From 1 July 2019, family violence agencies and social services practitioners can share information to better respond to family violence.
Safe information sharing can help protect people from harm and ensure better, more consistent responses to family violence. The Family Violence Act 2018 introduced information sharing laws to allow the family violence sector to collect, use and disclose personal information for specified purposes. The new laws require those in the family violence sector to consider sharing information if it may help protect a victim from family violence, or if they receive a request for information.
Operational guidance has been developed to support the family violence sector to use the new law. The guidance was developed in consultation with the sector and sets out the steps that should be taken when sharing information under the new law.
This poster sets out the information sharing process step-by-step. You may like to print a copy to display at work.
Guide to sharing information under the Family Violence Act 2018 [PDF, 540 KB]
Publishing this Guidance is just one step towards supporting the workforce to safely and appropriately share family violence information. We welcome continued dialogue with the sector about any additional tools they may need to support effective practice and the implementation of the law. If you have any questions or ideas on how the family violence information sharing guidance can be improved, you can contact us at: FVinformationsharing@justice.govt.nz
The following agencies and practitioners are a part of the family violence sector and can share using the new information sharing laws:
Specified government agencies (ACC, Department of Corrections, Ministries of Education, Health, Justice, Social Development, Immigration New Zealand, New Zealand Police, Oranga Tamariki, Housing New Zealand Corporation)
Licensed early childhood services
Information sharing under the Family Violence Act 2018 and Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 [PDF, 166 KB] [PDF, 156 KB]
In January 2019 we released a summary of feedback received from victims, practitioners, agencies and the public on the draft family violence information sharing guidance.