More efficient and effective allocation of government resources to meet community needs

We aim to improve results for individuals, vulnerable families, children and young people by targeting funding to services and community initiatives that respond most effectively to Government priorities.

Investing in Services for Outcomes

Government invests over $600 million through Vote Social Development in funding community groups that deliver social and employment-related services and support for vulnerable children, young people and adults.

To ensure the most effective use of this funding, the Investing in Services for Outcomes programme was set up in 2012 to clearly target services to achieve desired outcomes, to streamline and simplify contracting and reporting arrangements, and to support providers.

So far, over $23 million has been invested through the Capability Investment Resource to improve the capability of community providers to offer more targeted services.

In 2013/2014, we continued to develop a Strategic Investment Framework to guide our decisions on which social services to fund. Over the next year, we will build on the Framework by implementing an Investment Strategy to change the way we work with providers and communities to achieve the outcomes being sought.

We continued to collect evidence of effective community-based social services as part of making progress towards outcomes-based contracting. Through trial programmes we are determining how to best monitor and report on outcome performance. The trial findings will help inform how we move our providers onto outcomes-based contracts where appropriate.

Social housing

In 2013, the Government introduced changes to the way social housing will be provided in New Zealand. The changes aim to improve the social housing market and ensure those who are most in need of social housing receive it.

As part of these changes, from April 2014 the Ministry became responsible for social housing needs assessment, which includes:

• screening and assessing people’s eligibility for social housing
• managing the social housing waitlist
• referring potential tenants to approved social housing providers, including Housing New Zealand
• calculating and reviewing income-related rents and income-related rent subsidies
• providing options and advice on alternative housing
• managing social housing debt and fraud investigations.

During the year, our initial focus was on ensuring a smooth and successful transfer of the assessment function from Housing New Zealand Corporation.

Community housing providers can now receive a subsidy to provide income-related rents to high- needs tenants and their families. As at 30 June 2014, 20 community housing providers were receiving the Income-related Rent Subsidy.

More than 80 per cent of state housing tenants receive other support from the Ministry. The transfer of the housing assessment role allows us to provide more comprehensive needs assessments that take into account employment, income and other social services, and provides the opportunity to deliver a more efficient, ‘wrap-around’ service.

Reducing family violence

Family violence is a serious and complex issue that can span multiple relationships and generations. No single agency can address the issues alone.

In June 2014, the Government agreed to develop a comprehensive, long-term and whole-of-government approach to further reduce family violence and achieve intergenerational change. Over the next year, we will work with other agencies to progress the Achieving Intergenerational Change approach, aimed at preventing future generations of children growing up with family violence, and protecting older people from abuse and neglect by family members.

A key component will be to strengthen a ‘no wrong doors’ approach by delivering more connected services. This will involve working with the sector to identify how to ensure better linkages between the Government, non-government agencies and communities.

International research indicates that primary prevention is key to a long-term reduction in family violence. During the year, we continued to deliver primary prevention campaigns to raise community awareness of how to recognise and respond to family violence, such as It’s not OK!, E Tu Whānau and Pasefika Proud.

It’s not OK!

This campaign helps communities mobilise action against family violence by working alongside the family violence sector, central and local government, and community groups including sports clubs, faith communities, work places and neighbourhoods.

In 2013/2014, the campaign focused on encouraging ordinary New Zealanders to take action. We also developed new communications and resources to support the campaign messages.

E Tu Whānau

We worked closely with iwi leaders, Māori elders, whānau and youth to spread E Tu Whānau messages and encourage community action. This involved hui, wānanga and use of Māori media and social media platforms.

In February 2014, Ngāi Tahu launched an interactive E Tu Whānau website, which has received more than 5,000 hits and continues to attract interest and support. Guiding this work are the E Tu Whānau values, which have been incorporated into resources to support discussion and change.

Pasefika Proud

We launched a new Pasefika Proud Programme of Action for 2014-2017. Its purpose is to address key issues and priorities for the next three years in relation to family and domestic violence in Pacific families in New Zealand.

This continues the work begun by the Programme of Action for Pacific People 2008 and Beyond.

How we demonstrate our success

Note: Result changes below 1 per cent between 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 are considered not statistically significant.

Footnotes

20: Outcomes-based contracts are targeted towards achieving specific client-focused results that are explicit and measurable over time. They typically involve a mix of both service inputs/outputs and client-based performance measures.

We have a mixed model approach, working across the continuum from contracting for inputs and outputs, to shorter- and longer-term outcomes, through to payments based on successful outcomes achievement.

We know that currently about 60 per cent of Work and Income contracts (excluding grants) are outcomes based, with clear measurement of client-focused results and a significant funding portion based on achievement.

However, a similar assessment cannot be made at this point in time in relation to Child, Youth and Family (CYF) and Family and Community Services (FACS). They operate in the ‘middle space’, with a strong focus and reliance on results-based accountability – being a mixture of service inputs/outputs and client-based performance measures. It is not possible, therefore, to provide a Ministry-wide result for the outcome indicator at this stage.

We are undertaking provider trials with a number of CYF- and FACS-funded providers to assist in better understanding how services for vulnerable children, young people and families can be more outcomes focused. This includes a greater use of objective measures, and supporting providers to build capability to work in a more outcomes-focused way. There are currently six trials involving 10 providers.

We are also working towards full adoption of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Contracting Framework across all funded social services, an approach that strongly supports the focus on outcomes-based contracting.