Safeguarding

whakahaumarutia

Protecting the rights, wellbeing, and safety of people—especially those at greater risk of harm.

It includes prevention, early response, and creating systems of support.

Safeguarding: What is it?

This describes what ‘safeguarding adults’ means and who might need this support, and it explains the people (roles) involved in safeguarding, what the process looks like and what you can expect.

It also shares some real stories about safeguarding experiences.

Safeguarding explained
Safeguarding explained

  • The content has been designed for:

    • tāngata whaikaha Māori, disabled people and their families and whānau

    • safeguarding service providers and professionals / practitioners, whether new or experienced – and the people you support

    • all people and services who come into contact with disabled people who are experiencing (or at risk of) violence, abuse or neglect. 

  • The content (including Easy Read versions) includes:

    • Who to contact if you’re being harmed

    • What is safeguarding, who can access it and how

    • Explaining the technical terms and sector jargon in plain English

    • The safeguarding process – what to expect (all key aspects) 

    • Supported (and substitute) decision-making

    • Your right to decline support 

    • People’s feedback on safeguarding 

    • Four personal stories 

    • Access to training and resources.

    • Plain English, supported by a Glossary

    • Easy Read coming soon

    • Video summarising key aspects

    • Read screen, for some sections 

  • Independent E2E assessment by Copilot, March 2026 . Conclusion:

    ✅ The website content fully meets Entry Level capability requirements

    ✅ Several sections also align with early Practitioner / Enhanced capability, but without overstepping into specialist practice

    ✅ The content is safe, appropriate, and well suited to public facing use under Te Aorerekura

Safeguarding: Foundations

This is your ‘one-stop-shop’ for foundational information needed for the effective safeguarding of adults.

You’ll find definitions, data, risk factors, relevant legislation, frameworks and strategies to guide your practice, along with information on barriers to services, accessibility and inclusiveness, and access to training.

Safeguarding foundations
Safeguarding foundations

  • The content has been designed for:

    • safeguarding service providers and professionals / practitioners, whether new or experienced

    • all people and services who come into contact with disabled people who are experiencing (or at risk of) violence, abuse or neglect

    • tāngata whaikaha Māori, disabled people and their families and whānau.

  • The content (including Easy Read versions) includes:

    • Definition of safeguarding

    • Overview of DAPAR services 

    • Definitions of violence, abuse and neglect

    • Systemic/systems-based abuse  

    • Disability in Aotearoa New Zealand

    • Data on higher risk of abuse for disabled people 

    • Risk factors impacting disabled people 

    • Barriers to services and ideas for removing those barriers 

    • Legal, rights-based and Tiriti-based frameworks (inc UNCRPD, EGL) 

    • National strategies (inc NZ Disability Strategy and Te Aorerekura)  

    • National inquiries (Royal Commission findings, Wai 2575) 

    • Accessibility and inclusiveness: actions and considerations 

    • Access to training and resources 

    • Plain English, supported by a Glossary

    • Easy Read coming soon

    • Video summarising key aspects 

    • Read screen, for some sections 

  • Independent E2E assessment by Copilot, March 2026 . Conclusion:

    ✅ The website content fully meets Entry Level capability requirements

    ✅ Several sections also align with early Practitioner / Enhanced capability, but without overstepping into specialist practice

    ✅ The content is safe, appropriate, and well suited to public facing use under Te Aorerekura

Safeguarding Response: in practice

Safeguarding providers and professionals can access practice advice to guide your safeguarding response when supporting disabled people who are experiencing (or at risk of) violence, abuse and neglect.

Safeguarding response
Safeguarding response

  • The content has been designed for: 

    • safeguarding service providers and professionals, whether new or experienced 

    • all people and services who come into contact with disabled people who are experiencing (or at risk of) violence, abuse or neglect. 

    Tāngata whaikaha Māori, disabled people and their families and whānau are also welcome to access this information. 

    • Identifying and assessing risks 

    • Reporting and documenting of safeguarding risks and actions 

    • Ethical decision-making 

    • Professional boundaries 


    Coming soon (30 June – 31 July 2026), these topics are work in progress (WIP)

    • Safety planning (WIP) 

    • Preventing abuse (WIP) 

    • Referral pathways and inter-agency collaboration (WIP) 

    • Supervision and reflective practice (WIP) 

    • Organisational systems and structures for effective safeguarding (WIP) 

    • Plain English, supported by a Glossary

    • Easy Read coming soon

    • Video summarising key aspects 

    • Read screen, for some sections 

  • An E2E assessment will be completed when the full suite of content is available in June / July 2026. 

The disabled community asked VisAble to include in its website photos of disabled people living good lives.

The people photographed here represent the community and have generously consented for their photographs to be used.

They wish to convey why safeguarding disabled people is essential.

VisAble and the wonderful people whose photos have been included here wish to be clear that they aren’t among the people we’ve safeguarded.

Acknowledgements

VisAble thanks The Shed Project in Paraparaumu and the MASH Trust (Kapiti Coast) for supporting this safeguarding kaupapa. The photographs used throughout these parts of the website have been taken with their permission, and with the individual consents of disabled people or differently abled people who participate in The Shed or who live in supported residential care provided by the MASH Trust (Kapiti Coast).  

Both The Shed Project and the MASH Trust (Kapiti Coast) are committed to supporting disabled and differently abled people to live good lives, fulfilled and free from abuse. 

Inspired by the work we do?  

If you feel interested or inspired by this safeguarding / whakahaumarutia mahi and VisAble’s role in building sector capability, please consider making a donation to VisAble. 

However large or small, your financial contribution will help our not-for-profit organisation invest more resources in this essential work.

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