Extending wrap-around services to help people stop using violence - Budget 2021

This initiative aims to improve the effectiveness of Police Safety Orders (PSO) by providing 24/7 accommodation and wraparound services for people using violence, working with their whānau and families to develop effective strategies to stop the use of violence.

This will enable existing services to keep supporting people who use violence at a time when behaviour change is more likely and further harm for victims can be prevented.

The initiative will replace time-limited funding for existing services in five current locations.

• The funding will allow accommodation and wraparound services to continue in three Auckland sites operated by Gandhi Nivas, an organisation working with users of family violence, and two Integrated Safety Response sites in Christchurch and the Waikato.
• The benefits/impacts of the initiative are:
  • People subject to a PSO have access to a range of supports at the time when they most need it, increasing the likelihood that they will commit to long term behaviour change.
  • By temporarily removing people using violence from their homes the risk of immediate violence for potential victims will be reduced, allowing them to stay in their own homes.
  • A reduction in clients subject to a PSO being made temporarily homeless and/or requiring government-funded accommodation.
  • Fit-for-purpose support for whānau.

Once fully implemented, the initiative will support about 900 PSO-bound people using violence each year by 2024/25.

• The impacts will lead to longer-term outcomes including:
  • Improved safety and wellbeing for people using violence, their victims and whānau
  • Reduced family violence offending and related justice sector costs

Costs