Keeping People Safe
The Keeping People Safe work programme focuses on strengthening multi-agency responses to family violence across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Across the country, dedicated local teams from community organisations, iwi, NGOs and government agencies work together to deliver coordinated frontline services to people experiencing family violence. These teams (known as multi-agency responses) combine their insights to better understand what is happening for families and whānau to improve safety and to break the cycle of family violence.
Current state of multi-agency responses
There are strong examples of good practice, but multi-agency responses currently operate differently in each locality. This leads to:
Varying quality and types of services
Inconsistent risk assessment and management
Uneven support for people, families and whānau which can affect safety and access to help.
The current state of multi-agency responses(external link) report has shaped the Keeping People Safe work programme.
Strengthening multi-agency responses
The Keeping People Safe work programme in Te Aorerekura Action Plan (2025-2030)(external link) sets out a series of steps and initiatives to strengthen multi-agency responses.
It requires government agencies to work more effectively together and with communities to support people, families and whānau at high risk of violence and those with complex needs - especially children and young people, and those at greatest risk of serious injury or death.
The improvements are guided by a best practice model, developed by the Centre in 2025.
Best practice model
The best practice model sets out an evidence-based approach to achieving consistent, effective multi-agency responses.
Six core components
Based on research and good local and international practice, six components define what an effective multi-agency response requires:
Safe and effective responses to risk and need
Child and victim-survivor-centred responses
Collaborative ways of working
Innovation and continuous improvement
Effective governance and leadership
Flexible, targeted, and integrated investment
These components promote consistent quality and impact for people, family and whānau experiencing family violence – while allowing adaptation to local context and needs.
Desired future state
To achieve safer outcomes, multi-agency responses would be:
Whānau-centred
Locally led, increasingly by community organisations, iwi or NGOs
Supported by regional leadership
Enabled by national settings that support consistency, investment, and system-wide coordination.
Timely, consistent and coordinated multi-agency responses to family violence reduce harm and deaths, keep people, family and whānau safe and support healing.
High-risk protocol
A new high-risk protocol has been developed to support national consistency in multi-agency responses for people, families and whānau at the highest risk of severe violence.
The protocol was developed in 2025, and shaped through:
engagement with family violence specialists who participate and have expertise in multi-agency responses
representatives from government agencies who provided feedback and direction from the Keeping People Safe Priority Steering Group
evidence from Aotearoa and international literature
alignment with the Risk and Safety Practice Framework (RSPF).(external link)
The first iteration of the high-risk protocol will be implemented and trialled across four localities in 2026. The initial implementation will inform a wider rollout.
In 2026, the Centre will work with government agencies, iwi, community organisations, iwi, and NGOs to implement the best practice model in four localities. The focus is on creating safer, more coordinated responses for families and whānau at highest risk of harm, and with complex needs - including those with children and young people.
The initial ‘trial and learn’ phase will include:
putting the new high-risk protocol and information sharing guidance into practice supported by training and resources
building capability in key areas such as working with children and young people
strengthening governance and leadership structures to improve accountability, clarify agency roles and responsibilities, and drive implementation
trial a local spoke-regional hub model in two regions
monitor what works and what needs adjusting to inform a wider rollout.
System Improvement Plans
Twelve family violence sites developed local System Improvement Plans in 2025 with support from the Centre.
These plans:
assess each site’s current state
identify the shifts required and opportunities to move towards the best practice model
outline improvements in processes, functions, outcomes, and risk management
allow local innovation to meet diverse needs and contexts.
The work on implementing the System Improvement Plans is ongoing.
Specialist Outreach
Specialist outreach models are being implemented in Auckland City and Rotorua.
This initiative provides coordinated, intensive support for whānau and families at high risk of family violence. Services are delivered in partnership with communities to test specialist outreach alongside the high-risk approach.
The Minister announced(external link) the partnership in Auckland City with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and Manawa Tītī in April 2025.
Workforce capability
The Centre is increasing workforce capability and consistency in training through:
publishing workforce capability frameworks to guide practitioners and organisations on standards for safe practice and risk management
aligning training options with the skills set out in the capability frameworks to improve consistency and support quality training
embedding best practices into multi-agency responses at local and regional levels.
Last updated: 26 February 2026
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