Whānau Resilience long-term healing and recovery services

Whānau Resilience aims to create strong, resilient communities where whānau are supported to live violence free and to eliminate violence for the next generation.

Providers across New Zealand are supporting whānau impacted by family violence to heal, recover and build protective factors to sustain violence-free lives and prevent violence.

People experiencing and using violence often need help at different times in their lives. Whānau Resilience offers long-term, flexible support for the whole of whānau, so that people can access support when they need it, in ways that work for them.

Whānau voice is at the heart of this kaupapa. Whānau guide service design and delivery to create meaningful and enduring intergenerational change.

Building resilience to prevent violence

Communities and research told us that short-term, crisis support focussed only on women was not enough to create change, healing, and break the cycles of abuse. Real change takes time. Whānau Resilience is a $15.4 million investment designed to make this critical shift. 

In New Zealand, 1 in 7 children grow up in violent homes, diminishing their ability to reach their potential and making them more likely to become victims or users of violence in adulthood. Many people affected by family violence present with entrenched intergenerational trauma. Whānau Resilience works to break this cycle supporting whānau to heal and recover so that children and future generations can thrive. 

“If I am working on myself, my partner should get help too” – Whānau voice 

Whānau Resilience is embedded within communities, weaving together family violence support with cultural, community and economic engagement. This builds protective factors so whānau are more resilient to the drivers of violence and can maintain violence-free lives. 

“Meet us in the community where we feel comfortable” – Whānau voice

This is encapsulated in the Whānau Resilience Framework. While services look different in every community, they all align to the evidence-based framework to provide long term healing and recovery to prevent violence for the next generation.

Whānau Resilience in action

Every day, providers and communities and collaborating and innovating to support whānau. Here’s what’s happening at a glance: 

6,606 whānau supported

6,606 individuals or whānau supported in 2024/25 as per contractual reporting.  

130 organisations 

130 providers delivering services across Aotearoa from Bluff to Invercargill. 

22 collective contracts

There are 22 contracts where a lead agency holds a contract on behalf of a group of providers working together to deliver Whānau Resilience in their rohe. 

128 kaimahi 

128 Full-Time-Equivalent (FTE) kaimahi (workers), building the capacity of the family violence workforce. 

76% Māori, Pacific, ethnic providers 

76% of providers identify as Māori, Pacific or ethnically diverse providers as a result of the procurement process.  

3 community-led national symposiums 

Whānau Resilience providers initiated, organised, and hosted three nationwide symposiums to bring them all together, foster connections, share stories and insights and keep growing. 

“Our group have collected over 460 ‘gems’ (whānau voice) that are informing our design. We have whānau at the design table with us, working to build and test our service concept.” The Canterbury Whānau Resilience Design Group

Community stories

We’re building a kete (basket) of stories to share some of the inspiring work and the impact it’s having in communities.

Community led symposiums

Whānau Resilience providers regularly come together locally and nationally to share experiences, build capability, and strengthen how they support whānau.

In 2023, the first Whānau Resilience Symposium was initiated by the Brown Table, a collective of Whānau Resilience providers in Northland. They wanted the opportunity to hear from other providers across the motu, celebrate the journey to date, and to connect and inspire each other. After its success, Whānau Resilience providers continue to organise annual community-led symposium.

83% rated the symposium as excellent

Based on a survey of 94 participants after the 2025 Symposium. Having providers stand up, coordinate themselves, choose to come together and share what is working for their whānau, tells us that Whānau Resilience is now a community owned and led kaupapa.

A different way of working together

Whānau Resilience brings key changes to how government is working with providers, including a new procurement process, longer term contracts, a regionally designed and delivered model, and community-led innovation. Whānau voice is at the heart of everything we do.

We know that communities and providers have invaluable knowledge, experience, and access to their unique local whānau voice and community needs.

“Be Bold MSD – don’t invest more in outdated service models that don’t reflect the needs of communities.” Family violence service provider.

We aim to keep listening, learning and growing alongside whānau and communities. To help us, the Whānau Resilience design and procurement process was evaluated. It found that:

“Most stakeholders consider that MSD was innovative with its approach to Whānau Resilience and should continue in this direction. There are also opportunities to learn from.”

Te Aorerekura calls for collective action and systemic key shifts to improve support for whānau. Whānau Resilience is aligned with these key shifts and is a critical part of the ecosystem of family violence support. We all have a role to play.

Emerging impact

We’re partnering with providers and experts to build evidence and learnings over time.  

The Whānau Resilience Intervention Logic Model outlines the outcomes we aim to achieve and how we will get there. An independent evaluation is underway to assess outcomes for whānau and communities and identify opportunities for improvement. Findings are expected in early 2027.  

Whānau Resilience providers regularly report on service delivery, key insights and outcomes. Key themes include the value of whole-whānau support, cultural identity and connection, community-based approaches with practical support, and strong local partnerships for integrated responses. Reporting also highlights challenges such as limited provider capacity and access to specialist services (eg mental health, alcohol and drug, and housing).

“Understanding my reality is important – let me lead.” Whānau voice

Updates on Whānau Resilience

You can stay in touch with the latest on what’s happening by subscribing to our Family Violence and Sexual Violence Service Provider Update.

Please contact us at whanau_resilience@msd.govt.nz if you have any questions.