Planned Area of Action

Area of Action 11

Standards/competencies, best practice guidelines, and mechanisms to maintain competence

Responsibility
Lead Other
DCYFS and Police FVFG (sub-group to be established that will include Health and Education)
Action details

Develop and/or implement:

1. minimum standards/competencies for identifying violence in families/whanau and for responding to situations of family violence19 that will apply to all people working with

  • children; and
  • families/whanau20;

2. best practice guidelines to ensure that agencies model non-violent behaviour in their work with children and families/whanau; and 

3. best practice guidelines for relevant agencies and service providers around delivery of family violence prevention services to

  • Māori; and
  • Pacific and other ethnic peoples;

and for establishing relationships with

  • Māori communities and service providers; and
  • Pacific and other ethnic communities and service providers.

As part of this work

  • review existing support and monitoring systems21 within relevant agencies for maintaining staff competency standards and best practice in family violence prevention work; and
  • improve safe practice within family violence prevention services by developing and monitoring guidelines around training, caseloads and supervision.
Link to goals and objectives

Goals 2, 3 & 4. Objectives 2(ii), 2(iii), 3(ii), 3(iii), 3(iv), 4(1)(ii), 4(2)(i).

Timeframe

This action will need to await the outcomes of current and planned initiatives, such as the review of DVA rules and programme regulations.

It is therefore scheduled to commence in 2003, with the timeframe for its completion determined closer to its commencement date.

Rationale

Issues were raised from a range of information sources about the lack of skills, knowledge and understanding that people working with children and families/whanau have of family violence issues and how to respond appropriately. All people working with children and families/whanau require a basic understanding and competency to be able to initially identify those children, adults and elders at risk of family violence, and to make appropriate referrals to services equipped to conduct full specialist assessments.

Community workshop participants raised the importance of key people working with children and families/whanau role-modelling non-violent behaviour. Public messages that violence is not acceptable can be countermanded by inappropriate role-modelling. It is important that guidelines be developed for organisations that work with children and families/whanau, setting out the types of behaviours that should be modelled on a consistent basis.

In addition, building effective relationships with Māori communities and service providers would help improve the capacity of mainstream agencies and service providers to achieve better outcomes for Māori generally. Similar relationships should be established with Pacific and other ethnic communities.

Appropriate training programmes, workforce development, reasonable caseloads, and adequate supervision are key to improving safe practice.

Preliminary targets
  • To have developed and implemented minimum standards/competencies for identifying violence and intervening; and best practice guidelines for modelling non-violent behaviour by June 2006.
  • To have developed and implemented best practice guidelines around delivery of services to Māori, Pacific and other ethnic clients, and for establishing relationships with Māori, Pacific and other ethnic communities and service providers by June 2006.
  • To have developed and implemented guidelines around training, caseloads and supervision and established a process for monitoring these by June 2006.
  • To have improved safe practice within family violence prevention services by June 2006.
Preliminary measures
  • Scoping and timeline for standards/competencies and best practice guidelines project completed.
  • Framework for review of standards/competencies, best practice guidelines, and existing support and monitoring systems is developed and agreed to.
  • Standards/Competencies, best practice guidelines and existing support and monitoring systems are reviewed according to the framework's criteria and timeline.
  • Recommendations for developing and/or enhancing standards/competencies, best practice guidelines, and systems are made (if needed) according to the framework's criteria and timeline.
  • Recommendations are implemented (where relevant) according to the timeline.
  • At the end of the five-year timeframe appropriate and ongoing training and supervision for those working within family violence prevention services are in place.

19. Incorporate cultural competencies and specific competencies related to responding to a range of diverse needs, and effective engagement with parents to ensure children are adequately protected.
20. People working with children and families/whanau include teachers, health professionals, police, lawyers, probation officers, counsellors, social workers and judges.
21. This should include reviewing professional supervision, and ongoing professional development of staff in key agencies.

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