Aotearoa New Zealand Adult Safeguarding Alliance

Our mission is to ensure safeguarding arrangements in Aotearoa New Zealand protect and promote the rights, health and wellbeing, safety, and culture of adults at risk and / or in need of safeguarding.

We are proponents of Safeguarding Adults from Abuse (SAFA) approach

SAFA is an integrated community-led approach that provides a multi-agency response to safeguarding adults at risk of harm, abuse and neglect due to health needs, social care needs, impairments or disabilities

• Advocate to promote adult safeguarding strategies, policies and procedures across Aotearoa New Zealand.
  
• Advise on the development of policies to promote adult safeguarding.
  
• Deliver and support education and training on family violence and adult safeguarding and on legal and human rights obligations for care providers, practitioners and organisations.
  
• Promote data collection including developing recording systems to inform specific training and policy reviews at organisational and Government levels.
  
• Advocate for changes to existing practices through submissions to Government.
  
• Advocate for the development of the capacity of all workers in the disability, health and social care sectors in the knowledge about adult safeguarding.
  
• Provide a forum where concerned organisations and individuals can meet and share developments in regard to advocacy, practice and policy matters.
  

ANZASA was established by the Complex Care Group, the Personal Advocacy and Safeguarding Adults Trust (PASAT), and a group of concerned individuals and professionals in response to the issue of safeguarding adults at risk and recognition that abuse (of any type) is a social and systemic issue which has significant and enduring health and wellbeing implications.

• Ensure that adult safeguarding and safeguarding adult arrangements are consistent across Aotearoa New Zealand
  
• Support membership of the group to relevant non-government organisations also working in this complex field
  
• Develop a shared understanding and practice for safeguarding adults and supported decision making
  
• Increase capacity and capability in the workforce for adult safeguarding
  
• Build and grow leadership in adult safeguarding across government and non-government organisations and the wider community
  
• Collect disability and adult abuse data to inform government policy on family, sexual violence and adult safeguarding
  
• Provide advocacy support to the adults at risk and/ or in need of safeguarding and their whānau members, where required
  
• Raise community awareness of the issue of safeguarding adults at risk.