Sign our petition and give students with disabilities a voice! 

The Ministry of Education has recently proposed substantial changes to Special Education from early childhood through to secondary education in New Zealand. They held 110 forums across New Zealand in April and May 2015 but only 13 of these forums were to consult directly with families of students with special needs. 

Information was not distributed and attendance was poor as most parents/whānau were entirely unaware of the Special Education Update. Families of children with disabilities/learning needs felt powerless within this process as consultation with them was extremely limited and poorly advertised. Many are still unaware an update has been proposed. 

The Ministry of Education has indicated it will not be offering wider consultation with parents before crucial changes are made. 

Students and families should have the opportunity to share about the ground level issues that are preventing access to equitable and inclusive education services in New Zealand. Many parents are experienced and resourceful and should have an opportunity to collaborate on practical solutions to address these concerns that will affect their children. 

Parents/whānau want the Ministry of Education to extend consultations on a local level, allowing them the opportunity to identify needs and collaborate on the changes that will affect their children. 

We call for the Ministry of Education to partner with parents/whānau of children with disabilities in recognition of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities and the New Zealand Disability Strategy. As such, we ask for an extension of the Special Education Update timeframe and the provision of a balanced and fair consultation process with parents through local, well-advertised forums in all regions across New Zealand. 

By building trust and valuing the relationship with parents/whānau of children with disabilities and learning needs, we can unite in our common goal to ensure a quality and equitable education system for all New Zealanders.