Children and young people are loved, safe and nurtured
(This action was created from merging the Increased services for children and young people with concerning/harmful sexual behaviours and Sexual violence crisis support services for children and young people actions.)
This initiative, funded through Budget 2019:
- provides access to sexual harm crisis support services designed specifically for children and young people.
- increases service capacity to meet demand for prevention, education, early intervention, assessment and treatment services for children and young people who display concerning and harmful sexual behaviours.
Crisis services include immediate support to reduce the severity and longevity of the negative impact of sexual harm and promote the safety and wellbeing of the child or young person in their family, whānau and community.
There is a focus on ensuring services (including assessments, treatments and preventative initiatives) can be delivered in a kaupapa Māori context and are suitable for those with behavioural problems, intellectual disabilities or neuro-disabilities.
Analysis of the current state of services for children and young people is now complete. Oranga Tamariki has extended funding to existing providers to meet known demand for children and young people who are victims of sexual violence.
Unfortunately resource challenges have resulted in a delay in the design of services (design is being carried out with iwi and hapū, using Te Tiriti based protocols).
An early support pilot to train education professionals to address concerning sexual behaviour sooner is being developed (Mid and South Canterbury).