Prevention Education Pilot Evaluation

The Prevention Education Pilot was based in Mid and South Canterbury and provided 28 training workshops for educational professionals in ECE and schools (years 1-8) on understanding, identifying and responding effectively to sexualised play and behaviour of tamariki.

Oranga Tamariki contracted Stop Services to develop and implement the workshops and the pilot used a community led approach in partnership with Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua and Te Rūnanga o Waihao. Arowhenua Whānau services provided a Cultural Advisor and the Ministry of Education provided regional support.

An evaluation examined the development and delivery of the pilot and identified early outcomes for participants. The findings about what works well, and lessons learnt are informative for embedding this initiative at the pilot site and developing the model in other locations. 

• The pilot helped to build workforce, organisational, and interagency capability to respond effectively to children’s sexualised play and behaviour.
• A community led approach based on authentic partnerships was key to the implementation of the pilot. In particular, the partnership between Stop Services and Arowhenua Whānau Services enabled mana whenua to develop their own conceptualisation of the pilot.
• There are successful practices and lessons for the development and delivery in other areas these include:
  • encouraging a collaborative and consistent service approach and shared understanding across the community
  • taking the time to develop relationships and authentic partnerships
  • having people in engagement roles who have experience and expertise in understanding the process to engage with iwi, hapū, and whānau as well as understanding the aspirations of mana whenua
  • having a cultural advisor and appropriately renumerating them
  • ensuring facilitators are well trained and experienced
  • having a project coordinator to undertake coordination, delivery and relationship building.

The findings are being used to inform:

• Actions towards Te Aorerukura National Strategy and Action plan to eliminate family violence and sexual violence
• our investment in sexual violence and harmful sexual behaviour responses, particularly in the value and importance of partnership approaches with mana whenua and iwi/Māori.