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Integrated Safety Response (ISR)

ISR is a multi-agency intervention designed to ensure the immediate safety of victims and children, and to work with perpetrators to prevent further violence.

ISR takes a whole-of-family and whānau approach that puts the risk and needs of family and whānau at the centre.

The operational delivery of ISR is hosted by Police as part of the broader Government work on family violence and sexual violence.

Key features of ISR include dedicated staff, funded specialist services for victims and perpetrators, daily risk assessment and triage, family safety plans, an electronic case management system and an intensive case management approach to collectively work with high risk families.

Video: How an integrated safety response works
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ISR is operating in two sites: Canterbury and Waikato. It is a locally-driven, continuous improvement model with national oversight to monitor and support delivery. In Budget 2019, both sites received two years of further funding.

The ISR model brings together Police, Oranga Tamariki, the Department of Corrections, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Education, District Health Boards, Accident Compensation Corporation, local iwi, specialist family violence non-government organisations and kaupapa Māori services to support victims and their families.

ISR has been evaluated twice (once in 2017, and a recent evaluation completed in 2019). The recent evaluation shows significant benefits for families and whānau when Police works with its partners to deliver coordinated family violence responses.

Key findings include:

  • The ISR model is effective and makes a positive difference for many families and whānau.
  • Māori impacted by violence had an 18% reduction in family violence offence related re-victimisation compared to matched controls from non-ISR sites.
  • There is good overall evidence that ISR is responsive to Māori when assessed against a whānau-centred delivery and practice model. This is due to a number of factors, including: effective relationships with whanau, culturally competent staff and responsive funding arrangements.
  • ISR represents good value for money.
  • There are areas for further improvements, including: improved implementation in rural areas, improved responses for children and youth, and greater efficiencies in managing the increasing volumes of referrals.

The Joint Venture Business Unit and Joint Venture agencies will be using these findings to inform the development of safe, consistent and effective responses to family violence in every community.

The evaluations are available on the Ministry of Justice website

Useful resources about ISR

Newsletter

Integrated Safety Response News is a regular publication of the ISR.

  • June 2020 issue (PDF 88KB)
    - Foreword from Natasha Allan, Acting Safer Whānau Business Lead
    - An update from ISR Canterbury
    - An update from ISR Waikato
    - ISR Training
    - Family Safety System (case management system)
  • December 2019 issue (PDF 791KB)
    -Foreword from Bronwyn Marshall, Safer Whānau Business Change Manager
    - ISR Evaluation
    - An update from ISR Canterbury
    - An update from ISR Waikato
    - ISR Training
    - Family Safety System (case management system)
  • February 2019 issue
    - Foreword from Safer Whānau Business Change Manager: Bronwyn Marshall
    - Evaluation Update
    - Update from the Sector – Christchurch
    - Update from the Sector – Waikato
    - Making a Difference Case Study – Christchurch
    - Making a Difference Case Study – Waikato
    - Safer Sooner - Work on future systems for case management
    - ISR Training Update
    - FSS/Support Services
    - Contributions, questions or feedback
  • September 2018 issue
    - Outcomes reporting
    - Evaluation Update
    - GovTECH Accelerator – Work on future systems for case management
    - Update from the Sector – Christchurch
    - Update from the Sector – Waikato
    - Making a Difference Case Study – Christchurch
    - Making a Difference Case Study – Waikato
    - ISR Training Update
    - FSS/Support Services
    - Contributions, questions or feedback
  • June 2018 issue
    - Refresh of ISR on-a-page
    - Collaborating to make a difference – local voices
    - Collaborating to make a difference – whānau-centred practice
    - Making a difference case studies
    - Filming for training resources
    - New Police approach to family harm
    - ISR well represented at Family Harm Expo
    - Improvements to the case management system
    - ISR Evaluation Update
    - Contributions, questions or feedback
  • March 2018 issue
    - Evaluation to inform next-step decisions
    - Training resources well under way
    - Christchurch update
    - Waikato update
    - Case Management System
    - Contributions, questions or feedback
  • December 2017 issue
    - Foreword from Safer Whānau Business Change Manager: Bronwyn Marshall
    - Findings and recommendations of the independent ISR evaluation – a summary
    - Christchurch update
    - Waikato update
    - A good news story
    - Not just numbers
    - Case in point – our Case Management System (CMS)
    - A good news story
    - Contributions, questions or feedback
  • February 2017 issue
    - $680,000 boost for Christchurch
    - Message from Minister for Māori Development and Minister for Whānau Ora Te Ururoa Flavell
    - Updates from Christchurch and Waikato
    - Latest statistics
    - Your feedback
  • December 2016 issue
    - Foreword from Safer Whānau Business Owner: Bronwyn Marshall
    - Learnings from Christchurch
    - Good news story from Christchurch
    - Waikato lifts off
    - Case Management System (CMS) – a game changer
    - Consultation on Workforce Capability Framework