Research and Projects

Stop is always looking to innovate and be creative within our services and research provides the foundation for the development of our services and practice.

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Partnerships and collaboration are an important part of continuing to develop our services culturally and developmentally.

Stop has strong links with tertiary training institutions and provides fieldwork placements and internships for social work and clinical psychology students.

In the past Stop has collaborated on research in areas relevant to the field including Family Therapy with adolescents and their families and a survey for adolescent females who have engaged in harmful sexual behaviour.

Current projects and research

Prevention Education Pilot

Research shows that providing tamariki with early and appropriate intervention concerning sexual behaviour can prevent them from developing harmful sexual behaviours.

Between 2020 – 2023 Stop worked alongside Te Rūnanga ō Arowhenua and Te Rūnanga ō Waihao on a pilot programme in Mid and South Canterbury. The programme was designed to support educators to effectively manage incidents concerning sexualised play and behaviour within tamariki and to reduce the likelihood of inappropriate behaviour escalating, the pilot involved over 60 ECEs and primary and intermediate schools.

The pilot promoted constructive kōrero, using Stop’s own resources within a classroom setting.

We would like to extend a big thank you to Dr Sue Carswell, Dr Kelly Tikao and Dr Elaine Donovan for their completion of the Prevention Education Pilot evaluation.

We are excited to share the results of the Prevention Education Pilot evaluation:

Click here full evaluation report

Click here for the summary report

Click here to view the Oranga Tamariki summary of this information.

Children's Research

Stop has recently completed an important research project with Dr Paul Flannagan, Waikato University. The research reviewed the Tamariki Children's Service, providing feedback on its success and guidance on how we can further develop and enhance our service for children and their whānau. Click here for the results.

Adolescent & Children's Research

Research conducted by two Stop clinicians regarding interview techniques for children:

Sexual developmental histories of adolescents who engaged in harmful sexual behaviour
Whilst adult males commit the majority of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), there is increasing recognition that a substantial proportion of CSA is committed by male adolescents. September 2022, Tess Patterson et el

Executive Summary: Early Intervention 2011
Early Intervention and Prevention Programme: With Children who display concerning sexualised behaviour. Executive Summary of Report prepared for Ministry of Justice – January 2011 by WellStop and Stop

Getting it Right
An Evaluation of New Zealand Community Treatment Programmes for Adolescents who Sexually Offend. A Summary Report. Ministry of Social Development, Wellington. Lambie I, Geary J, Fortune C, Brown P and Wellergate

Female Sexual Offenders
Adolescent females who have engaged in sexually abusive behaviour: A survey for the STOP Adolescent Programme. Christchurch: Te Awatea Press. Evans, N., Cosgrove, P., Moth, B. & Hewitson, J. (2004)

Girls 101
Psychosocial and Clinical Characteristics of Girls (10-17 years) with Harmful Sexual Behaviours in New Zealand. Weedon, Victoria (2011)

Sexually Abusive Youth
A review of recidivism studies and methodological issues for future research. Clare-Ann Fortune, Ian Lambie

Adult Programme Related Publications

CPS Evaluation
Community Solutions for the Community’s Problem: An Outcome Evaluation of Three New Zealand Community Child Sex Offender Treatment Programmes. Department of Corrections. Lambie, I., & Stewart, M. (2002)

Consumer Perspectives of NZ Treatment Programmes programmes for sexually abusive youth. Journal of Sexual Aggression 25 May 2010 Geary, Jan, Lambie, Ian and Seymour, Fred (2010)