- Home
- About the Family Court
- What the Family Court does
- Adoption
- Care of Children
- Care and Protection
- Child Abduction
- Counselling
- Domestic Violence
- Domestic Violence Programme Approval Panel
- Parenting Through Separation
- Lawyer for the Child
- Mediation
- Mental Health
- Paternity
- Powers to Act
- Relationship Property
- Separation and Dissolution (Divorce)
- General Advice and Information
- Parents' Guide to Family Separation
- Teenagers' Guide to Family Separation
- Childrens' Guide to Family Separation
- Coming to Court?
- Legislation and Decisions
- Practice and Procedure
- Forms
- Publications
- Contact Us
The Domestic Violence Programmes Approval Panel
The Domestic Violence Programme Approval Panel (the approval panel) is responsible for approving stopping violence and support programmes in accordance with the Domestic Violence (Programmes) Regulations 1996. The approval panel must ensure that all programme providers have the knowledge and skills needed to safely deliver programmes.
The approval panel is an independent statutory body appointed by the Chief Executive. The Domestic Violence (Programmes) Regulations 1996 set out their role and operation
The current approval panel members are:
| Sue Little, Ministry of Justice (Chair) | Murray Smith, Ministry of Justice (Deputy Chair) |
| Alana Bowman of Wellington | Catherine Lawson of Wellington |
| Oriel Heseltine of Warkworth | Philippa Hakopa of Invercargill |
| Ken McMaster of Lyttleton | Tim Metcalfe of Wanganui |
| George Ririnui of Hamilton | To'alepai Thomsen-Inder of Christchurch |
The term of the approval panel is for three years, ending 31 July of the third year. From 1 August 2008, the membership of the new approval panel will be:
| Sue Little, Ministry of Justice (Chair) | Murray Smith, Ministry of Justice (Deputy Chair) |
| Alana Bowman of Wellington | Mike Cagney of Wellington |
| Susan da Silva of Whangarei | Oriel Heseltine of Warkworth |
| David Kenkel of Auckland | Ken McMaster of Lyttleton |
| George Ririnui of Hamilton | Olly Taukamo of Whanganui |
| To'alepai Thomsen-Inder of Christchurch | - |
Susan da Silva and Oriel Heseltine bring expertise in programmes for adult protected persons, To'alepai Thomsen-Inder and Mike Cagney have expertise in programmes for child protected persons, and Alana Bowman, George Ririnui, Ken McMaster, David Kenkel and Olly Taukamo all have expertise in programmes for respondents.
Domestic Violence programmes are available free of charge when a protection order is made under the Domestic Violence Act. The respondent to the order will usually be required to attend a stopping violence programme. The Act also makes provision for those protected by the order, including children, to attend a support programme to help deal with the effects of domestic violence.
The Ministry of Justice is required by legislation to ensure that approved domestic violence programmes are available through all Courts.
Further information about: