17101 (2025). Dr Tracey McLellan to the Minister of Corrections

17101 (2025). Dr Tracey McLellan to the Minister of Corrections: What specific parts, if any, of the Wāhine: E Rere Ana Ki te Pae Hou strategy have been and have not been implemented?

Hon Mark Mitchell: I am advised that Wāhine – e rere ana ki te pae hou, Corrections’ Women’s Strategy, aims to ensure that Corrections considers gender and culturally responsive, trauma-informed ways of working that respond to the unique needs of women. I am further advised that 36 of the strategy’s 64 actions have been completed, with the remaining actions, on average, over 55 percent complete. Four actions will not progress within this strategy timeframe (2021-2025), three of which are technological-related actions that require technological investment and infrastructure to support, while the fourth is being achieved through other actions. I am further advised that Corrections is currently working through what the next iteration of Wāhine - E rere ana ki te pae hou will encompass, including a transition plan from the current action plan. Over the course of this strategy, Corrections has made many improvements for women in prison and our staff. Some of their key achievements include: • Installation of Full Body Scanners at Christchurch Women’s Prison (CWP) and Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility (ARWCF) as an alternative option for strip-searching (construction work has commenced at Arohata Prison to enable the installation of a full body scanner on site). • The design and development of a Learning and Development Pathway and Support Framework for custodial staff working in a women’s prison • The establishment of a new Deputy Commissioner Women’s Prisons to support greater consistency and visibility of practice across the network. • Additional dedicated frontline health escort resources to support the high number of medical escorts/visits women need. • Strengthened recruitment approaches to better target and select the right candidates to work in women’s prisons. • Implementation of a ‘First Nights Unit’ at CWP to ensure women’s needs are met early. • Strengthened policies and guidance to provide better practice support, for example: o Mothers and Babies unit guidance. o Increased support for bail officers with dedicated focus on women. o Support for women and whānau to prepare for Parole Board hearings. • A new pregnancy healthcare pathway and improved pregnancy menu. • Additional health focused roles to support increased access to mental health and addictions support. • The introduction of Human Papillomaviruses (cervical) self-testing. • Enhancement of the multi-disciplinary approaches to working with women on maximum security • A new application (NurtureNet) to support social workers working with women in prison. • A number of physical enhancements to spaces such as o Upgraded Arohata Prison and ARWCF visits centres and feeding and bonding rooms. o Enhanced play areas in the ARWCF Mothers with Babies Unit. o Te Mana Wāhine Pathway created Huritini unit at CWP. • Several programme improvements to support better outcomes for women: o Arohata Prison parenting and reintegration service through Te Rūnanga o toa Rangatira. o Kaupapa Māori support parenting services in Mothers and Babies Units at CWP and ARWCF. o Dedicated Psychological Services teams at ARWCF and CWP o Changes to alcohol and other drug (AOD) service provision.