Preventing family violence
Over the last 40 years Family violence has emerged from behind closed doors and is now recognised as a major social problem in New Zealand.
In 2014 the Department of Corrections launched the pilot of its Community Family Violence Programme.
The programme primarily focuses on men who have committed family violence. It targets key, dynamic risk factors including attitudes and beliefs, emotion regulation, substance abuse, relationship and parenting skills.
After attending training for the pilot in August last year CSS counsellors Tracey Burge and Gail Teale are now actively engaged in delivering the programme to clients referred by the Department of Corrections in Wellington and Porirua.
The programme consists of 13 ninety-minute individual sessions on a weekly basis. It has a strengths-based approach that emphasises a client developing new coping strategies and skills to manage potential high-risk situations in the future. Although this is a structured programme, there is room to tailor the content to specific needs of a client and their learning style. Sometimes translators are used where English is not a client’s first language.
Te Whare Tapa Wha is weaved throughout the programme and asks clients to consider the impact of family violence on their spiritual, physical, emotional, and family-whanau wellbeing.
Our involvement with this programme is true to our values and commitment to reducing family violence in the community. Our holistic approach also means that where issues of housing, medical, social isolation, or benefit-advocacy arise, CSS social workers are able to support clients.