百春链

Welcome to our newsletter update on the Integrated Safety Response (ISR) pilot. In this update you will find the following:

• Foreword from Safer Wh膩nau Business Change Manager: Bronwyn Marshall
• Findings and recommendations of the independent ISR evaluation 鈥� a summary
• Christchurch update
• Waikato update
• A good news story
• Not just numbers
• Training with energy
• Case in point 鈥� our Case Management System (CMS)
• Contributions, questions or feedback

T膿n膩 koutou

I鈥檓 pleased to be able to get an ISR update to you before 2017 draws to an end鈥� and what a year it鈥檚 been.

Following the previous government鈥檚 decision to extend the ISR pilot for another two years, we鈥檝e completed planning and procurement of services to deliver better responses for families.

We鈥檝e learnt a lot in the first year of the pilot, especially around the high demand for specialist services, and the capacity of government and non-government agencies to address the safety and needs of families/wh膩nau. Through the independent evaluation (summarised later), we know this new way of working is making a positive difference for wh膩nau. For example, descriptive statistical analysis of Police reports of family harm episodes found that for two-thirds of 鈥榩redominant aggressors鈥�, either there were no further reported family harm episodes or the subsequent episodes were less frequent and/or less serious than those in the six months before contact with ISR.

Under ISR, adult victims and children are better protected. There鈥檚 improved relevant information sharing, risks assessment and safety responses. More work is being done with perpetrators and more families are offered and accepting assistance.

At the same time, we know we can do better. Both pilot sites have plans to implement recommendations from the independent evaluation and I know those involved in the pilot are committed to continuous improvement to meet the needs of wh膩nau.

I sincerely thank everyone from government and non-government agencies for their commitment to doing the best for families so those families can lead violence-free lives.

Across both sites, and in Wellington, those supporting the pilot and who are directly involved are: family violence, victim and perpetrator specialist response agencies, kaupapa 惭腻辞谤颈 providers, iwi, Police, Corrections, Oranga Tamariki, MSD, ACC, Canterbury and Waikato DHBs, Education, Wh膩nau Ora providers, TPK, MOJ, MOH.

There are many organisations involved, but this simply reinforces that it鈥檚 only by working together that we can truly reduce the rates of family violence and break the intergenerational cycle of violence.

The pilot ends on 30 June, 2019. By then the Government will have made decisions about next steps. Until then we will continue to find ways to more effectively and efficiently help families live violence free lives.

Finally, for many in our communities, this time of year brings its own stressors and strains for a range of reasons. I hope you have the opportunity to take some time off and I encourage you to reflect on what you have achieved in 2017 to help New Zealand families. You have my sincere thanks for the part you play.

I wish you and your wh膩nau a safe and merry Christmas, and all the very best for 2018.

M膩 te w膩
Bronwyn Marshall
Safer Wh膩nau Business Change Manager

The aim of the evaluation was to answer three questions:

• To what extent has the ISR model been implemented as intended in the pilot sites, including barriers and enablers to successful implementation?
• What evidence is emerging about the effectiveness of the ISR model, including as a result of practice changes?
• To what extent has the implementation of the model taken account early findings from the evaluation (i.e. evidence of continuous improvement)?

The findings:

• The fact that ISR is running in two sites indicates the model is sufficiently robust yet flexible to be transferred and implemented to meet varying local conditions.
• That personnel at both sites appear to be sharing ideas and moving in similar directions indicating the pilot can operate in more than one site.
• Operating the ISR model is resource intensive 鈥� working effectively with high volumes remains an on-going challenge.
• There is clear evidence of continuous improvement in the model鈥檚 operation across both sites, and both sites benefit from regular quality assurance mechanisms.
• Important achievements and efficiencies include: improved information sharing, risk assessment and safety planning; a wider awareness and responsiveness to family violence particularly among government agencies; working with the source of the problem; more families offered and accepting assistance; more efficient case management; better understanding of capacity issues and mobilisation of resource in response.
• It is making a difference to the families 鈥� adult victims and children are better protected, perpetrators are better supported to stop their violent behaviour, and families and wh膩nau are supported to live in non-violent homes.
• With the potential for further resourcing to embed kaupapa 惭腻辞谤颈 and wh膩nau centred services into the ISR model, there has been a renewed commitment by T奴 Pono (in Christchurch) to support 惭腻辞谤颈 wh膩nau through ISR.

Other key findings:

• More intensive and collaborative efforts afforded by ISR have seen increases in engagement by those offered support responses, and overall high rates of engagement.
• All victims interviewed reported feeling safer, with many noticing improvements in their overall wellbeing and, where applicable, that of their children.
• Sixty-three percent of a small sample of 鈥榟igh risk鈥� victims reported a complete cessation of abuse following their ISR involvement, some of this was due to the relationship having ended or their partner being in custody.
• Interviews with a small sample of perpetrators suggested that, given access to an Independent Perpetrator Specialist with the right qualities, they could be supported to change their behaviour. All those interviewed had recognised the importance of taking responsibility for themselves and their actions, and felt confident they would not use violence in the home in the future (although this was untested as most of those interviewed were in prison). Most were also confident they could form or maintain respectful relationships, with some already noticing improvements.

Areas for improvement:

• Improving the work done away from the daily Safety Assessment Meeting (SAM) and Intensive Case Management (ICM) tables, including better coordination of tasks, greater ownership of plans, more training and opportunities for practice development and increased partnership between NGO and government sectors in the community.
• Having more clarity around the aims and scope of ISR, particularly in terms of whether the model is primarily focused on immediate safety and when to pass on to other services to support longer term safety and wellbeing of families and wh膩nau. There is a growing consensus that ISR should be concerned with ensuring immediate safety, but how this translates into practice is less clear. There needs to be role clarity so those involved know what they are trying to achieve.聽 A better understanding of how ISR fits into the wider system of family violence responses may help sharpen the understanding of the ISR roles.
• Improving how information arising from face-to-face meetings with families can be woven into family safety plans.

For further detail see the .

Monday, 4 December marked a special day for the Waikato ISR as we moved into our new accommodation. The day started at 7am with the blessing of our new Whare by Tainui Kaumatua, Sonny Karena. The blessing was attended by 20 of our key stakeholders and partners, followed by food and a chance to network with our partners. The feedback received on the day was positive from all who attended.

Our new accommodation allows all our partners to co-locate and has sufficient meeting rooms to hold our two daily SAM meetings and our weekly ICM where, previously, these were held separately off-site. Our large meeting room has been offered to our ISR partners should they need space to hold meetings and some have already taken the opportunity. The team has already noticed improved collaboration between all our partners, in particular the conversations regarding practice, and concerns regarding high-risk cases that come through on the daily list to be discussed at SAM.

November was also an important month in relation to family harm with the focus on White Ribbon Month. The ISR Waikato Team attended various promotions including:

• Hosting the White Ribbon Riders for a whakatau, breakfast with some of the riders sharing their family harm journey. These where very powerful messages.
• White Ribbon Day Women鈥檚 Breakfast at the Hamilton Abuse Intervention Project (HAIP). This was well attended by wahine working in the family harm space and their clients, and included inspirational speakers.
• An ACC White Ribbon event was also well attended by different agencies, with money raised for Women鈥檚 Refuge and the important mahi they do.

The following table provides high level statistics from both pilot sites as at 6 December 2017. Interestingly, we see significant numbers of verbal abuse episodes, particularly in Waikato. This reflects an upward trend over time and could be indicative of people seeking help earlier and before the violence escalates.

Males and females are represented as both victims and perpetrators and victims are represented across a range of ethnicities. New Zealand is characterised by families from many ethnicities and circumstances, reinforcing the need for services to meet their very different needs. One size certainly does not fit all.

The following table provides high level statistics from both sites at 6 December 2017

ISR training is being driven with a heap of positive energy behind it.聽

Based out of Police National HQ in Wellington, Ursula (Urs) Clark is prototyping ISR training resources 鈥� and she鈥檚 well qualified to do so.

The ISR training approach is based on a major Z Energy project Urs worked on in 2015-2016 as a senior learning consultant, while at a company called Wavelength.

Quirkily named 鈥榋ORM鈥� (Z鈥檚 Operational Risk Management system), the project recently won a gold award at the 鈥� beating high-profile companies such as IKEA.

With the introduction of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, Z recognised a need for a more formal system of managing the risks in its organisation. It wanted to move to a culture where health and safety is so ingrained into the organisation that workers think about it automatically whenever they do anything.

Wavelength worked with Z to create ZORM a set of robust standards, guidelines and procedures for managing the operational risks at Z. The company introduced a blended health and safety learning programme, including competency self-assessment worksheets, online e-learning modules, workshops, and short training sessions.

The judges liked the use of point of view video to allow learners to see the consequences of different choices, and completion rates of over 90% in required time frames show that staff are engaged and committed to complying with Z鈥檚 expectations.

We鈥檙e fortunate that Urs is applying her award-winning ways to ISR and that Z Energy is happy for us to tailor their ZORM training resources to support our project.