What happens after a referral has been accepted?

Intake Process

Once a completed referral form is submitted and appears appropriate, including identification of a funding stream, the referral will be placed on a waitlist. The referrer will be advised in writing of the receipt of the referral and an approximate time when a clinician will be in a position to make contact with the referred person.  Closer to this time the clinician will contact the clients and make an appointment for an assessment interview.

I have an appointment for an assessment, what shall I expect?

Assessments for intervention at STOP are held in the interview rooms in the building at 335 Bealey Ave.  Seating is organised in a manner that facilitates client access to the door.   Tea and coffee facilities are available.

Assessment interviews for the Mainstream Programme take approximately 5-6 hours and may be scheduled over two, 2-3 hour sessions involving meetings with the client on their own and meeting/s with the support person/s and/or family member/s.

Assessment interviews for the Alps (Assisted Learning) Programme are held over several meetings. Initially with the client accompanied by the support person/family member followed by meetings with the client individually and meetings with support person/s and/or family member/s without the client present.

As in line with the mainstream programme, the carers, parents, family members will also undertake and ability to protect assessment as well.

If you are unable to keep your assessment appointment please advise us as soon as possible so that we can offer that time to someone else.   If you are feeling worried or concerned about attending, please phone and speak to a clinical staff member rather than just not turn up.   We understand that it is difficult to take that first step and will help in whatever way we can to assist with the process.

Kaimahi staff are available to talk with Maori clients and their whanau through the assessment process, including prior to the clinical interview.

Staff are also able to see family members on a home visit if attendance at STOP is difficult.

All clients and visitors first names are entered in a visitor’s book at reception and staff carry alarms to facilitate assistance in the case of an emergency.

Following the assessment meetings, the assessment information is presented in an assessment report that is available to the client and referrer. The client then commences the 52-week (minimum) group intervention programme (3 hours a week) or the 104 weeks (minimum) ALPS programme (2 hours a week).

What is the Purpose of the Assessment?

The purpose of the assessments for treatment is to establish what the client’s needs for treatment are and how we at STOP can provide this, in the clinically best and safe way.   Sometimes a client’s circumstances for example, living a long distance from Christchurch or untreated mental illness or level of risk etc may mean that STOP will not be able to offer treatment.

Assessments include interviews with a clinician(s), the broad content of which includes social, emotional, psychological and psychiatric history with a specific focus on sexual development, sexual scripting and the development of the pattern of sexual abusing/offending.   As part of the assessment process, a client’s suitability for the ALPS Programme or Mainstream group is assessed.  Current safety is also assessed. Click here for more details about our assessment process

All the assessment information is then presented in an Assessment report that is available to the client and referrer.   Documentation related to STOP’s Confidentiality, Consent, Release of Information and Complaints policies are available to you at the time of referral and at any other time in the programme.

What are Risk Assessments?

Risk Assessments are also carried out at STOP. These are specialist assessments somewhat different from the assessment outlined above and are carried out using internationally researched and standardized techniques to assess a client’s (static and dynamic) risk of re-offending.  While the assessment for suitability for treatment (as described above) is a comprehensive process and much of the data gathered may be used to shed light on risk prediction, a Risk Assessment specifically aims at assessing the client’s risk of sexually re-offending. Because of the nature of the assessment tools a Risk Assessment is more accurate for clients who have had formal sanctions but risk of sexual re-abusing rather than sexual re-offending can also be assessed.

In summary, the assessment for intervention is an assessment for suitability for intervention at STOP and the risk assessment is an assessment of the current risk of re-offending.   Neither assessment evaluates whether the client is guilty or innocent.