Disability Support
RESOURCES
These LINKS provide information on general Disability Support in the greater Auckland region.
We hope these will be helpful to you. We also welcome your feedback and suggestions.
Transition Planning Resources
In New Zealand, transition planning for young people with disabilities focuses on supporting them to move from school to adult life, encompassing education, employment, independent living, and community participation. Planning is needed to achieve a successful transition. This means planning for a balanced, enjoyable and rewarding adult life, including making time for recreation and fun and learning how to develop and keep relationships.
Transition Service Providers
Transition Service providers (MSD funded) can help you to:
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develop an individual plan for realising your goals for life after school
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consider all post-school employment, education and community participation options
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participate in activities, services and facilities that are part of the daily lives of New Zealanders.
The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) contract binds Transition Services to a one year only programme. Funding is individualised to the person receiving the service.
Criteria for students applying for the MSD funded Transition Programme:
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Students must have current High or Very High Needs ORRS funding
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Students must be in their last year of school
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Students must be under 21 years of age
Transition planning is a team process
The team includes the student at the centre (person-centred planning), their family and whānau, friends, transition staff, school staff, therapy and medical staff, adult service providers and other community support staff (as appropriate). They all work together to develop an Individual Transition Plan (ITP) that meets the student’s needs, goals and aspirations. The ITP is a “working document” that is flexible and develops over time.
See links below for more information about this process:
IHC: Advice Page - Leaving School
Rare Disorders NZ: Transition to independent living
Taikura Trust: Preparing for adulthood
Inclusive Education: Guide to Preparing students to leave school
Real World Living: Student Transition
Welfare Guardianship
Once a child turns 18, they become legally responsible for their own decisions. Parents are no longer their guardians and cannot legally make any decisions for them or give/refuse consent, nor do you have any legal rights to information on the person.
A Welfare guardian is someone appointed by the Family Court to look after the personal care and welfare of a person who is unable to do this for themselves. A welfare guardian can only be appointed when a person “…wholly lacks the capacity to make or to communicate decisions relating to any particular aspect or particular aspects of the personal care and welfare of that person…” (PPPR Act 1988)
The Family Court judge will not make an order unless they believe that the appointment of a welfare guardian is absolutely necessary for the person’s safety and to ensure that the right decisions are made for this person.
Links to more infomation below:
Care Matters: Welfare guardianship under the PPPR Act (PDF Resource)
Spectrum Care: Welfare Guardianship
General Supports
This free support guide from Disability Connect, is designed to help parents and families of children and young people who have been recently diagnosed with a disability. The booklet aims to help families navigate their way throughout the disability sector.
The disability sector can be complicated to understand so this over-arching guidebook may be useful to families regardless of the age of their loved one.
Tailkura can help you access a range of Ministry of Health supports and services. Our NASC service is funded by Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People - we refer to guidelines and policies for disability support services set by Whaikaha.
Together we’ll create a pathway towards the best life possible for you. Send a referral now so we can start our journey together.
Information about disability services can be hard to find. This Info Hub can help you find your way through the maze, making it easier to find the information you need.
We’re a not-for-profit organisation and we’ve been around since 2002. We work with more than 13,000 disabled people and their families throughout Auckland. Our clients are under the age of 65 years.
Panel members will:
· identify the issues that are important to people with disabilities
· provide advice on our regional strategies, policies and plans
· help us to effectively engage with people with disabilities.
This helps us build understanding and awareness of issues that are important to Auckland's diverse communities and helps us improve our engagement approach.
Let's Work Together
"Alone, we can do so little;
together, we can do so much."
Helen Keller
