Safeguarding services in Aotearoa New Zealand
SAFEGUARDING FOUNDATIONS
This information has been provided by Disability Support Services (DSS), which is part of the Ministry of Social Development.
The Disability Abuse Prevention and Response (DAPAR) approach seeks to safeguard the rights of disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori, through responding to situations of violence, abuse and neglect. It’s funded by Disability Support Services (DSS) as part of the Ministry of Social Development.
The overall goal of DAPAR is to create safety and improve outcomes for tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people who are at risk of, or who are experiencing, violence, abuse, neglect or harm.
DAPAR providers are specialists in violence, abuse and neglect support, including disability-specific and culturally grounded services.
[Source: Disability Support Services, at the Ministry of Social Development.]
New Zealand’s DAPAR providers
There are three providers contracted to deliver DAPAR services (as at March 2026):
The Personal Advocacy and Safeguarding Trust (PASAT)
A joint venture of three organisations:
Te Ahi Kaa, Vaka Tautua and Taikura Trust
DAPAR SERVICE
By Māori for Māori, and by Pacific for Pacific services.
Intensive safeguarding response .
Multi-agency response.
WHERE
Auckland and Waikato.
At this point limited to people who access the People for Us services delivered by Te Ahi Kaa and Vaka Tautua.
VisAble
DAPAR SERVICE
Safeguarding capability building for DSS-funded providers.
Safeguarding information and advice.
WHERE
Nationally.
For other DSS-funded providers, such as NASCs, Individualised Funding (IF) Hosts, and EGL sites, DAPAR can provide safeguarding capability-building information, training and advice, so that organisations are more responsive to situations of abuse and neglect of disabled people.
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Working directly with the disabled person and tāngata whaikaha Māori and by establishing a multi-agency team to develop a Safeguarding Adults from Abuse (SAFA) response to individual situations of concern.
Supporting disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori to access mainstream family violence and sexual violence (FVSV) services. Sometimes referred to as a twin-track response, this aims to include disabled people in all mainstream services and provides specialist disability-focused support when needed.
Building the capability of individuals, organisations, services and systems through providing information, advice, education and training on effective safeguarding policies, procedures, practices and competencies.
References: Disability Support Services.