NEWS & UPDATES

Highest Needs Review

18 Mar 2022

The Ministry of Education is reviewing supports for children and young people with the highest level of learning support need. 

We, the CP Society would like to encourage all disabled learners and their parents/whānau to participate in the Highest Needs Review. 

The vision for the review is that children and young people with the highest learning support needs get the right support, at the right time, for as long as they need it. 

The review is guided by the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disability (UNCRPD) and options and recommendations from the review will work towards achieving the vision of the New Zealand Disability Strategy 2016 – 2026 and upholding the principles within the Enabling Good Lives approach. 

The survey will be open until March 31, 2022. 

Information and review timeline

More information

Overview

Share your view

Children and young people in scope of the review:  

The review will focus on children and young people and their families/whānau/aiga in all education settings from early childhood through to preparing to leave secondary schooling, including those who: 

– currently receive individualised supports
– have an unmet need for individualised supports 
– are in settings that don’t have equitable access to supports. 

 There are six scope areas included in the review: 

– The journey through the education system from early childhood to preparing to leave secondary school
– Access to supports 
– Responsiveness of supports 
– Fluid boundaries 
– Support for adults across the network 
– Alignment across agencies. 

They need to hear from a range of people including: 

– Families, children and young people
– Whānau, hapū and iwi Māori 
– Educators and support workers from early childhood to secondary settings and across English and Māori mediums, alternative, and specialist settings 
– Peak bodies, advocacy groups, parent/caregiver groups, community groups and non-government organisations 
– Professionals and specialists working in a range of settings including education, health, disability, and Oranga Tamariki settings 
– Ministry of Education National and Regional Office teams.