MSD "sexual harm" update: service evaluation, reporting guide and more

The Ministry of Social Development's (MSD) latest update on "sexual harm" service development covers: the evaluation of sexual harm services, a reporting guide, the national helpline and the service guidelines.

Evaluation of services

This update provides more detailed information about the three-year evaluation of Ministry-funded specialist sexual harm services by Malatest International. The evaluation will cover crisis support services, the national sexual harm helpline, harmful sexual behaviour services and services for male survivors of abuse. Researchers are currently meeting with providers to gather feedback on developing the evaluation. It is expected the evaluation will include:

• "an annual workforce survey
• analysis of information about the profile and outcomes for people supported by the services
• the client voice through case studies and interviews."

Malatest has developed a workforce survey and it has been reviewed by the advisory group set up with Te Ohaakii a Hine – National Network Ending Sexual Violence Together (TOAH-NNEST). The survey will be sent to managers at each provider to distribute to staff.

Reporting Guide

MSD has created a reporting guide to help providers report data as part of the new result measurements framework (RMF). Contact your local contract manager if you have not yet received the guide.

Other updates

The update included details and statistics about the helpline pilot in Canterbury. The helpline, Safe to Talk, is still expected to be available nationally in April 2018.

MSD has collected feedback from providers about the new service guidelines. This will be shared in the next MSD "sexual harm" email newsletter.

For more information

Read the 27 March 2018 full update on the MSD website. You can also read all past updates and sign up to receive future updates.

Also see the latest update from the Government’s cross-agency family violence and sexual violence work programme.