Supporting Victim-Survivors in Youth Justice Family Group Conferences for Sexual Violence: Pilot Evaluation (2026)
The Ministry of Justice is currently trialling a pilot designed to strengthen support for victim-survivors taking part in Youth Justice Family Group Conferences (FGCs) for sexual violence cases. The pilot is being delivered in partnership with Oranga Tamariki, New Zealand Police, Project Restore, and other professionals involved in the Youth Justice system.
As part of the pilot, an independent evaluation is being undertaken by Point and Associates (Aotearoa) Ltd on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
What is a Youth Justice Family Group Conference for SV cases?
A Youth Justice Family Group Conference is a process that brings together the young person involved, the victim-survivor, whānau and support people, and relevant professionals to discuss the harm that has occurred and agree on appropriate responses and outcomes.
Taking part in a Family Group Conference can be a significant decision for victim-survivors and their whānau. Research and practice experience show that some people may have concerns about the process, including whether it will feel safe, whether they understand what to expect, or whether participation may be distressing.
The pilot aims to address these concerns by providing additional specialist support for victim-survivors throughout the process. Victim-survivors can choose whether or not to use this support.
What is being evaluated?
The evaluation is looking at how the pilot is working in practice and whether it is helping victims feel safer, better supported, more informed, and more able to participate in the Family Group Conference process if they choose to do so.
The evaluation will also explore:
What is working well within the pilot
Any challenges or barriers participants experience
How agencies and professionals are working together
What improvements could be made in the future
The findings will help inform decisions about future service development and any potential wider rollout of the approach.
This evaluation has been approved by the Independent Human Research Ethics Committee (IHREC) on 27 August 2026 for three years. Reference number 2026 IHREC 24.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the evaluation, please contact one of the lead researchers:
Nadine Metzger
nadine@point.co.nz
021 681 366
Julie Radford-Poupard
julie@point.co.nz
021 989 745