Multi-Agency Centre

A dream that was first proposed 10 years ago has finally become a reality with the pending opening of a Counties Manukau Multi-Agency Centre for victims of child abuse and adult sexual assault in April 2010.

The Centre located on Great South Road in Manukau will be the first of its kind in New Zealand and is a joint venture between Police, Child, Youth and Family and Health. What makes the Centre unique is that it will service both child and adult victims of sexual abuse, child physical abuse and neglect and will encompass an "all of family" approach with the introduction of the Family Safety Team.

It is being designed as a centre of excellence with a focus towards the needs of the victims. It will be closely aligned with non-statutory organisations who will be available to provide ongoing care and support for the victim and their families.

The three agencies will work closely together to ensure adults and children get the health, forensic and psychological support they need in a timely and co-ordinated way.

Detective Inspector John Tims Counties Manukau Police District Crime Manager said "The staff at the centre will be highly trained and professional. Our priority is to the victims and providing them with the highest level of service."

"Complainants will be able to come to the Centre and access the services they require and there will be a strong connection with the community and community agencies to support the complainants. With the introduction of a Child Exploitation Team, we are presented for the first time with an opportunity to become proactive in the battle to reduce this type of offending."

Police staff numbers within the Centre will exceed 40 with specialist investigative interviewers for both adults and children, specialist investigators, and a Child Exploitation Team.

Counties Manukau Police investigate in excess of 12,000 family violence incidents per year, 60% of these had children present at the time. 29% of all sexual violence in Counties Manukau is family violence related.

A co-ordinated approach to the most at risk families will be taken with the Family Safety Team identifying families and putting in place suitable intervention strategies to prevent ongoing domestic violence and abuse.

Child Youth and Family staff in the Centre will include psychologists and social workers who specialise in working with children who have been abused and dealing with acute emotional trauma.

Marion Heeney, the Northern Regional Director for Child Youth and Family says "We know that being under the same roof with our colleagues from Police and Health works. We have seen the effectiveness of this model in Puawaitahi, a similar centre on Grafton Road in Auckland City."

"Together we can ensure children affected by abuse receive a more holistic, joined up and age appropriate service and that nobody slips through the cracks."

The Chief Executive of Counties Manukau DHB, Geraint Martin recognises the importance of working with Child Youth and Family and Police. "I see this as an opportunity to enhance services available for the people of Counties Manukau and congratulate the Police for taking the lead in developing this multi-agency centre."

Thought is now going into an appropriate name for the Centre prior to its opening next year.