violence multi-agency responses.

In 2024, a cross-agency advisory group was established to review multi-agency responses. This included Police, MSD, Oranga Tamariki and Te Puna Aonui. The business unit recently published a report on the current state of multi-agency responses, and also hosts a site dashboard.

Action – Ministry of Justice contract management feedback loop

The Ministry of Justice receives local insights from providers via its contract management process. The Ministry’s relationship managers hear directly from providers about the challenges, successes, and opportunities to improve family violence services. The Ministry uses this feedback to inform programme design, adjust frontline delivery approaches, and ensure services are responsive to the changing needs of communities. One example of this is flexible funding, which providers can use to support client engagement by removing barriers to programme participation. This feedback loop between local delivery and national monitoring is part of the Ministry’s usual business.

Action – Funding for court support service

Oranga Tamariki received funding in Budget 23 to establish a court support service for children and young people in sexual violence criminal proceedings. This followed repeated calls from the sector to address a service gap for children who are victims-survivors of sexual violence. The original budget bid and resulting service are a collaboration between the Ministry of Justice, MSD and Oranga Tamariki. These agencies have also worked with specialist sexual violence NGOs to test elements of the design. The procurement panel was made up of officials from Oranga Tamariki and the Ministry of Justice, and an independent representative.

Action – Hearing from health professionals to improve violence intervention training

Frontline health professionals have opportunities to identify abuse, provide early intervention, and make referrals. They work directly with a cross-section of victim-survivors as well as people who use violence, and are in a unique position to feed back their perspectives to change how other parts of the system respond. One way this happens for victim-survivors is via a feedback loop in the VIP.

The health sector is funded to implement the Ministry of Health’s family violence assessment and intervention guidelines via the VIP. The VIP involves regional coordinators and national training facilitators delivering training to health professionals. As part of this, Health NZ’s lead training provider seeks continuous feedback. That participant feedback is then used to improve the programme.

For example, a wāhine Māori addiction specialist recently highlighted the different ways Māori programme participants could feel whakamā depending how information was articulated and framed in the services they received. This feedback was incorporated into national and local training to improve delivery of the VIP, and ultimately, to improve the experiences of Māori who have health-related needs because of family violence.

Action – MSD working with and for communities

MSD works directly with and for communities to develop violence prevention initiatives that reflect their local needs and operating context. One example is its ethnic communities violence prevention programme, which has utilised monthly reporting to create a dynamic and responsive feedback loop that supports continuous improvement of the programme.

Community-based initiatives can also directly inform frontline service delivery. For example, the ‘Changemaker’ initiative that is part of MSD’s Campaign for Action on Family Violence (2019-2023) gives valuable insights about what works to prevent violence for men who use violence. Those insights can then inform services like Te Huringa ō Te Ao, which is discussed in ‘2023 – Recommendation 1’.

Action – Te Puni Kōkiri procurement for Whānau Ora

Ngā Tini Whetū is an innovative prototype using the Whānau Ora commissioning model to decentralise early intervention. It strengthens families and improves the safety and wellbeing of children by shifting the focus from early intervention (whānau with tamariki who show early signs of risk) towards prevention (targeted and intensive support for pēpi and whānau in the first 1000 days of that child’s life). The test phase is a collaboration between Te Pou Matakana (trading as Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency), ACC and Te Puni Kōkiri.

This prototype has been deliberately designed to be locally led and whānau centred to align with this recommendation. Evaluations of Ngā Tini Whetū will inform future investment decisions for whānau-centred approaches that support pēpi and whānau in the first 1000 days of that child’s life.

Progress towards this recommendation overlaps with progress already covered under ‘2023 – Recommendation 1’ and ‘2023 – Recommendation 2’. Te Puna Aonui and IEB member agencies consider this recommendation to be an ongoing responsibility.

The second Action Plan commits to delivering local system improvement plans in 12 localities that will support nationally consistent practice and local responsiveness. Te Puna Aonui has also been connecting with local partners to better understand the needs of those communities. There now is a more deliberate approach to identifying national enablers (e.g. best practice, monitoring and evaluation, risk assessment) and then working locally (through local system improvement plans) to make specific changes that will improve outcomes in those locations and also reduces regional inequities (i.e. nationwide consistency replaces ‘postcode lottery’).

In respect of family violence information sharing, this recommendation is largely being realised via Project Whetū. In respect of sexual violence information sharing, this recommendation is addressed via ACC’s work on referral pathways⁶6 and through the agreements in place for sexual abuse assessment and treatment services (SAATS).⁷ Part of agencies’ core business also includes privacy compliance and education.

The recent review of family violence multi-agency responses found that 35 of 40 sites had information sharing protocols. Some sites had restricted access over time, particularly for more detailed information like case notes. Multiple locations had a tiered system where a core group of members received more detailed information, and a second tier just received a list of names so they could confirm if they were already working with those individuals.

Action – Project Whetū replacing the Family Safety System

Project Whetū describes an integrated information- and data-sharing process and technology platform that will underpin effective multi-agency responses to family violence across the country. From 2028, it is proposed that Whetū will start to replace the existing FSS, which was designed as a proof-of-concept system in 2016. Whetū will give effect to this recommendation by enabling safe information sharing, consistent risk assessment, and facilitating referrals to services that support individuals, families and whanau affected by family violence.

FSS is the current case management system used to manage family violence cases in a multi-agency context. The database holds information about more than 80% of family violence episodes that get reported⁸ to Police. This includes the two ISR sites, multiple Whāngaia Ngā Pā Harakeke sites, and various FVIARS locations.

Project Whetū received funding in 2019 when it was owned by Police. In September 2024, responsibility for the business case, procurement, build and implementation shifted to Te Puna Aonui. It is supported by all IEB agencies. Te Puna Aonui is currently working through Treasury’s investment cycle to secure Cabinet approval to proceed with a business case for Project Whetū. Cabinet’s decision is expected on 8 April 2025. If approved, the business case will be submitted in mid-2025. The second Action Plan sets milestones for design, build and implementation, and a performance indicator for agency endorsement.

Action – NZ Police review of the Family Safety System

This recommendation prompted NZ Police to engage with the Strategic Privacy Consultant to the Government Chief Privacy Officer to review its FSS privacy training module. All users of FSS (including government agencies and NGOs) are required to complete this module before access is granted. This mandatory education mitigates privacy risks associated with over-collection, misuse, and unauthorised sharing of sensitive personal information.

Engagement with the Strategic Privacy Consultant involved visiting three multi-agency response tables to review their local practice. Police then made amendments to the training module in response to specific recommendations. The family harm investigation report also requires Police to advise victims that their information will be shared with multi-agency responses. FSS access protocols are now complete.

Action – Response to Dame Poutasi’s report on the death of Malachi Subecz

Oranga Tamariki set up a cross-agency information-sharing working group in response to recommendations made in the final report from Dame Poutasi on the death of Malachi Subecz. In 2023, Oranga Tamariki updated Cabinet about its progress towards the recommendations set out in that report. This update and related documents are available here: independent review of the children’s system response to abuse.

Oranga Tamariki has also identified alignment between Dame Poutasi’s recommendations and Te Aorerekura. Recommendation 3 from Dame Poutasi’s report is partly being addressed through the second Action Plan focus area ‘Keeping people safe’ (as it relates to family violence multi-agency responses). Oranga Tamariki is also responding to Recommendation 13 from Dame Poutasi’s report by leading a cross-agency workshop to discuss a public awareness campaign. This workshop will include officials from Te Puna Aonui, Ministry of Health, Health NZ, ACC and MSD. The Ministry of Education and Oranga Tamariki have also signed a formal two-way information sharing agreement that will focus on sharing enrolment and attendance data in the first instance.

The Ministry of Justice has also been supporting interagency efforts to implement Dame Poutasi’s recommendations. Alongside the system response led by Oranga Tamariki, the Ministry has worked with the judiciary to increase visibility of dependent children who are associated with cases going through the courts. This includes a new operational process to ensure courts are consistently given information about the existence of dependent children in cases where a primary caregiver is potentially facing a custodial remand or sentence. This supports existing processes that can also support identify dependent children (e.g. oral submissions).

Action – ACC working with partners that do not use the Family Safety System

ACC has also been working with local multi-agency responses to family violence that do not use FSS (e.g. Murihiku Southland Whāngaia Ngā Pā Harakeke site). This includes agreements about how to use, store and retain ACC information for risk assessment and safety planning. ACC case managers also connect government agencies with NGO partners where there is a mutual client and with that client’s consent. They work collaboratively and address needs. This might include injury-related needs (e.g. recovery and rehabilitation) as well as non-injury needs (e.g. safety planning, family violence counselling, access to drug and alcohol support), help with housing (Kāinga Ora), and financial support (MSD).

All IEB agencies confirm their commitment to privacy principles and all relevant legislation, including requirements and restrictions regarding disclosure. This commitment is ongoing and responsive (e.g. Health NZ has recently updated its FSS access protocols and is also developing a plan to educate staff and health professionals about data-sharing obligations under the Care of Children Act 2004, Family Violence Act 2018 and Oranga Tamariki Act 1989).

This recommendation is not relevant to all agencies (e.g. Te Puni Kōkiri does not hold data about family violence or sexual violence incidents).

All IEB agencies are using data and participant feedback to monitor, evaluate and improve the quality of individual services and programmes. A lot of this happens on a continuous improvement basis where outputs are considered to refine inputs. To monitor system change, Te Puna Aonui developed the Outcomes and Measurement Framework (OMF).

Action – Outcomes and Measurement Framework

The OMF was launched in 2023 and measures progress towards the moemoeā (vision) of Te Aorerekura. It supports collective accountability across government and was developed in collaboration with communities, tangata whenua and the family violence and sexual violence sectors. The OMF includes 12 national outcomes, indicators of overall impact (decreased family violence and sexual violence levels and decreased abuse towards children and young people), and 18 other indicators (with data sources). The OMF baseline report was published in 2024.

Action – Utilising social investment and evidence reviews for system improvements

As part of the government’s focus on social investment, the Social Investment Agency (SIA) has been undertaking impact reviews. One of these focused on collectively appropriated⁹ investment in family violence and sexual violence services. This involved an assessment of existing evidence (including the strength of that evidence according to SIA’s recently developed value and impact measurement standards framework), and supplemented by a high-level scan of the international literature. The impact review identified several broad categories for targeted social investment. This includes programmes that target users of violence, programmes that target children and young people to prevent intergenerational harm, and programmes that support whānau-centred crisis response and promote healing. These categories broadly align with the focus areas outlined in the second Action Plan.

The IEB and Te Puna Aonui agencies have committed to a full baseline review in 2025/2026, which will provide a more fulsome understanding of current investment and inform decisions from Budget 2026 onwards.

Action – Ministry of Justice and Corrections improving non-violence programmes

The Ministry of Justice has contracts with more than 80 providers of non-violence programmes, safety programmes and strengthening safety programmes. These are for respondents to a protection order, applicants themselves and other protected people, as well as anyone with family violence needs who does not have a protection order in place.

In 2017, the Ministry and Corrections initiated a joint procurement process for non-violence programmes. As the result, 44 providers are now jointly contracted by both agencies. These providers gave feedback that prompted the Ministry and Corrections to adopt similar invoicing and reporting templates, and to start sharing attendance information where appropriate. The Ministry also hosts a ‘Communities of Practice’ forum for providers of non-violence programmes that includes Corrections.

The Ministry and Corrections monitor performance of these programmes by collecting programme data and feedback from providers and clients. The Ministry also shares these insights with providers on a quarterly basis. This ongoing feedback loop supports service improvement and makes sure services are effectively meeting the needs of participants (e.g. the addition of support sessions for non-violence programme participants that were introduced by the Ministry and Corrections in response to feedback from providers about how to increase programme engagement).

In 2022, Corrections also commissioned an external review of non-violence programmes. It generated 12 recommendations that were mapped against Hōkai Rangi pou and the first Action Plan. Corrections continues to implement these. One example will be the review of interventions for people who use violence that is set out in the second Action Plan.

The Ministry of Justice and Corrections have also started working on a partnership framework for joint management of non-violence programmes. This is now being aligned with focus areas identified under the second Action Plan (‘Investing and commissioning well’ and ‘Stopping violence’). The goal is a cohesive intervention system for users of violence.

Action – Evaluations happening across IEB agencies¹⁰

The Ministry of Justice has procured an independent evaluator to assess the effectiveness of the Te Ao Mārama interventions. This started in 2024 and is due to finish in June 2027. It will assess aspects like expanding solution-focused and therapeutic courts; the services being designed and delivered by iwi and communities; and tools, guidelines and training.

The Justice Sector Directorate is implementing the Victims of Crime Action Plan. The plan has six victims-focused initiatives, which will be monitored by lead agencies and results will be shared amongst relevant Chief Executive and Ministers. In 2024, the Directorate also evaluated three ‘test and learn’ initiatives for victims under the previous Better Outcomes for Victims work programme. Those evaluation findings are due to be published soon.

Corrections has also been working with providers of harmful sexual behaviour programmes in some locations that were struggling to run groups. This prompted a pilot programme, which is now being evaluated by the University of Canterbury. The new initiative was developed by providers with input and oversight from clinical staff at Corrections. It is called the ‘Focusing on a positive future’ group and it delivers treatment using a mixed-risk group model. This world-first pilot has passed initial review and a final evaluation is due in 2028.

Oranga Tamariki worked with Ministry of Health, Health NZ, Māori Health Authority, Ministry of Education and Whaikaha to lead a cross-agency review of the gateway assessment process¹¹. The gateway assessment review identified areas for improvement, including earlier access to health and educational services, better support for whānau that is more culturally responsive, and to clarify accountabilities between agencies. Oranga Tamariki and the Ministry of Education have also completed a review of the student aide support system¹². Outcomes for both these reviews (gateway assessment and student aide support) are expected to be reflected in the Oranga Tamariki Action Plan (2025-2026).

MSD has a new work programme called ‘strengthening insights’, which aims to improve collection, analysis, and secure data sharing to better understand the effectiveness of community-based services. This information will be used to support continuous improvement of services – and, in turn, outcomes for people who use those services. The strengthening insights work programme has a three-year Action Plan (2025-2027) that includes a roadmap that makes connections with upcoming projects relating to family violence and sexual violence services.

Te Puni Kōkiri has previously commissioned formative, process, and outcome evaluations of WCFI to monitor and improve programme effectiveness. These have helped Te Puni Kōkiri develop a theory of change for the pathway to healthy, safe, and functional relationships for whānau experiencing family violence and/or sexual violence. Previous evaluations found that:

• WCFI is whānau-centred
• design and testing is progressing well despite some delays due to extra time needed for building trusted relationships
• kaupapa Māori approaches are supporting whānau to restore safe and functional relationships
• there is a link between WCFI and the wider direction of Te Puni Kōkiri
• WCFI has improved short- and medium-term outcomes for whānau Māori, including stronger and healthier relationships.

Action – Te Puni Kōkiri monitoring progress for Māori

Te Puni Kōkiri is working with other agencies to monitor and report on eight of the nine government Targets as they relate to Māori. Te Puni Kōkiri produces complementary reports for DPMC that track Māori progress.

Action – ACC’s comprehensive review of sensitive claims

In late 2021, ACC started a comprehensive review of its response for survivors of sexual abuse or assault. It hosted over 200 engagements with suppliers, providers, sector representatives, government agencies, and professional bodies to identify areas of improvements and design a new service. These engagements included quarterly conversations, webinars, face-to-face engagement sessions across the motu, external working groups, and collaboration with the SVCAP. Alongside this external engagement, ACC also used surveys to gather feedback from victim-survivors, suppliers and providers, as well as using internal data to generate insights.

This work led to more than 360 recommendations. ACC then worked with key stakeholders to identify which recommendations should be considered for the new contract. The new sensitive claims service took effect from 1 December 2024. Key changes sought to improve access, improve outcomes, and enhance clients’ experience of the whole process.

As with other recommendations, the IEB considers evidence-based service improvement to be an ongoing responsibility. All IEB agencies are using feedback from clients and providers to improve services. Many service evaluations have already been completed; others are being commissioned or already happening. The IEB’s monitoring role is also maturing with overarching frameworks like the OMF.

The ‘identify’ part of this recommendation was mostly met via a collective effort from IEB agencies to scope and analyse family violence and sexual violence service gaps. This also provided more information about gaps that had been identified during the development of Te Aorerekura. For the ‘prioritise’ and ‘respond effectively’ parts of this recommendation, Te Puna Aonui has focused on building workforce capability. A trained and skilled workforce, especially frontline workers, means more people can get early intervention and effective support. To this end, Te Puna Aonui has been developing workforce capability frameworks and is now supporting workforces to implement them. Given the extent of system gaps, responding to this recommendation is a work in progress.

Action – New workforce capability frameworks

During 2022 and 2023, Te Puna Aonui developed two family violence frameworks: specialist organisational standards (SOS) and entry to expert capabilities (E2E) for workers’ skills and knowledge. Te Puna Aonui also started developing a risk and safety practice framework and this was published in March 2025. These frameworks support a shared understanding of family violence, and set benchmarks for safe, trauma-informed, culturally competent practice. Widespread adoption of these standards increases confidence in safe and effective responses.

The frameworks were developed collaboratively with the specialist sector and represent an enormous contribution to the safety, autonomy, and wellbeing of victim-survivors, tangata whenua and tauiwi, whānau and families, and diverse communities in New Zealand. Te Puna Aonui will be publishing counterpart frameworks for the sexual violence workforce later in 2025.

Action – Training workforces and addressing system gaps

Te Puna Aonui has received funding for national trainers to support implementation of workforce frameworks across the country. As recommended, this is part of the ‘Strengthening workforce’ focus area in the second Action Plan.

Some IEB agencies have already started to embed these frameworks. Others have committed to using these frameworks with their generalist workforces. Detailed updates as follows.

• As of 31 January 2025, the Ministry of Justice had delivered foundational training to 807 members of its court-related workforce. The Ministry received funding in Budget 22 to deliver specialist training for staff to recognise, respond, and refer to family violence and sexual violence. The training is expected to reach up to 500 people per year in future.
• Between 2015 and 2023, over 5,000 Police recruits received one week’s family violence training that met entry level requirements. In 2024, Police redesigned this course so recruits now receive two weeks’ family violence training that is mapped to entry-level requirements. Over 550 Police recruits received training in that first year, and over 850 recruits will receive training in 2025. Police have almost finished implementing the SOS framework and are currently implementing the E2E framework for 111 and 105 communications staff, FSS users, and ISR admin and coordinators.
• Police are also working with Oranga Tamariki and Corrections to create an essential package for employees across these agencies. Police are leading this and sharing e-resources.
• As of March 2025, over 4,700 Corrections staff have received essential-level family violence training
• In August 2024, MSD reported over 340 of its frontline managers had received similar.

By 2027, the second Action Plan expects the first group of statutory agencies to have implemented both family violence and sexual violence workforce frameworks. This first group includes NZ Police, Corrections and Oranga Tamariki.

In addition, Corrections has established five Senior Family Violence Practitioners to work at five multi-agency response sites. This role meets regularly with relevant stakeholders to – amongst other things – develop regional plans to address identified service gaps. Those roles are part of delivering the ‘Keeping people safe’ focus area in the second Action Plan. The second Action Plan also commits Te Puna Aonui to developing a strategy to maximise long-term workforce retention.

Action – Funding for non-violence programmes

Budget 22 provided a 10.53% cost pressure increase to support delivery of non-violence programmes. The Ministry of Justice and Corrections have worked together to incorporate this funding into contract variations from 1 July 2022. Corrections also reallocated $0.490 million of baseline funding to maintain placement numbers for harmful sexual behaviour programmes for people serving a community-based sentence who are at low or moderate risk of sexually reoffending.

Action – Identifying family violence and sexual violence service gaps

In 2024, the IEB published the final report on family violence and sexual violence service gaps in Aotearoa (the gaps report). The gaps report was led by MSD with support from ACC, Corrections, Ministry of Justice, NZ Police, Oranga Tamariki, Te Puna Aonui, and Whaikaha. It was also informed by consultation with tangata whenua, communities, advocacy groups, and the wider FVSV sector. The gaps report completed Action 29 and Action 30 of the first Action Plan and it gives information to fully meet this recommendation.

The gaps report identified five ‘overarching gaps’ that affect multiple communities:

1. Workforce capability. Some existing FVSV services have limited capability to respond appropriately to the needs of different groups (e.g. tangata whenua and children and young people). This can prevent people from engaging with services or may mean they receive inadequate support when they do.
2. Holistic whānau-centred wraparound support. The current system is not set up to deliver services based on need (in part driven by government contracts and service mandates).
3. Sexual violence services. There are insufficient sexual violence services available with specific gaps in:
   • crisis support (e.g. assessment and treatment services)
   • support for people to navigate the criminal justice system
   • support beyond the crisis (i.e. long-term care and recovery through or outside of ACC’s sensitive claims service)
   • services to address harmful sexual behaviour and concerning sexual ideation.
4. Accessibility of safe houses and availability of emergency accommodation. Lack of support is particularly noticeable for disabled people, people with gang affiliations, and people subject to a protection order or a Police safety order. This means victim-survivors are remaining in – or returning to – dangerous situations.
5. New services tailored for tangata whenua and people from diverse communities. There is a shortage of kaupapa Māori services, and those that do exist have stretched capacity to work with their communities. Iwi and hapū need decision-making powers to support their communities. There are also gaps in tailored services for LGBTQIA+ communities, rural communities, and for children and young people (particularly abuse within teenage relationships, sibling-to-sibling violence, and support for children who are violent towards their parents¹³ and parents affected by that violence).

The gaps report proposes a phased approach to address the five overarching service gaps. The first phase involves increasing accessibility and effectiveness of existing services and responses. The second phase involves expanding and developing new tailored services to meet identified needs.

It is not possible to address all service gaps at the same time; doing so would stretch agencies’ collective resource and make it difficult to respond effectively and achieve sustainable change. Addressing these gaps is a long-term undertaking that will require coordinated effort from IEB agencies, tangata whenua, communities, and the FVSV sector. The long-term nature of this task is underscored by the 25-year lifespan of Te Aorerekura.

Action – The ‘continued care’ pilot by MSD (with support from ACC)

Action 30 in the first Action Plan was to develop a plan for addressing service gaps for family violence and sexual violence. As part of this, MSD has been piloting a ‘continued care’ model. This pilot responds to a service gap by providing transitional support for clients moving between MSD’s crisis services and ACC’s sensitive claims service. ACC supports the pilot as a core part of its sexual violence response system. The pilot is ending in June 2025 and does not have ongoing funding. MSD is evaluating the pilot and will consider future options based on those findings.

Action – Hikitia! For Our Future

Hikitia! For Our Future is a community-led primary prevention initiative from ACC, which operates in 16 rohe (regions) across Aotearoa. Providers use a systems-change approach to address the underlying drivers of family violence and sexual violence (including child sexual abuse). This means establishing a workforce that builds and promotes protective factors, and strengthening local leadership on prevention. Hikitia! started in 2024 with five prevention partners, and by 2026 ACC hopes to have a community-led prevention network operating with 80 kaimahi across 16 organisations. Better prevention efforts will reduce the burden on frontline responses.

Action – ACC testing of Haerenga Motuhake

Haerenga Motuhake is a kaupapa Māori prevention initiative in Tāmaki Makaurau that provides a non-clinical hauora (health) pathway for survivors of sexual violence. It is a holistic, culturally grounded service that respects the importance of whānau and their haerenga (journey) towards mauri tau (harmony and balance). It aims to prevent revictimisation. Whānau do not need to have an ACC sensitive claim to access support from Haerenga Motuhake. However, those who do want to make a claim will be offered support to do that. Whānau can continue to access support from Haerenga Motuhake while also getting other support from ACC’s sensitive claims service.

Haerenga Motuhake responded to a gap for victim-survivors during the time between initial disclosure of sexual violence and when they receive support from specialist services. The service provides a hauora pathway that clients can access while they wait for treatment; safeguarding people affected by sexual violence. This service supports the recommendation because it complements ACC’s broader response to sexual violence and also addresses two of the gaps identified in the gaps report.

This recommendation overlaps with ‘2023 – Recommendation 3’ work to improve multi-agency responses.

There are significant costs and resource implications to fully address current system gaps, and no funding has been set aside for this. This is an ongoing issue for IEB agencies, particularly in the current fiscal environment. This is being addressed in the ‘Investing and commissioning well’ focus area of the second Action Plan. This focus area is about making sure current funding supports programmes that are effectively achieving their desired outcomes, and reprioritises funding when programmes are not effective. Te Puna Aonui recently support SIA’s impact review (see ‘2023 – Recommendation 5’) and will continue supporting SIA to maximise our return on FVSV investment for the collective benefit of individuals and communities.