If you need urgent help please call 111 or our Crisis Line 0800 827 973
Our Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day, 7 hours a week, 365 days a year. Your call will be triaged and followed up by one of our team of social workers.
Taranaki Women’s Refuge is a multi-service agency that supports women and children who have experienced domestic violence.
We can meet with you at our community office, your home or another safe place to discuss your experiences and choices, help you to make safe plans for yourself and your children. Our Refuge workers are experienced and provide confidential, non-judgemental support, whether or not you choose to leave the relationship. We can also help you with Work and Income, Lawyers, Police etc.
Our vision is a Taranaki where everyone has their rights protected and are able to live good lives in their communities, free from abuse and neglect.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger you should contact the police on their emergency phone number 111. If it is not an emergency but are wanting Police guidance, their non-emergency number is 105 or contact them online through the Police Website.
Who are adults at risk?
- A person who has care and support needs; and
- Is experiencing, or at risk of abuse and or neglect; and
- As a result of their care and support needs, is unable to protect him or herself against the abuse or neglect, or the risk of it.
Although this population is varied and diverse, adults at risk may include people with intellectual disabilities, people with physical disabilities and those without support systems.
These could be
- Intellectual
- Neurodisability
- Physical disability
- Dementia
- Chronic or severe illness eg chronic fatigue syndrome
and it is our goal to prevent harm and provide support.
For assistance please contact us. The Safeguarding Adults Co-ordinator will contact you to make an appointment.
What is abuse?
Abuse can take a number of different forms, including:
- physical abuse
- sexual abuse
- psychological or emotional abuse
- financial abuse
- neglect or omission of care are also forms of abuse.
The person who is responsible for the abuse is often well known to the person abused. They could be:
- a paid carer or volunteer
- a health worker, care worker or other worker
- a partner, relative, friend or neighbour
- an occasional visitor or someone who is providing a service
- someone who deliberately exploits vulnerable people
- someone who may intentionally or unintentionally abuse others and may require support to overcome abusive behaviour.
The Process
What we do
We provide a professional, free support service, aiming to safeguard vulnerable adults from abuse and neglect while improving the response of agencies to vulnerable adults who are experiencing abuse and/or at risk of abuse in the Taranaki region. The service is run by Safeguarding Adults Co-ordinator, Bremner on a 20 hour per week basis.
If there are concerns raised:
The case will be assigned to a Safeguarding Adults Co-ordinator who will:
- Take a person directed and whānau-centred approach
- Determine the immediate danger or harm, and coordinate immediate intervention as required.
- Seek to understand the background and situation of concern.
- Provide a single point of contact.
- Co-ordinate safeguarding strategy meetings with the individual, his/her whānau and supporters, police, provider, and other health professionals.
- Identify and address whānau needs in a holistic way.
- Work alongside agencies and the SAT panel to ensure a person’s wellbeing is front and centre. (confidentiality policy piece?)
How it works
Anyone can make a referral, or you can self-refer. The referral will be assigned to the Safeguarding Adults Co-ordinator who will:
- Take a strengths-based, person-directed and whānau-centred approach.
- Determine the risk of immediate danger or harm, and organise immediate intervention as required.
- Seek to understand the background and situation of concern.
- Provide a single point of contact.
- Provide advocacy and facilitate supportive decision making
- Co-ordinate the multiagency response.
We work in connection with other supports and services assisting people to be safe and feel safe, retain their independence, and increase their resilience and wellbeing.
Panel
This is a group of professionals that work for different agencies with adults at-risk within our local Taranaki community. The panel meets regularly to ensure that there is accountability within the process, and clarity regarding different cases.
Some of the agencies that are involved are: IDEA Services, CCS Disability Action, NZ Police, Your way Kia Roha, Taranaki Women’s Refuge, Taranaki District Health Board, Age Concern Taranaki, Taranaki Community Law Centre, and the Taranaki Safe Families Trust.
Community Education
We offer Community Education opportunities for local organisations working with people who may be adults at risk in Taranaki. If you are interested in having our coordinator come and speak to you about what we do, please make contact
FAQ’s
- A person who has care and support needs; and
- Is experiencing, or at risk of abuse and or neglect; and
- As a result of their care and support needs, is unable to protect him or herself against the abuse or neglect, or the risk of it.
This co-ordinated response ensures that an adult at risk remains in control of the decision making, and that there is a common understanding of the risks and the necessary steps to ensure safety and enhanced wellbeing. It can work in conjunction with other supports such as advocacy and supported decision making. The goal is to assist people to feel and be safe, retain independence and increase resilience and wellbeing
If you know someone who is at risk of harm, neglect or abuse within the community you are able to make a referral to the Safeguarding Adults Co-ordinator for support and guidance. CLICK HERE to make contact.
Safeguarding is everybody’s business. It means protecting everyone’s right to live in safety, free from abuse, neglect and harm.
If you know someone well you may notice changes in their behaviour or appearance. These might be big or small changes, and might happen over a long period of time or suddenly.
Here are some changes that might mean someone is being abused. This is not a full list, but these are some of the things you can look out for:
- they have physical injuries without explanation
- they become withdrawn, tearful or anxious
- they show signs of fear or talk about not feeling safe
- they are hungry or dehydrated
- they start self-harming
- they start communicating differently or stop communicating altogether
- they have restricted access to their own money in order to meet their needs and be well cared for.
- their needs change, for example they need or ask for different types of care or different levels of care
- their skills change, for example self-care or continence management skills
- they behave differently or seem more or less happy and relaxed with different staff or in different environments e.g. at their day centre compared to their home.
It can be difficult to be sure that someone is being abused, but if you are concerned that abuse might be going on, we would always encourage you to raise your concerns.
- If someone you know is in immediate danger you should contact the police on their emergency phone number 111. If it is not an emergency but are wanting Police guidance, their non-emergency number is 105 or online through the Police Website.
- If there is no immediate danger, you can report your concerns about abuse to the local Safeguarding Adults Co-ordinator. You can contact the Safeguarding Adults Co-ordinator if you have any suspicion that someone is at risk of abuse.
For any questions or help about Safeguarding Adults Taranaki, please contact Bremner on 06 769 5553.
