As well as promoting citizenship, building government capacity and improving disability support services, the Disability Strategy seeks to promote disabled people’s participation in all areas of life. As part of this, the Office for Disability Issues requires relevant central government agencies to focus on priority areas with the potential to influence quality of life outcomes for disabled people. These include health, education, employment and income, housing, the built environment, transport, recreation and communication.  Each area is discussed below.

Health

Objective 8 of the Disability Strategy is to support quality living in the community for disabled people. One aspect of this is that disabled people have access to appropriate health services in the community. 

• In 2001 the Primary Health Care Strategy was launched by the Ministry of Health, with the first Primary Health Organisations established in 2002.  Full population coverage, including disabled people, was achieved in July 2007. The Strategy aims to improve the accessibility, affordability and appropriateness of health care and to reduce health inequalities between different groups. Advertised fees for many people not previously covered by the Community Services Card or similar have reduced by up to by 50%.
• During 2003/04 Care Plus, a primary health care initiative targeting people with high health need due to chronic conditions, acute medical or mental health needs, or terminal illness was piloted with three Primary Health Organisations, and rolled out nationally on 1 July 2004.  Disabled people are not specifically targeted but many people with multiple chronic conditions have benefited.
• Since 2002/03 District Health Boards have included reference to the Disability Strategy in their accountability documents, and have been required by the Ministry of Health to report on the accessibility of the health services they fund and provide.
• Breast Screen Aotearoa, the national breast screening programme, undertook consultation with women, providers, disability organisations and other key stakeholders during 2002/2003.  As a result, the National Policy and Quality Standards were revised in 2004 to ensure both facilities and processes optimise access for disabled women. Audits during 2006 found that lead providers were meeting the Quality Standards and their requirements for women with disabilities.
• Te Rau Hinengaro, the New Zealand Mental Health Survey was published in September 2006 by the Ministry of Health.  It has a chapter on disability which examines the degree of disability (disruption in functioning, and interference with life) associated with mental disorder and with physical disorder.
• The Ministry of Health published Te Kokiri, the Mental Health and Addiction Action Plan in August 2006.  It contains a set of actions designed to improve the responsiveness of services for people who are severely affected, and for disabled people in addition to mental health or addiction problems.
• The Ministries of Health and Education have been working together on the establishment of a Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Early Intervention Programme.  Roll out of the programme is planned to begin in July 2007. Additional funding has been allocated for cochlear implants for both children and adults with significant hearing loss.
• The Ministries of Health and Education have also been developing Autism Spectrum Disorder guidelines and a work programme.  The guidelines will provide evidence-based information on identification, diagnosis, ongoing assessment and interventions and services.  Public consultation was undertaken between December 2006 and March 2007 on the draft guidelines.
• The Ministry of Health consulted on their Primary Health Care Strategy: Key Directions for the Information Environment document during November and December 2006, and then in May 2007. This project will contribute better information on the clinical health status of groups of people with particular impairments.

Education

The Disability Strategy has a specific objective (objective 3) to improve education so that all children, youth and adult learners have equal opportunities to learn and develop in their local, regular education centres.  The Ministry of Education leads Disability Strategy implementation activity in the early childhood, primary and secondary education areas.  The Education Review Office (ERO) reviews school-based activities.

• In 2002, Specialist Education Services was integrated into the Ministry of Education.  Within the Ministry of Education all divisions, not just Group Special Education, are now responsible for implementation activities relating to the Disability Strategy, and funding to support learning for children and young people with special education needs has increased by 43% over the five years.
• The Schools High Health Needs Fund was introduced in 2001 and supports students with high health needs in schools.  The Enhanced Programme Fund was implemented in 2003 and provides funding for schools that have a disproportionate number of students with moderate special education needs. Supplementary Learning Support was developed and implemented in 2004-05 providing specialist support and teaching for students who have high ongoing learning needs but who do not meet the criteria for the Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Schemes.
• In 2006, additional funding was allocated to enhance provision of specialist support for children with special education needs in early childhood services. The Assistive Technology team has worked with the sector to address barriers to accessing Assistive technology. New guidelines and supporting resources have been put in place.
• The Ministry of Education has held two national Learning Environments Conferences to consider learning environments for the 21sr century with a focus on inclusion of students with disabilities.
• A Curriculum for New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) has been developed and is being implemented in schools.  NZSL scholarships have been increased to improve the number of interpreters available.
• A survey of special education resourcing has been undertaken during the last year to identify what resourcing is in schools for students with special education needs and how it is being used.
• In 2004-05, the Ministry of Education undertook a national consultation process on what was working well, and what needed to change, for children and young people with special education needs.  Reference groups were established at national and local levels in order to hear the voice of families, disabled people, students and other stakeholders. Each Group Special Education district continues to have a reference group. For example, the Reference Group of Young People in Tai Tokerau have recently published a pictorial publication on what they see makes an effective teacher.
• The Ministry of Education established the Vision Education Agency, which is made up of representatives of the vision sector (including people who are blind and low vision), to advise on policy and practice.  They also established Deaf Education Aotearoa New Zealand (DEANZ), which holds national forums to consult with key Deaf and hearing impaired people, service providers and parents about issues impacting on students who are Deaf or hearing impaired.  Another example of working with disabled people and the sector is the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme which is being developed and implemented with the Ministry of Health and members of the Deaf and hearing impaired sector – providers, parents and disabled people.
• The Better Information to Address Barriers to Learning project, which began in 2005, seeks to help children achieve improved learning outcomes (including social and cultural outcomes) by providing classroom teachers with resources to help identify and address barriers to learning.  Trials have occurred in three contexts - Pasifika, Ma-ori and semi-rural - and resulted in a resource Do You Know Me?
• The Tertiary Education Commission and the Ministry of Education have endorsed Kia O-rite: Achieving Equity: The New ZealandCode of Practice for an Inclusive Tertiary Education Environment for Students with Impairments as a best practice guide for tertiary education institutions. Kia O-rite was developed by ACHIEVE, a national network established to ensure equal opportunity and access to post-secondary education and training for people with impairments, and launched in 2004.
• Work by the Ministry of Education on improving learning for children and young people with Autism Spectrum Disorders began in 2004.   It has involved parent education (jointly funded by the Ministry of Health); twelve early intervention development projects; whole team professional learning and development programmes called ‘tips for autism’; workshops for specialist teachers; development and free distribution of a small, practical booklet for teachers; and development of the New Zealand Autism Spectrum Guideline, which is jointly sponsored and funded with the Ministry of Health.
• A four-year action research programme, Enhancing Effective Practice in Special Education, involving 49 schools - kura kaupapa Ma-ori, special, primary, intermediate and secondary - concluded in June 2006.
• In 2006, the Minister of Education released for consultation a draft curriculum for New Zealand schools.  A key concept is “personalised learning”, defined as “all students can reach their potential and strive for excellence, but not necessarily on the same day, at the same time, or in the same way”.

Employment and income

Objective 4 of the Disability Strategy supports the provision of opportunities for employment and the economic development of disabled people. The intent is to ensure that disabled people have sufficient income to lead independent lives. Central government agencies’ initiatives in employment and income are led by the Department of Labour, the Ministry of Social Development through its Work and Income service, and the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC). The State Services Commission promotes the Mainstream programme within the public sector.

• The Pathways to Inclusion Strategy, launched in September 2001, aims to improve the quality of employment opportunities for disabled people. Since its launch, services funded under this strategy have increased in number, delivered higher quality services and have become more focused on employment outcomes for disabled people. By 2007, this approach had enabled approximately 9,000 disabled people to be placed and supported into employment, compared with a total of 3,000 disabled people at the beginning of the strategy’s implementation.
• There is increasing recognition that disabled people should have the same opportunities for employment as non-disabled people. The Ministry of Social Development’s Working New Zealand programme introduced changes aimed at increasing the opportunities for people to participate in the labour market while continuing to provide social and financial support as needed.
• ACC has been developing supported employment and supported living services for people with traumatic brain injury.
• Over 2006-2007, the Department of Labour led the development of the Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs’ Our Youth, Our Future toolkit, on behalf of central government and the mayors. The toolkit contains information about young people with disabilities as employees.
• In June 2003, schools were added to the list of eligible employers for the Mainstream Programme. Since 1975, the Mainstream Supported Employment Programme has been run by the State Services Commission to create opportunities for employment for disabled people within the state sector.
• In 2005, state sector agencies became an eligible workplace for Ministry of Social Development Support Funds. These funds, previously only available to disabled people employed in the private and not-for-profit sectors, are designed to help disabled employees overcome barriers to employment.
• The Social Security (Long-term Residential Care) Amendment Act 2004 came into effect on 1 July 2005. This ensures that older people in a rest home or continuing care hospital can retain more of their assets while still qualifying for a government subsidy to help meet the costs of their care.

Housing and the built environment

Objective 8 of the Disability Strategy is to support quality living in the community for disabled people. One aspect of this is that disabled people have a choice of affordable, good-quality housing, and that they can move about within their built environments. Central government agencies leading initiatives in the area of housing and the built environment are Housing New Zealand Corporation and the Department of Building and Housing. ACC and the Ministry of Health also contribute activities.

• Completing the purchase and modification of houses to support the deinstitutionalisation and resettlement of former Kimberley residents.
• The Suitable Homes Service, which assists physically disabled people in accessing suitably modified homes.
• The upgrading and individual modification of Housing New Zealand stock to suit the needs of disabled tenants.
• In April 2001, Standards New Zealand launched NZS 4121:2001 Design for Access and Mobility - Buildings and Associated Facilities, setting out requirements for access and usability of the built environment for disabled people.
• A revised Building Act 2004 increased the promotion of accessibility, and building regulations added assistive listening devices to the schedule of requirements for cinemas, theatres, public halls, and old people's homes with more than 20 residents, and the need for the Office for Disability Issues to be consulted by the Department of Building and Housing in determinations (or complaints) about a publicly used building's accessibility.
• In May 2005, the New Zealand Housing Corporation launched Building the Future: the New Zealand Housing Strategy. The Strategy includes specific activity related to improving housing choices for disabled New Zealanders, such as promotion of universal design principles.
• Over 2006/2007, the Department of Building and Housing undertook a comprehensive review of the Building Code, as required by section 451 of the Building Act 2004. Questions and issues regarding accessibility were a specific area of consultation. The review’s first discussion document, released in May 2006, asked whether the Code should make provision for universal design for all residences: that is, whether all elements and spaces should be accessible to and usable by people of all ages and abilities, to the greatest extent possible.
• In May 2007, the research report Housing and Disability: Future Proofing New Zealand’s Housing Stock for an Inclusive Society was released by the Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand (CHRANZ) and the Office for Disability Issues.

Transport

Objective 8 of the Disability Strategy aims to ensure that disabled people can move around the community by providing accessible public transport. Central government agencies involved in implementation activities related to public transport include the Ministry of Transport and Land Transport New Zealand.

• The Ministry of Transport included a disability-specific objective in its New Zealand Transport Strategy, released in 2002, with the objective of improving access and mobility.
• In April 2004, the Human Rights Commission initiated a national inquiry into the accessibility of public land transport, as a result of high numbers of complaints by disabled people. The findings are set out in The Accessible Journey report, released in 2005.
• In 2005, the Ministry of Transport reported on their review of the Total Mobility scheme. They had reviewed the system of targeted transport assistance to disabled people with the aim of establishing a system that is nationally consistent, portable and secure. In August 2005, an extra $9.5 million was allocated to the Total Mobility scheme.
• In September 2006, Disability awareness training was included as part of the unit standards (NZQA 17579) for new Passenger (P) Endorsement Licences for driving a large or small passenger service vehicle. This will help ensure that all bus and taxi drivers have a basic understanding of the needs of disabled people.
• The Land Transport Rule, Passenger Service Vehicles Amendment 2007 came into force on in June 2007. It introduced a new joint Australian and New Zealand standard for the design and construction of wheelchair hoists, ramps, and occupant restraints, and the attachment of hoists and ramps to a passenger service vehicle. This change relates to equipment fitted into new vehicles that are operating as passenger service vehicles to assist vision and hearing impaired people.

Recreation and leisure

Objective 9 of the Disability Strategy is to support lifestyle choices, recreation and culture for disabled people. 

• In 2005, Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) released its No Exceptions Strategy and Implementation Plan 2005-2009, to guide organisations involved in providing sport and physical recreation activities.  Its vision is for all people to participate in the physical recreation and sport activities of their choice.
• In 2006/2007, the Department of Conservation released two national publications, free of charge, on easy access walks in the North Island and the South Island. These considered the accessibility of the whole journey, and not just the walk itself.

Communication

Objective 8 of the Disability Strategy supports the development of independent communication by disabled people.

• In 2004, the Telecommunications Relay Service was set up by the Ministry of Economic Development to overcome barriers to deaf, hearing-impaired and speech-impaired people using standard telephone services. An independent stakeholder review of the Relay Service was undertaken in 2006.
• The New Zealand Sign Language in the New Zealand Curriculum guidelines were released in March 2007. These are designed to help teachers to plan and implement programmes that encourage students to broaden their knowledge beyond cultural stereotypes and enable them to interact effectively with New Zealand Sign Language users in a range of social situations.

Score card for promoting participation in all areas of life

The outcomes framework developed for this review has been used to measure progress in terms of promoting the participation of disabled people in all areas of life.  There has been a significant level of activity focused on increasing understanding of disability issues, and a moderate level of activity focussed on involving disabled people and on removing barriers to accessibility. There was limited activity directed at maximising opportunities for disabled people.