Te Poutama is the national residential programme providing the treatment, supervision, care and education of high-risk young people with harmful sexual behaviours under the custody/guardianship of the Director General of Child, Youth and Family Services (CYF) in New Zealand. Opened in 1999, the therapeutic programme is delivered to assist young people to stop, or reduce in frequency and/or severity, their harmful sexual behaviour.

Te Poutama is based in Christchurch with a capacity of 12 beds. The length of stay will differ depending on the individual needs of each young person but will usually be between 12-24 months. Although the residence is owned by CYF it is run by Barnardos, under contract to CYF.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, Te Poutama represents the investment and focusing of resources to arrest the highly damaging behaviours of these high risk young people. Such young people:

are deemed unsafe to be treated in the community;

have treatment needs that require intensive, comprehensive and integrative interventions; and

have commonly refused, disrupted or failed previous community treatment attempts and/or absconded from CYFS custody.

Click here to read the Evaluation of the Te Poutama Arahi Rangatahi residential treatment programme for adolescent males.

For more information please contact Te Poutama Arahi Rangatahi

For more information on this service in your area please contact your nearest Barnardos office.