5 July 2005
The draft Standard for Screening, Risk Assessment and Intervention for Family Violence, Child Abuse and Neglect is now available for public comment.
Issues surrounding Family/Whanau Violence directly affect the physical and mental health and general well-being of many New Zealanders. The new Standard has been written to better identify those at risk, to enhance their safety, and to improve the support provided for people who have been abused.
This National Standard is the first of its kind, and aims to establish minimum requirements for individuals and organisations working with people who live with family or whanau violence, child abuse and neglect.
Lesley Valentine, Business Relationships Manager at Standards NZ, said all public comments are welcome on the draft Standard. Comments will be considered by the expert committee who will make changes to the draft. The Standard will be published after it gains consensus from the committee and is approved by the Standards Council.
“We have been privileged to have a committee of knowledgeable and very committed experts developing the draft, and it is equally important to have a widespread public response to ensure the Standard will be adopted and implemented throughout the country,” said Ms Valentine.
“Committee members come from a range of sectors including: Health; Child, Youth and Family; Women’s Refuge; Corrections; Justice; Education; Barnados; Police; and Plunket. This illustrates how broad family violence issues are and how far-reaching the consequences can be.”
Standards Development Committee Chair Judi Strid, from the Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner, says the draft Standard provides a collaborative approach to identifying best practice guidelines for screening, risk assessment and safety planning.
“A family is a place where everyone should be safe, yet the reality is that violence, abuse and neglect within the family are major problems in New Zealand,” said Ms Strid. “It is vital to support and co-ordinate people and organisations at the forefront of family violence issues including teachers, the police, health personnel, child care and social workers.”
Ms Strid said the guidelines are intended to complement existing policies and guidelines that many organisations already utilise. “The Standard sets up a common language, which will help bring together organisations and enable them to work more closely together to improve safety, protection and accountability.”
The Standard emphasises the importance of ‘cultural competency’, which involves responding appropriately to the cultural values, norms and beliefs of people who have been abused.
“Maori and Pacific peoples are significantly over-represented in family and whanau violence statistics,” said Ms Strid. “It is crucial for organisations to understand cultural issues, incorporate culturally safe practices into their services, and have adequate numbers of trained staff who can practice in a culturally safe manner.”
The public comment period runs from 5 July to 5 September 2005. For a copy of the draft standard and to provide comment, please click here.
Media Contacts
For information on the Standard