Despite overwhelming professional evidence, the Ministry of Education declined, and then upheld the decline, of my autistic son’s application for the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS). This scheme is supposed to support students with the highest needs. But even children who require constant, one-on-one support to function in the classroom are being turned away.

One of the reasons given? That my son can “answer the roll.” A single observation was used to dismiss his daily struggles — sensory overload, communication barriers, and difficulty with emotional regulation. His ability to engage in learning only happens because of tailored strategies, constant scaffolding, and dedicated adult support. And still, we were told he doesn’t qualify because his needs weren’t considered “severe enough.”

Families like mine are paying the price. We’re exhausted from having to fight over and over again just to get our children the basic support they need. We’re forced to spotlight their most difficult moments, relive their pain, and justify their worth — just to be heard. The emotional toll is immense. It affects our mental health, jobs, relationships, and our other children, who witness the meltdowns, the advocacy, and the burnout.

My son has also been bullied because without the right support, his behaviour is misunderstood by peers and adults alike. He’s excluded socially and emotionally, and that isolation reinforces the very struggles that support is meant to address.

The school has been doing its best to help him, but this support is unfunded. It’s not sustainable. Without it, he becomes dysregulated and distressed, impacting not just his learning but the well-being of his classmates too.

New Zealand is currently failing to uphold its legal obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Article 24 of the CRPD requires states to provide inclusive education, reasonable accommodations, and the individualised support necessary for students with disabilities to fully participate in the education system — equally and without discrimination.

The current ORS criteria is outdated, unfair, and no longer reflect the lived reality of neurodivergent children and their families. So our kids are being set up to fail.

Association Between High-Need Education-Based Funding and School Suspension Rates for Autistic Students in New Zealand - PMC

We’re calling for:

• Immediate expansion of ORS eligibility for neurodiverse students with high and complex needs
• Interim funding to support children who are currently going without
• Proper neurodiversity training for all teachers and teacher aides
• A long-term, wraparound support model with dedicated case managers to support diagnosed kids from the time of their diagnosis to 21 and beyond.

In May 2025, the government announced reforms to ORS — but they won’t be fully in place until 2028. Families can’t wait. Our kids can’t wait.

If we truly believe in inclusive education, we must stop talking about equity and start funding it — now. Upholding children’s rights under the CRPD is not optional — it’s a legal and moral obligation.

Please sign and share. Let’s fix a broken system and make sure no child is left behind.