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Restrictive practices in Aotearoa New Zealand: Current prevalence and barriers to least restrictive practice
(The University of Waikato, 2026) Cairns, Mitchell; Carnett, Amarie
Restrictive practices refer to a group of practices whereby an individual's freedom of movement is prevented or partially restricted. This could be done by the use of physical force, harness or straps, or with medications and sedatives. There are several risks associated with the use of restrictive practices, such as physical injury, trauma, post-traumatic stress, and even death for both those subjected to and those implementing restraints. This study aims to determine the frequency and type of restrictive practices used in New Zealand, views of behaviour of concern, and the barriers and enablers to the reduction of restrictive practices, and examine differing views in the population using mixed-method analysis. Survey data was collected and followed up with a focus group to provide additional qualitative data. Data analysis indicated that the use of restrictive practice in New Zealand disability care was high, with 48.61%-77.0% of clients with intellectual or developmental disabilities being subjected to at least one form of restrictive practice. A high level of consensus on the definition of behaviours of concern and their most effective interventions being proactive and function-based was also reflected in the data. Identified barriers to restraint reduction were similar to existing research and included attitudes toward restraint, organisational constraints, caregiver capacity, resource limitations, and limitations in support planning. Identified enablers to restraint reduction included ongoing training and development, behaviour support plans, interdisciplinary reviews, organisational leadership, and caregiver/whānau involvement. Recommendations for future research to examine specific factors resulting in the high use of restrictive practices in New Zealand are provided.
Young women in the youth justice system: Insights into the inner workings of New Zealand’s approach
(The University of Waikato, 2026) Main, Jade; Tamatea, Armon
Young women who engage in offending behaviour are often forgotten within the youth justice system despite identification that their pathways to offending are unique and characterised by significant challenges and trauma (Smith et al., 2020). Research and interventions often focus on the needs of young men due to their majority status among youth offenders (Braithwaite, 2023), leaving young women fighting in a system that was not designed for them. This research seeks to explore inside perspectives to examine how young women experience and interact with the youth justice system in New Zealand. Recent research has identified that young women who are offending in New Zealand have backgrounds characterised by abuse, neglect and mental health difficulties, outlining a need for further research and support to be targeted towards this group (Best et al., 2021). The aim of this study is to identify and explore the barriers and facilitators that young women face within the system, guided by Erikson’s (1950) psychosocial theory of development to determine if the current system is developmentally informed. Semi-structured interviews of 12 professionals and one young woman with lived experience of the Youth Court were conducted to explore the barriers and facilitators that young women face. The data was analysed using a reflective thematic analysis approach that identified a number of barriers, facilitators and precipitating factors for young women. The results showed that systemic factors along with significant complexities and trauma serve as barriers for young women in the system. Healthy developmental trajectories and responsive, integrated support systems were identified as facilitators for positive change in young women Additionally, precipitating factors were identified to impact young women's pathways to offending including offending as a means for survival and disruption in identity development. This research identifies and draws attention to the gender-specific needs of young women and demonstrates that adequate care is not being provided within the current youth justice system. The findings also provide a developmental framework to understand the challenges young women face in adolescence that coincide with their offending and youth justice involvement.
He Puna Kōrero: Journal of Māori and Pacific Development (Vol. 11, Issue 2)
(Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao, Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato, 2010-09)
He Puna Kōrero: Journal of Māori and Pacific Development, Volume 11, Issue 2.
Evidence-based interventions for primary-aged children exhibiting externalising behaviours: A systematic literature review
(The University of Waikato, 2025) Powell, Gina; Sargisson, Rebecca J.
Background: Externalising disorders (EDs) are among the most common behavioural problems in childhood, with disruptive behaviours in Aotearoa New Zealand schools recently identified as a major concern. Despite widespread implementation of interventions, uncertainty remains about their effectiveness and alignment with developmental theory. Objectives: This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions for primary-aged children (5–14 years) exhibiting EDs, assess the certainty of evidence, examine moderating factors of intervention outcomes, and consider implications for practice in the Aotearoa context. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, eight databases and trial registries were searched. Eligible studies were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions targeting EDs in primary-aged children. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool, and findings were synthesised narratively given heterogeneity across interventions and outcomes. Results: Twenty-three RCTs met inclusion criteria, yielding 148 outcome measures. The majority (77.7%) were at high risk of bias, largely due to reliance on unblinded raters, insufficient reporting, and baseline imbalances. Sensitivity analyses excluding very low-certainty studies left only 17 outcomes, of which eight were rated as high certainty. Behavioural outcomes were heavily over-represented (67.5%), with relational and environmental outcomes underexplored. Moderator analyses indicated that interventions targeting single subgroups produced more favourable outcomes than multisystem approaches, though overall evidence quality limited confidence in these findings. Conclusions: Current RCT evidence for ED interventions in primary-aged children is of low quality, restricting firm conclusions about effectiveness. The imbalance in outcome domains and mechanisms suggests an overemphasis on behaviourist approaches at the expense of relational and ecological factors. High-quality, large-scale RCTs are urgently needed, particularly those addressing classroom environments, relational mechanisms, and culturally grounded approaches relevant to Aotearoa. Registration: The protocol for this review was registered with the Open Science Framework (OSF). https://osf.io/9afzx/
Contextualizing the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
(Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao, Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato, 2010-09) Valax, Philippe
The article discusses about the establishment of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) after the second World War, then explaining political, social and historical aspects of this organization. As mentioned, it was felt necessary to develop such a framework for language teachers in Europe and outside. The development of the organization was very specific in social and political context, some end notes are also given.