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March 17, 2017 at 10:04 AM

*From the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse*

The Government announced a new pilot to reduce exposure to family violence and abuse when handing over children for care or contact. The pilot will provide a safe environment where parents can hand over children without having to meet ex-partners.

Justice Minister Amy Adams said "In the absence of funded supervised hand-over services, some victims of family violence risk continued exposure to violent and abusive behaviour as they facilitate their children’s contact with an ex-partner."

The service will be available free in cases where the Family Court has imposed protective conditions on a Parenting Order under section 51 or section 48 of the Care of Children Act 2004. Parents may also be referred to the service at the discretion of the court.

The pilot is intended to assist 60 families over one year in Rotorua and Whanganui. Family Focus Rotorua has been contracted to deliver the service in Rotorua and Barnardos New Zealand in Whanganui. $704,000 from the Justice Sector Fund will go to the implementation and evaluation of the pilot.

The pilot is part of the Government’s $130 million Safer Sooner Family Violence reforms announced in 2016.