Working Together for Better Family Wellbeing
24th of November, 2016
In July a new 12-month family violence response – the Integrated Safety Response (ISR) - was introduced in Canterbury as a pilot for a potential national roll-out. ISR sees core agencies such as Police, Child Youth and Family, Corrections, Health, specialist family violence NGOs and kaupapa Maori services, as well as others, work more closely together as a team to provide intensive support to high risk families.
All family violence Police attendances are referred to a multi-agency daily meeting which assigns them to various lead agencies, based on risk level, and that lead agency then prepares a safety plan, ‘tasks’ other services to provide relevant interventions, and ensures that they do so. Referrals are also received from Corrections when there is a concern of potential serious family violence harm on a prisoner’s release.
At the beginning of June Aviva was awarded the contract to provide the high risk Independent Victim Specialist (in partnership with He Waka Tapu), and Perpetrator Outreach services component of this pilot. Uniquely, we have established a bi-cultural, co-gendered, co-located and integrated team, based at The Loft, that is able to respond to all members of the family, and provide access to He Waka Tapu’s Kaupapa Maori services where preferred. This is a great example of the integrated way of working that is actively being created in The Loft.
A key feature of ISR is that those identified as high risk of repeat severe to extreme family violence harm are immediately supported by a family violence specialist, in order to reduce the risk of further violence. Reflecting Aviva’s proactive ReachOut service, the ISR model includes an integrated and proactive response for men using, or at risk of causing, family violence harm. The new approach also has a family/whanau focus, which aims to assess and meet the whole family’s needs.
ISR has great potential to improve outcomes for those in our community using and experiencing family violence. Carol, one of the Independent Victim Specialists, explains how the new system is already creating positive change:
“Lucy* was an early referral into the ISR. Her ex had a history of violence and stalking but recently this had escalated and resulted in him driving his car at her, jamming her between her gate and house. Had she not moved quickly it could have resulted in serious injury or death.
“The response by Police was great, with Lucy feeling well supported and informed. The Police also moved quickly to add extra charges in time for her ex’s court appearance, resulting in him being jailed for a reasonable period. Ministry of Social Development were very responsive and quickly actioned a Housing New Zealand transfer; she then received an alarm through Aviva’s safe@home service; and she was kept well informed by the court’s Victims Advisor.
“The efficient service Lucy received restored her faith in the Police and other services, and very importantly this has been witnessed by her two teenage daughters. Lucy has now completed Aviva’s Ministry of Justice approved women’s education programme and is still well engaged with us.”
As an intensive case management response, this integrated model, if rolled out across the country, could represent a significant and fundamental shift in how we respond to family violence in New Zealand. As such it has the potential to create real and sustainable change for individuals, families and communities.
*not her real name
