New Zealand Human Rights Commission Submission to the CAT in relation to NZ’s 6th periodic review  is entirely victim-focused; and  tailors assistance to a person’s individual needs. 161. CLAS has a record of contributing to rehabilitation through the quality of its own processes and by brokering assistance from a range of government and community agencies. Generally it tries to tailor an assistance package for each participant (if assistance is requested) that reflects specific needs. Some of this assistance is provided by existing services and accessed with the help of a facilitator, and some is directly provided by the Service.84 162. CLAS is set to close in 2015 and is receiving no further registrations. This leaves a significant gap in the framework to resolve historic claims of abuse in New Zealand. 163. In response to criticism about this closure the Minister for Social Development has suggested that a new process will be announced soon.85 The Commission welcomes this announcement and urges the Government to ensure that the new process extends to all claims of historic abuse in state care and is founded on New Zealand’s international human rights obligations. Any such process must also be appropriately adapted to be accessible to people with intellectual disabilities.86 Disabled People 164. The taking of a child from their family and institutionalising them solely because they were disabled is a form of abuse and has a profound lifelong impact. To date, there has only been limited acknowledgement of this having occurred. Nor has the ongoing abuse and violence against disabled people in social welfare homes and institutions for people with learning disability or mental illness been properly acknowledged. 165. Part of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of disabled people today and tomorrow is to ensure that these mistakes are made visible and that lessons are learned.87 The 84 For example, listening, drafting correspondence to Ombudsman etc, connecting people with families, arranging cultural support and contacts, advocacy with Work and Income New Zealand and other agencies and services. 85 http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/20167843/social-development-minister-onsettling-historical-abuse-claims 86 To date processes have not been accessible to people with intellectual disabilities and very few have engaged. 87 Ibid, p 49. 62