Promoting citizenship

A society in which we all have the chance to reach our potential is good for all New Zealanders. Disabled people and their families aspire to have the sorts of ordinary choices, rights and responsibilities that others expect and experience in their lives.

Objective 1: Encourage and educate for a non-disabling society

The Office for Disability Issues, the Mental Health Commission, the Ministry of Health’s Like Minds Like Mine project and the Human Rights Commission have together continued to progress a multi-agency plan aimed at reducing discrimination against people with mental illness. The plan is aimed at making New Zealand a country where people with experience of mental illness can live in recovery, be supported in health and in illness, and participate fully in life as valued members of our communities.

The Office for Disability Issues has been:

• promoting and monitoring the New Zealand Disability Strategy, including facilitation of the annual cross-government planning and reporting process. Highlights include the development of enhancements to future departmental planning, for implementation in the 2006/2007 year
• leading work aimed at enabling deaf people to participate in and contribute to society, through removal of the language barriers that they face in their daily lives. Highlights include enactment of the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006, in April 2006. The Office is also leading inter-agency work implementing the new legislation, which includes a focus on funding mechanisms for New Zealand Sign Language interpreters across government.

Objective 2: Ensure rights for disabled people

ACC has been undertaking a review of the code of ACC claimants’ rights, and the effectiveness of complaint handling. Opportunities for improvements have been identified and are being progressed, particularly those focusing on how to better manage customer issues and concerns.

The Department of Corrections has supported the enactment of the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006 through participation in the inter-agency New Zealand Sign Language interpreters working group. Led by the Office for Disability Issues, this group has been progressing the development of competency standards for New Zealand Sign Language interpreters working in criminal justice settings.

The Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner has been working to ensure that information provided to consumers and providers includes specific information about the rights of disabled people. It has been doing this by publishing case studies relevant to disabled people on its website, and by publishing relevant articles in disability consumer publications.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Office for Disability Issues, in partnership with disabled people and the Human Rights Commission, has continued to support the negotiation and development of a binding United Nations convention to protect the rights of disabled people. The work on development of the convention text is reaching its latter stages, with only a few issues left to be determined.

The Chief Electoral Office has been working to reduce barriers to voting faced by disabled people. For the 2005 general election, it focused on improving communication to disabled people, making voting more accessible, and improving electoral staff disability awareness.

The Ministry of Justice has:

• supported the passage and enactment of the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006, and has been planning for its implementation in several ways. These include providing advice to the Justice and Electoral Select Committee, participating in an inter-agency working group co-ordinating development of interpreter standards, and planning for the use of New Zealand Sign Language in court proceedings
• been contributing to the development of options for the Government’s response to the New Zealand Action Plan on Human Rights. A principal aim of the Plan is to increase the understanding of human rights issues (including disability issues) among policy makers.

The Office for Ethnic Affairs, the Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner and the Office for Disability Issues have together been progressing the Interpreting and Translation project, which is aimed at improving standards in interpreting and translation for all people facing communication barriers.

The Office for Senior Citizens has been working to facilitate changes to the Enduring Power of Attorney legislation, aimed at protecting the property and personal rights of older people, especially disabled older people.

Objective 5: Foster leadership by disabled people

The Ministry of Health has been running a twice-yearly Ministry/NGO (non-government organisation) forum, where disabled people are providing input into the development and evaluation of Ministry policy.

The Office for Disability Issues has been:

• working with and supporting a Disability Advisory Council, made up of disabled people and family members, which provides advice to the Office and wider government on progressing the New Zealand Disability Strategy
• developing a nominations service, that will promote the appointment of disabled people to Crown boards and committees. Several other agencies already operating nominations services, including the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, will be liaising with the Office to facilitate inclusion of disabled people within their databases
• providing funding to DPA and People First for leadership development of disabled people, and for disabled people and families to attend conferences.

The State Services Commission included disabled public servants on the Advisory Group for the Review of Equal Employment Opportunities Policy to 2010, completed in February 2006.

Building government capacity

The government directly affects the situation of disabled people through an array of services, legislation and regulation. Historically, much of this activity was confined to the health and welfare sectors. Movement from a needs-focused approach to an emphasis on strengths and participation has improved the government’s ability to respond to disability issues. A challenge remains to promote understanding of disability while working within structures with a legacy of historic and often institutional settings. Part of the challenge is to keep disability issues on the agenda of government agencies outside traditional settings.

Objective 6: Foster an aware and responsive public service

The Ministry of Education has established an internal Disability Reference Group, with representation from across the Ministry, with several objectives in mind. These include raising awareness of disability perspectives in the Ministry’s work, increasing opportunities to share best practice approaches and ideas, and (alongside a newly established working group) better co-ordination of the Ministry’s contribution to the annual planning and reporting process.

The Ministry of Health has:

• continued to work to ensure that district health boards and other Crown entities are responsive to the needs of disabled people, and that their services are accessible. This year, the Ministry’s Disability Services Directorate has been ensuring that district health boards include in their upcoming annual plans how they will be implementing the New Zealand Disability Strategy
• been contracting the National Foundation for the Deaf to look at access to New Zealand Sign Language interpreters within Ministry-funded disability support services. The Ministry has also been ensuring that accessibility issues for deaf people are considered by district health boards, as well as considering how to best progress its overall health sector plan on the removal of language barriers for deaf people.

The Ministry of Social Development’s StudyLink service line has been collating information on the full range of education provider disability services currently available, and is using this to assist disabled students to access support.

The New Zealand Police has been working to ensure that Community Constables are aware of the significance of their role to the disability sector, and encouraging their engagement with local disability service providers.

The Office for Disability Issues and the Ministry of Health’s Like Minds Like Mine project have been investigating the development of a public sector education programme, aimed at raising awareness of disability issues and increasing inclusive and non-discriminatory behaviour within the public sector.

The State Services Commission has been working to ensure the accessibility of government websites, through management and maintenance of the New Zealand Government Web Guidelines. The Guidelines became mandatory for all government agencies in January 2006. This work is being supported by a survey of the accessibility of government websites, taking place in the latter part of 2006, which is being funded by the Commission and managed by the Office for Disability Issues.

Objective 10: Collect and use relevant information about disabled people and disability issues

ACC, through its Children and Young Persons Working Group quarterly report, has been identifying areas for improvement in injury prevention, case management practice and service delivery relating to injured children and young people. These include better access to ACC, improved data, and targeted injury prevention strategies. ACC is scoping how to best address the issues raised.

Child, Youth and Family has been improving the way it collects and uses information about disabled children and family members. It has included a disability perspective within a key assessment tool that now helps with identifying the needs of these clients, and informing related decision making. It also assists with the gathering of information on disability issues, and raises the profile of disabled clients.

The Department of Corrections has been improving the way it collects information on the disabled prison population, and among disabled people serving non-custodial sentences. This information is used to assess the impact of an impairment, with respect to the disabled person’s ability to fulfill the requirements of their sentence.

Housing New Zealand Corporation has been working with the Office for Disability Issues to support a research project being undertaken by the Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand (CHRANZ), which is investigating accessible housing for the future ageing and disabled population.

The Ministry of Education:

• is carrying out research projects aimed at improving the provision of specialist services – Improving Learning for Children and Young People with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Better Information to Address Barriers to Learning, and Enhancing Effective Practice in Special Education. All are aimed at improving learning, social and cultural outcomes, and removing barriers to learning for children with special education needs
• has been developing a student outcomes framework, which includes indicators and targets for special education support. This will allow for the recording of better information on the educational achievement of children with special education needs. In turn, this will help focus schools and special education support interventions on achieving better outcomes.

The Ministry of Health:

• has been conducting the National Mental Health Epidemiology Study, which will measure the prevalence of mental illness within New Zealand. It will also help to describe patterns of mental health service use, barriers to service users, identify risk factors related to mental health and substance use, and describe how mental health problems and substance abuse limit people’s activities. Results of the study will be released in September 2006
• is drafting its annual Health and Independence Report, on the health and independence of New Zealanders. The report will include comment on the contribution disability support services make to health and independence outcomes, and will include activities that span the disability support sector. The report will be published by October 2006
• published the Health of Older People Information Strategic Plan in February 2006. This focuses on the development of the information systems needed for disability support service policy development, and the planning and monitoring of service delivery
• is evaluating the feasibility of introducing a standardised national assessment tool for generating consistent information on older people’s health and disability status and the services they are referred to. Consistent assessment information is a key component in developing an integrated health information system to support an integrated continuum of care.

The Ministry of Research, Science and Technology has been actively supporting the work of the Health Research Council (HRC). Highlights include progressing disability-related research, with a focus on rehabilitation and the health and disability sector workforce; a building of capacity and capability in HRC’s injury, impairment, rehabilitation and disability research; and the placement of disability research students within ‘first-class’ research teams in the disability and health sector.

The State Services Commission has continued to develop the all-of-government portal, www.govt.nz, to improve access to information and services for disabled people. This has included extending and improving links to information about these services, and about how government goes about developing disability-related policy.

Statistics New Zealand has been working on the 2006 Disability Survey. This is a five yearly disability survey which follows the main Census of Population and Dwellings. It will run until November 2006, and the results are expected in mid-2007. It is the third time this type of survey has been run, having been previously carried out in 1996 and 2001. The department continues to promote the data from these earlier surveys, through analysing and presenting results in analytical publications and forums.

Improving disability supports

The 2001 Disability Survey found slightly more than half of disabled New Zealanders (an estimated 432,100) require access to some form of disability support. Of these:

• about 110,700 people received or needed daily help with tasks such as preparing meals, shopping, housework, bathing or dressing (including 22,600 people in residential facilities)
• about 321,400 people used or needed an assistive device and/or help with heavier or more difficult household tasks (including 4,400 people in residential facilities).

Adequate and appropriate provision of supports can complement the social and environmental changes to enable the full participation of disabled people in the economic and social lives of their communities.

Without the provision of supports some disabled people lack the opportunities to reach their potential. These are opportunity losses to the individuals, but they also cost the whole of our society. Moreover, there are major inefficiencies and costs to government and society through not adequately providing support; these can include extra income support and healthcare requirements.

Objective 7: Create long-term support systems centred on the individual

ACC has been:

• carrying out a review of its rehabilitation model. This work is aimed at ensuring that its rehabilitation services are people-centred and meet their needs. The first stage, involving internal consultation, has been completed. Stage two, which involves consultation with a wide range of stakeholders including disabled people, will be carried out in 2006/2007
• conducting a review of pain management services, identifying and following up on a number of areas where current services can be improved. This includes ensuring better access to pain management service providers
• working with Māori, Pacific and Asian communities throughout New Zealand to raise awareness about and improve access to its services.

Child, Youth and Family has been working with the Ministry of Health’s Disability Support Services and NGOs (non-government organisations) on developing services to support intellectually disabled parents, with a focus on enabling them to retain the care of their children wherever possible.

The Department of Corrections has been working with the Ministry of Health’s Disability Support Services on improving its standards for the delivery of health and disability services to disabled inmates, and the making of referrals to Disability Support Services.

The Ministry of Health has:

• continued to progress the Intersectoral Needs Assessment and Service Co-ordination Collaboration project. This is aimed at improving the way organisations involved in the needs assessment and service co-ordination process work together. Trialling of how to do things differently and better has been completed and evaluated, and the results will be discussed with the disability sector
• continued to implement its Autism Spectrum Disorder work programme, which is aimed at improving and co-ordinating related services across agencies
• been reviewing and considering the long-term sustainability of funding for the health of older people and disability support services. It is currently progressing a 12-month work programme that is looking at potential future demand, policy settings and funding implications
• developed Te Kōkiri: The Mental Health and Addiction Action Plan 2006-2015. This plan focuses on quality mental health services, service responsiveness, workforce and information systems development, and the importance of cross-agency working. The aim is improved access and quality of services for all who experience mental illness.

The Ministry of Social Development has been progressing its Funding for Outcomes initiative, a framework for taking an integrated approach to developing contracts between multiple government funders and the community. This is enabling disability service providers funded by several government agencies to provide a holistic service under one contract, thereby reducing compliance costs.

The Office for Disability Issues continued to lead the inter-agency review of long-term disability supports. This is aimed at ensuring these supports improve outcomes for disabled people and their families, are easier to access, more co-ordinated, fairly distributed, more flexible and are consistent with the New Zealand Disability Strategy. Highlights include establishment of a dedicated project team within the Office, and an inter-agency senior officials group to provide leadership and help progress the work.

Promoting participation in all areas of life

The Disability Strategy is a ‘whole of government’ strategy because disabled New Zealanders will potentially interact with every government department.

If disabled people are to have ordinary choices and responsibilities in their lives they need better access to education, employment, decent levels of income, housing, transport, health care, communication and information and recreation, and they need the freedom to make lifestyle choices, including choices about culture and relationships.

Work to enhance access across any of these areas of life may involve the provision of individual support services, individual modifications to the environment, or may be about changing aspects of the whole environment or society to be universally accessible.

Objective 3: Provide the best education for disabled people

The Education Review Office has been carrying out work to support the achievement of disabled students. It has been reviewing schools’ use of the Ongoing Reviewable Resourcing Scheme and the Special Education Grant, with the aim of presenting case studies from a wide range of schools that are effectively using these resources. These will provide practical examples of what good practice looks like.

The Ministry of Education has:

• developed its Special Education action plan for 2006-2011, Better Outcomes for Children, which will define key actions for the Ministry, particularly for Special Education, over the next five years. The plan focuses on improving outcomes and services for the children and young people who are eligible for Special Education services
• been developing a long-term strategic plan for guiding property and planning decisions, so that they align with the future Ministry direction for special education. The aim is to improve access for disabled students, enhance integration between existing providers, build capability at regular schools, improve facilities in learning environments, promote local options and involve community interests
• been examining its Special Education resourcing framework, to clarify the policy principles that underpin the provision of special education support. The aim is to ensure that the resourcing is used effectively to support quality education for children with special education needs
• been developing example curriculum for students with special education needs, aimed at promoting more effective assessment and teaching. It has also been carrying out a review of the role of specialist and resource teachers, aimed at enabling them to better assist classroom teachers, students, families and whānau to meet the needs of children and young people with special education needs. It includes a focus on training and continued professional learning
• been working to improve the professional development of the Special Education workforce, through progressing two projects aimed at enhancing their capacity and capability – Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist Workforce Development, and Development of a Professional Development and Learning Portfolio for all staff
• been developing new service standards for all of its specialist services. This work is aimed at ensuring that all Special Education students will be able to access more consistent and standardised services nationally
• been developing a five-year plan aimed at implementing the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006, which will include a focus on communication and awareness, workforce development and access to learning through New Zealand Sign Language.

The National Library has been progressing its Print Disabilities Strategy, which is aimed at ensuring that disabled people are able to access print resources. This includes ensuring that print-disabled students can easily access the National Library’s Print Disabilities Collection, and that the Library service supports the needs of schools and special education.

Objective 4: Provide opportunities in employment and economic development for disabled people

The Department of Labour has been supporting greater participation of disabled people in employment. Highlights include providing policy support for the repeal of the Disabled Persons Employment Promotion Act 1960, with the aim of ensuring that disabled people have the same rights, responsibilities, opportunities and protections as other workers. Also, progressing the Return to Sustainable Earnings project, and completing a baseline evaluation of Pathways to Inclusion.

The Ministry of Social Development has:

• been working to promote smooth transition to a post Disabled Persons Employment Promotion Act 1960 environment, through holding a number of national provider meetings. The meetings are providing an opportunity for vocational service providers to compare best practice, and to gain further information about the development of individualised services
• continued with other activities to implement Pathways to Inclusion. Highlights include improving vocational service provider quality and capacity, through implementation of service quality and financial/governance review recommendations. Also, completing an effectiveness study of supported employment services funded by the Ministry, and increasing employment opportunities for disabled individuals by promoting service development
• been progressing its Sickness and Invalids Benefit Strategy programme, which includes a focus on services for disabled people. This is aimed at ensuring disabled people have increased opportunities to participate in their communities and in work.

The State Services Commission has continued to:

• promote and administer the Mainstream Supported Employment programme. This year, a programme was implemented that makes additional funding available to eligible Mainstream participants for meeting disability-related employment costs
• promote Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) for disabled people, through providing related guidance and assistance to government agencies. Highlights include release of the Career Progression and Development Survey, 2005 – Results for the New Zealand Public Service, in April 2006. This incorporates the views of disabled public servants on their career development opportunities and experiences, as compared with other public servants.

Objective 8: Support quality living in the community for disabled people

Housing New Zealand Corporation has:

• been progressing the New Zealand Housing Strategy, ensuring that it addresses unmet housing need among disabled people, and a reduction in the incidence of poor quality housing, particularly in relation to disabled Māori and Pacific peoples. The current focus is on using universal design principles to develop appropriate housing, and supporting ageing in place for older people
• continued to administer state rentals in a manner that contributes to the provision of affordable, suitable, and sustainable housing for disabled people. Highlights include the completion of a number of Regional Profiles, which provide a detailed picture of disabled people’s housing need within their communities. Also, provision of the Suitable Homes Service, which has assisted a number of physically disabled people to access suitably modified homes
• continued to deliver housing innovations for disabled people. Highlights include completing the purchase and modification of houses to support the deinstitutionalisation and resettlement of former Kimberley residents.

The Human Rights Commission has published its report into the accessibility of public land transport for disabled people. The report includes recommendations for changes to legislation, regulations, policies and procedures to make public transport more accessible. The Commission has been advocating in support of its recommendations in central and regional government forums, and in the community.

The Ministry of Health has:

• continued to relocate people with intellectual disabilities, who have been living at the Kimberley Centre, Levin, into community residential services. As at the end of June 2006, over 220 people had moved out into the community. The Centre is now due to be closed and the remaining residents resettled by the end of September 2006
• been evaluating district health boards’ Ageing in Place initiatives. These are based around individual support packages that enable older people to remain in their community, as an alternative to moving into residential care. The findings will assist with planning more effective services in the future, that better enable disabled older people to remain living at home, with a good quality of life
• been phasing in a nationwide individualised funding programme, for younger people with ‘high or very high and complex needs’. The programme has been implemented in Taranaki and Wanganui, and is now being extended to the Waikato region. The aim of the programme is disabled people achieving greater independence and control over their own lives.

The Ministry of Transport has been progressing a review of the Total Mobility scheme, with the aim of making the scheme nationally consistent, portable and sustainable. The Ministry has also been leading the Government’s strategy for advancing walking and cycling, which recognises the diversity of pedestrians including those with limited mobility and/or other impairments.

Objective 9: Support lifestyle choices, recreation and culture for disabled people

The Department of Conservation has established an Internal Disability Reference Group, to provide advice on disability-related policy and service issues. The Department has also further progressed its thinking around how to improve the accessibility of parks and reserves.

In response to a complaint filed with the Human Rights Commission in 2001, open captioned prints are now being made available for most new movie releases (although captioned prints are screened only at venues equipped with DTS technology). Most captioned screenings are available within three weeks of initial release.

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage has been contributing to the development of an inter-departmental plan to remove barriers in public broadcasting for deaf people.

Sport and Recreation New Zealand has been:

• progressing the ‘No Exceptions Strategy’, aimed at creating sport and recreation opportunities for disabled people. Highlights include appointment of a Senior Advisor Disabilities to lead the work; development of a collaborative partnership with Paralympics New Zealand, the Halberg Trust and Special Olympics New Zealand; and establishment of a National Advisory Group comprised of disabled people representing a combination of impairment and sporting experience
• alongside and supporting the Halberg Trust working with disabled children and adults, encouraging them to participate in physical activity and sport in schools and the community
• working with national sports organisations creating disability action plans, high performance programmes and development and competition pathways – aimed at increasing and enhancing sporting opportunities for disabled people.

Addressing diversity of need

To address diversity of need it is important to acknowledge that, in addition to some issues in common, there is huge diversity among disabled people. It is also important to address the specific needs of disabled people’s families.

Objective 11: Promote participation of disabled Māori

ACC has developed a Māori Access Strategy, aimed at delivering better access and awareness of ACC by Māori, closer relationships with Māori communities, and improved services that are more responsive to the needs and aspirations of Māori.

The Ministry of Health is developing a forward looking, predictive tool to predict the potential effects of government policy on the health of the Māori population, with a particular focus on supporting Māori families to achieve health and well being. The Ministry is also progressing a three-year research project focusing on the experience of Māori accessing health and disability services, with the aim of contributing to more effective service delivery.

Objective 12: Promote participation of disabled Pacific peoples

The Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs has been supporting the Ministry of Health in its work to improve services for disabled Pacific people. Key projects are the Pacific Health and Disability Workforce Development Strategy, and the Pacific Health and Disability Action Plan Review. The work has included addressing knowledge gaps and lack of awareness around Pacific disability issues, and establishing more formal linkages with Pacific providers and communities.

Objective 13: Enable disabled children and youth to lead full and active lives

Child, Youth and Family has been:

• developing an advocacy service for disabled children and young people to ensure their interests are represented, particularly when complex decisions need to be made
• reviewing the approval standards for organisations applying to be a Child and Family Support Service. This will lead to improved standards of care and services for disabled children and young people, when they are in out-of-home placements and/or receiving provider services.

The Ministry of Health Disability Services Directorate and Child, Youth and Family have been improving the way they work together to provide services to disabled children and their families. A number of suggestions are being considered for operating in a more collaborative way.

The Ministry of Social Development has been developing a cross-sectoral strategy for putting in place a comprehensive system of early interventions for children, including disabled children, from pre-birth to their transition to school. This is aimed at ensuring all children have the best start in life, and are supported to reach their potential. Highlights include completion of a stocktake of existing Ministry of Social Development and Child, Youth and Family activity related to disabled children.

The Ministry of Youth Development has continued to co-ordinate and report on government compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to the United Nations. This is a comprehensive international human rights treaty protecting the rights of all children and young people. The Ministry has also continued to actively encourage and support participation by young disabled people in youth development programmes.

Objective 14: Promote participation of disabled women in order to improve their quality of life

The Ministry of Health has been ensuring that all screening and assessment services provided via BreastScreen Aotearoa, the national breast screening programme, are proactive and responsive to disabled women. Recently, the focus has been on conducting compliance audits of lead service providers. The Ministry has also been ensuring that all screening and assessment services provided via the National Cervical Screening programme are proactive and responsive to disabled women.

Through its cross-government work programme for progressing the Action Plan for New Zealand Women, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs has been actively promoting the participation of disabled women in society. For example, the Choices for Living, Caring and Working action plan addresses several key issues for disabled women. These include promotion of supportive and flexible work arrangements, quality out-of-school services for disabled children, and support with caring responsibilities.

Objective 15: Value families, whānau and people providing ongoing support

The Ministry of Education has updated and published guidelines for Special Education staff on obtaining informed consent. This will assist them to consider important, and often complex, informed consent issues when working with children, young people and their families. This is particularly relevant for working through complex issues relating to students with special education needs.

The Ministry of Education operates a Special Education National Reference Group. This Group is being asked to propose ways that Special Education service development and provision can be better informed by families, whanau and others who support disabled children and young people, as well as young people and adults with disabilities.

The Office for Disability Issues is continuing to lead an inter-agency review of options for improving support for family caregivers of disabled people. This work is also forming a starting point for the development of a national Carers Strategy. The cross-government work on the Carers Strategy is being led by the Ministry of Social Development, in close liaison with the Carers Alliance.