Children of gang-involved parents require greater focus

Vulnerable children of gang-involved parents require greater focus; community-based approaches promising

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What Works: Improving outcomes for children of gang-involved parents was released by Superu today. The findings indicate that comprehensive, multi-faceted interventions are more likely than narrowly focused approaches to be effective in addressing the social harms associated with gangs, including improving outcomes for the children of gang-involved parents. The paper describes examples of comprehensive community-based approaches that work overseas.

Single-faceted approaches such as suppression, intervention or prevention have not been found to be effective. Suppression, including policing, legislation or incarceration, is unlikely to be effective unless it is combined with other approaches as part of a comprehensive multi-faceted strategy.

Superu Chief Executive, Clare Ward says "We know that children of gang-involved parents are at greater risk of being abused, neglected, exposed to violence between parents, entering into the youth justice system and joining a gang."

Based on available evidence, the paper was unable to conclude whether having a gang-involved parent was an independent risk factor for negative outcomes for the child. However, it is likely that children growing up in a gang-involved family have greater exposure to risk factors known to be associated with poor life outcomes.

At present, there is only a small body of evidence on the impacts of gang membership on the children of gang members. More primary research is needed in order to better understand the direct impacts on children’s health, wellbeing, education, employment outcomes and criminality into adulthood.

"Evidence-based interventions need to be developed for children of gang-involved parents if their outcomes are to improve" said Ward.

Ward added: "For example, some promising approaches for dealing with ethnic Maori gangs highlight the importance of engaging with the whole whānau and community".

This information is provided to inform social sector decisions - about funding, policies and services - to help to address the wider context of New Zealand families with multiple complex problems and improve the lives of families and whānau.

Reducing the social harm to families and children connected with gangs is a key focus in the 2014 Whole-of-Government Action Plan to Reduce the Harms caused by New Zealand Adult Gangs and Transnational Crime Groups.

About Superu - The Social Policy Evaluation and Research Unit (Superu) is the operating name for the Families Commission. Our purpose is to increase the use of evidence by people across the social sector so that they can make better decisions - about funding, policies or services - to improve the lives of families and whānau.

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What Works: Improving outcomes for children of gang-involved parents was released by Superu today. The findings indicate that comprehensive, multi-faceted interventions are more likely than narrowly focused approaches to be effective in addressing the social harms associated with gangs, including improving outcomes for the children of gang-involved parents. The paper describes examples of comprehensive community-based approaches that work overseas.

Single-faceted approaches such as suppression, intervention or prevention have not been found to be effective. Suppression, including policing, legislation or incarceration, is unlikely to be effective unless it is combined with other approaches as part of a comprehensive multi-faceted strategy.

Superu Chief Executive, Clare Ward says "We know that children of gang-involved parents are at greater risk of being abused, neglected, exposed to violence between parents, entering into the youth justice system and joining a gang."

Based on available evidence, the paper was unable to conclude whether having a gang-involved parent was an independent risk factor for negative outcomes for the child. However, it is likely that children growing up in a gang-involved family have greater exposure to risk factors known to be associated with poor life outcomes.

At present, there is only a small body of evidence on the impacts of gang membership on the children of gang members. More primary research is needed in order to better understand the direct impacts on children’s health, wellbeing, education, employment outcomes and criminality into adulthood.

"Evidence-based interventions need to be developed for children of gang-involved parents if their outcomes are to improve" said Ward.

Ward added: "For example, some promising approaches for dealing with ethnic Maori gangs highlight the importance of engaging with the whole whānau and community".

This information is provided to inform social sector decisions - about funding, policies and services - to help to address the wider context of New Zealand families with multiple complex problems and improve the lives of families and whānau.

Reducing the social harm to families and children connected with gangs is a key focus in the 2014 Whole-of-Government Action Plan to Reduce the Harms caused by New Zealand Adult Gangs and Transnational Crime Groups.

About Superu - The Social Policy Evaluation and Research Unit (Superu) is the operating name for the Families Commission. Our purpose is to increase the use of evidence by people across the social sector so that they can make better decisions - about funding, policies or services - to improve the lives of families and whānau.

ENDS

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