Planned Areas for Action
Area of Action 2
Prioritise Māori-based approaches, early intervention and prevention, and evaluation
Responsibility
| Lead | Other |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Social Development (MSD) |
Te Puni Kōkiri (TPK), relevant government agency funders and purchasers of services and the National Network of Stopping Violence Services (NNSVS) |
Action details
Establish a process for monitoring policy and service development across all relevant agencies to ensure that:
- Māori perspectives and approaches to family violence prevention; and
- early intervention and prevention are given a high priority that is also reflected in existing funding and contracting arrangements.
As part of this work, review existing funding and contracting arrangements in order to:
(a) reconcile cross-sectoral funding for provision of co-ordinated services, by Māori for Māori, that address the wide-ranging effects of violence in whānau, hapu and iwi; and
(b) ensure that evaluation of family violence prevention services and programmes is given priority.
Link to goals and objectives
Goals 3, 4 & 5. Objectives 3(i), 4(1)(i), 4(1)(ii), 5(iv).
Timeframe
Will be started early 2002 and progressed over a two-year timeframe.
Rationale
Māori are over-represented as victims and perpetrators of violence in families/whānau. Several New Zealand evaluations and reviews have suggested that there is value in approaches to family violence intervention and prevention that specifically incorporate a Māori perspective that renews cultural links, affirms cultural identity, mobilises and utilises community, whānau, hapu and iwi resources, and takes into account the effects of colonisation.
In addition, Māori services and interventions often reflect a holistic approach to well-being, rather than an individualistic approach.
Reconciling existing funding arrangements to encompass health, education and employment initiatives would enable Māori to deliver holistic services to address the wide-ranging effects of violence in whānau, hapu and iwi.
With all of this in mind and recognising the Government's obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi, Māori perspectives and holistic approaches to family violence prevention should be recognised and given a high priority in policy and service development.
Preventing violence in families/whānau from occurring in the first place, and/or identifying violence and intervening early, could lead to significant savings and reduce the adverse effects of violence on families/whānau. However, most of the emphasis and funding have been directed at the crisis end of the spectrum. There is a need to place greater emphasis and priority on prevention and early intervention strategies.
Evaluations are also a vital component to learning more about what works, for whom, and in what circumstances. Evaluations at the formative stage of an initiative can assist with design, implementation, monitoring and assessment, and can also increase the effectiveness of services and programmes by detecting any potential issues at an early stage and identifying ways to address them. Evaluations should be given a priority that reflects their importance, by being built into, and appropriately resourced under, existing contracting arrangements.
Preliminary targets
- To have established a process that monitors policy and service development across relevant agencies to ensure Māori perspectives and approaches to family violence prevention and early intervention and prevention are given priority by June 2003.
- To have reconciled cross-sectoral funding for provision of co-ordinated services, by Māori for Māori, by June 2003.
- To give priority to evaluating family violence prevention services by June 2003.
Preliminary measures
- Process for monitoring is agreed across agencies and implemented.
- Framework for review of funding and contractual arrangements is developed and agreed to.
- Either cross-sectoral funding for services is reconciled or recommendations for reconciliation are made according to the framework's criteria.
- Agreed protocols are developed to ensure that evaluation is included in contracts for services according to the framework's criteria.
- Contracts with Māori providers for the delivery of family violence prevention programmes and services acknowledge specific tikanga and holistic approaches to well-being as contributing to family violence prevention.
- Contracts with all service providers for the delivery of family violence prevention programmes and services acknowledge the importance of evaluation and early intervention and prevention work.
