Support from other government agencies
Responsibility to meet the needs of the disabled community is shared among several Government agencies.
In addition to the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha, other agencies that have a role in funding or providing specialist disability services include Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Transport, Regional Councils & local authorities, Ministry of Social Development (MSD), Peke Waihanga – Artificial Limb Service, Oranga Tamariki, Accident Compensation Corporation, Department of Internal Affairs, and Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE).
The following list provides a wide range of disability supports but may not be exhaustive.
Ministry of Social Development
The Ministry of Social Development runs Disability Support Services external URL in addition to the programmes outlined below.
Residential care subsidy and residential support subsidy for long-term care: Residential care - Work and Income external URL external URL .
Disability-specific income support
- Supported Living Payment is weekly payment to help you if you have, or are caring for someone with, a significant health condition, injury, or disability.
Supported Living Payment - Work and Income external URL - Child Disability Allowance is a payment to the parents or caregivers of disabled children in recognition of the extra care required.
Child Disability Allowance - Work and Income external URL - Disability Allowance assists with meeting the additional and ongoing costs of a disability or health condition.
Disability Allowance - Work and Income external URL
Community participation and employment services for disabled people
MSD supports disabled people to get into work and take part in their communities with a range of services.
- Employment services provide one-on-one support for disabled people to find work. It also provides support for the first year of a job and as needed.
Employment service for people with a disability or health condition - Work and Income external URL - Job and training support funds help with training or extra costs to do a job. This can include equipment, workplace modification, New Zealand Sign Language interpreters, a support person, transport, a wage subsidy, and more. Job and Training Support Funds – Work and Income external URL
- Business Enterprises employ disabled people who might struggle to find work in the open labour market. Support could include providing flexible working hours and conditions as well as pastoral support, such as assisting with travel to appointments or supporting community participation. Business Enterprise – Ministry of Social Development external URL
- The Employment Service in Schools provides funding and support to disabled school leavers to plan and prepare for employment or participate in their communities.
Employment Service in Schools - Information for schools and providers – Work and Income external URL - Community Participation Services support disabled people to participate in their communities, including doing activities in the community, building relationships, finding work, and learning new skills (previously known as ‘Day Services’).
Community Participation Services – Ministry of Social Development (msd.govt.nz) external URL - MSD contributes towards the costs of distributing audio books, magazines, and newspapers to blind people. For more information, visit Blind Low Vision NZ – Our Services external URL
- MSD helps fund Outward Bound courses for people with an intellectual, physical, and/or sensory disability or health condition. The aim of these courses is to improve motivation, self-confidence, and self-esteem. Find out more at Outward Bound NZ | Outdoor Adventure, Education & Leadership Courses | Outward Bound external URL
Peke Waihanga – Artificial Limb Service (overseen by MSD)
Peke Waihanga – Artificial Limb Service external URL external URL is a Crown Entity and specialist healthcare provider that manufactures medical devices, mainly artificial limbs, for individual patients with an integrated rehabilitation and coordination of care service, and peer support service.
Health New Zealand (overseen by the Ministry of Health)
In addition to universal health and mental health services that should be accessible to disabled people in the same way they are available to other New Zealanders, there are some services funded in the health system that are more specific to disabled people (including those with long-term health and age-related disabling conditions). This includes:
- support services for older people, those with chronic health conditions, or people with mental health or addiction issues. These are funded by Health New Zealand and include personal care, household support, and carer support
Home support services for older people and others - Health Information and Services external URL - the High Use Health Card which is available to people who have visited their GP 12 or more times in one year in relation to a specific condition or condition(s), and can reduce the cost of GP visits
High Use Health Card – Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora external URL - carer support subsidy
Carer Support Subsidy – Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora external URL - aged care facilities and residential and other care.
Choose your residential care | New Zealand Government external URL
Ministry of Education
All children have the right of enrolment at their local mainstream school. Therefore, one of the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) roles is to provide specific support for disabled children or children with additional learning support needs. This may include the following.
- Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) for children and young people in Years 1 to 13 who require high or very high specialist assistance to join in and learn alongside their peers at school.
Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) – Education in New Zealand external URL - Resource Teachers of Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) help teachers, schools, kura, and Kāhui Ako develop inclusive classroom environments that enhance students’ learning, participation, and wellbeing.
What RTLB do / The RTLB service / Home - Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour (tki.org.nz) external URL- Other roles include Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO), Learning Support Coordinator (in some schools), SWIS (Social Worker in Schools).
- There are a range of provisions for special education beyond the local community school. These services are available to all children in state and integrated schools, including kura.
- Special schools are in some parts of New Zealand. They are day schools for children with ORS funding from years 1-13. Specialist schools – Ministry of Education external URL
- There are two sensory schools BLENNZ (Blind and Low Vision Education Network NZ) and Ko Taku Reo (Deaf Education in New Zealand). Over 95% of these children are supported by outreach teachers in their local schools. A small number are supported in residential programmes.
- Residential Specialist Schools (RSS) are for disabled children and those with challenging behaviour. Specialist schools – Ministry of Education external URL
- Regional health schools support children while they can’t attend school because of health concerns.
Regional health school facilities on school sites – Education in New Zealand external URL - Te Kura supports children receiving distance education.
Home | Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu external URL - Te Kahu Tōī, the intensive wraparound service, is for children aged 5—14 who have behaviour, social, and/or learning needs that are highly complex and challenging (and may have associated intellectual difficulty), and require support at school, at home and in the community.
Te Kahu Tōī: Intensive Wraparound Service – Education in New Zealand external URL - The School High Health Needs Fund supports children at school who have significant health conditions such as epilepsy and diabetes and need support to access learning. Who the School High Health Needs Fund is for – Ministry of Education external URL
- School Transport Assistance for children and young people with additional learning needs who may have difficulty getting to the school. Assistance is provided through a school bus place, a contracted service, or a conveyance allowance.
School transport assistance – Parents.education.govt.nz – Practical information about education for parents and carers external URL - Some staff at Child Development Services are funded through the Ministry of Education, providing support for disabled children and young people 0–21 years.
- Funding for NZSL interpreter for Deaf parents.
New Zealand Sign Language interpreters for Deaf parents – Parents.education.govt.nz – Practical information about education for parents and carers external URL
Social and Community Housing
Disabled people are expected to have equitable access to Social and Community Housing. The following programmes support this.
- The social housing register, means assessment, and income-related rent is administered by MSD. Social Housing is provided by Kāinga Ora and community housing providers. Community housing registrations and funding assessments are managed by the Community Housing Regulatory Authority (part of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)). A disabled person who lives in a residential facility cannot register for public housing.
Apply for public housing – Work and Income external URL - Tenancy Services (MBIE) external URL provides assistance with bonds and private residential tenancy issues and hardship assistance for bonds.
- Rent in advance and rent in arrears can be applied for through Work and Income, a part of MSD.
Accommodation Costs in Advance Grant – Work and Income external URL - Tenancy disputes with community or social housing providers and private residential tenancies can be taken to the Tenancy Tribunal. Tenancy Tribunal » Tenancy Services external URL
- Mainstream tenancy rights do not apply to funded residential services where the service provider is the owner.
Accident Compensation Corporation
No-fault personal injury cover for all New Zealanders. ACC administers support for people with injury-related needs and disabilities, dependant on individual needs and circumstances.
Oranga Tamariki
Oranga Tamariki is responsible for the care and protection of children and young people, including many with disabilities. The High and Complex Needs Unit supports whānau (including kin and non-kin caregivers) with children and young people who have high and complex needs. High and Complex Needs (hcn.govt.nz) external URL
Department of Internal Affairs
In addition to universal services, specific assistance is available with registration of assistance dogs. Guidelines for authorisation to certify disability assist dogs - dia.govt.nz external URL
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE)
- NZ Relay Service for Deaf, Deafblind, hard of hearing, and speech impaired people to use the phone
New Zealand Relay Services (nzrelay.co.nz) external URL - Language Assistance Services
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (mbie.govt.nz) external URL