Domestic Violence - Free Protection Order Support Programmes
Free Domestic Violence Support Programmes
Information about support programmes for people protected by orders made under the Domestic Violence Act
New Zealand Family Courts
If you’re protected by a protection order made under the Domestic Violence Act 1995, you can attend a free support programme to help you deal with your situation.
Free support programmes are also available to any children who live or stay with you.
Support programmes under the Domestic Violence Act are –
- free
- confidential
- about keeping yourself safe
- about building confidence.
How can these programmes help and support me?
The programmes help you move forward and keep safe . They give you information about the protection order, and about domestic violence and its effects.
Programmes for children can help them understand and deal with violence and the effects that violence has on them and their family.
You can choose from a range of programmes. They are run as group sessions or for individuals. Some programmes provide childcare and transport.
These programmes are quite different from the programme the respondent (the person who has been violent or abusive) is ordered to attend to help them learn to live without violence.
Who takes the programmes?
All programmes are run by people who know about family violence and its effects and who have been approved by the Ministry of Justice.
They are sensitive to people’s different experiences based on age, gender, culture, sexual orientation or disability.
About the Support programmes for adults
These programmes will –
- tell you how a protection order works and what your rights are under the order
- give you information about domestic violence and its effects
- help you find and build support for yourself among your friends, family / whänau and community
- help you plan to keep yourself and your children safe
- help you find ways to make positive changes in your life.
About the Support programmes for children
All violence affects children, including when children see or hear violence.
Children need extra help and support to cope with what has happened in their lives. A free support programme is available to your children, up to age 17, either in group or individual sessions.
These programmes can help your children to –
- learn about keeping themselves safe
- understand how violence affects them
- solve problems and manage their feelings and emotions
- build confidence.
You or another of the children’s caregivers can come to the programme with your children.
How long are the programmes available for?
You have up to three years after the protection order is granted to apply for a free programme.
This time limit can be extended in special cases, so ask the Court about this if your order is more than three years old.
For more information about these support programmes, contact the Family Court, look on the Family Court website (www.justice.govt.nz/family), or talk to your lawyer.
Application forms
DVP4
Programmes for adult protected persons
Under Section 29 of the Domestic Violence Act 1995, I ask that I be referred to a programme that has the objective of promoting protection from domestic violence.
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Name: |
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Address: |
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Phone: |
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Ethnicity |
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Name of the respondent to the protection order: |
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Family Court where protection order was granted: |
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Programmes for children
Under Section 29(1)(b) of the Domestic Violence Act 1995, I ask that the following child / children of my family be referred to a programme that has the objective of promoting protection from domestic violence.
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My name: |
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Address: |
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Phone: |
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Child’s name |
Date of birth |
Ethnicity |
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Family Court where protection order was granted: |
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Name of the respondent to the protection order: |
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Post or take this form in to your nearest Family Court.
www.justice.govt.nz/family
COURTS 009
JULY 2007
