New Zealand Disability Strategy Update - August 2026

Welcome to the latest update on the implementation of the New Zealand Disability Strategy 2026-2030.

Progress being made in early intervention services

Good progress is being made by the Ministry of Education on three actions in the New Zealand Disability Strategy 2026-2030.

This year, the Early Intervention Service (EIS) expanded to support children from birth to the end of Year 1. Previously, support ended when a child started school. This provides greater continuity during the transition to school and extends access to learning support.

The Early Intervention Specialist Service (EISS) also expanded, increasing funded placements and specialist provider capacity for children with high and complex needs. New providers in Nelson/Marlborough, Te Tai Tokerau, Hawke’s Bay, and Bay of Plenty/Waiariki will improve access, family choice, and early support.

To support the significant growth of the Learning Support Coordinator workforce, new professional learning and development has been developed to strengthen capability and promote consistent practice.

New interactive dashboard to monitor outcomes

A new interactive dashboard to show the impact of the strategy on outcomes for disabled people, tangata whaikaha Māori and Pacific people is available.

Whaikaha created a framework to measure the impact of the strategy across the 5 priority areas of education, employment, health, housing and justice.

Each area has 4-5 primary measures and supporting measures that provide more detail. The dashboard also has some measures to track progress towards the strategy’s vision and principles.

You can explore the data in the interactive dashboard including extra breakdowns. The data will be updated at least annually.

Update to Human Rights Monitor

The disability strategy supports the Government’s response to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD).

Whaikaha has updated the Human Rights Monitor with the latest information on progressing a further 16 of the 63 recommendations made to New Zealand by the UN CRPD Committee in 2022.

In 2024, the Government agreed to progress 30 recommendations and to consider 17 during the refresh of the NZDS.

In 2025, the Government agreed to progress 16 of the 17, with 14 advanced through the strategy.

Work is now underway on 46 of the 63 recommendations. The monitor includes all recommendations and the Government’s response to each.

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