Let me tell you about my friend George. He is 7 years old and he has autism. He has done really well in his couple of years at school. He has made lots of progress both in terms of his class work and his social interaction. Today George’s parents have been told there will be no ORRS (Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Scheme) funding for next year. They are used to knockbacks in trying to get the education that is George’s right, but this is not the Christmas present they were after.
As of this week I am now officially Labour’s Spokesperson on Special Education. I am rapt, and very happy that Trevor as lead Education Spokesperson has found room for me in the Labour education tent. I look forward to working with him and Lynne Pillay our Disabilities Spokesperson in this area, for all the Georges out there.
To make it clear for those who don’t follow this area closely, this is how the Ministry of Education define Special Education
Special education is the provision of extra help, adapted programmes, learning environments, or specialised equipment or materials to support children and young people with their learning and help them participate in education. Many children and young people have special education needs. This can include learners with learning difficulties, communication, emotional or behaviour difficulties, or intellectual, sensory or physical impairments.
I mentioned Special Education in my maiden speech as an area where I thought there was a need for a thorough re-think of the whole process including from how funding is allocated, applied for, how assessments are done, allocation between funds, follow up etc. This is a difficult area and a lot of money has been allocated in recent years, but many issues remain. I should note that the current government does have a review of Special Education underway, the public consultation part of which was meant to start this year, but will now commence in 2010.
My interest in Special Education goes back to working with students with disabilities as NZUSA President (and acutally getting some wins out of Wyatt Creech on those issues). But more recentlly it has its basis in watching two families who are my friends go through all kinds of hoops and drama just to get the education for their children that is their right under law. In both cases the parents are educated professionals and they have struggled mightily with the system. That was all before I was an MP. As an MP I have dealt with a number of cases where parents and teachers alike have had to battle and battle just to keep their kids in school.
I could go on and on, but for those with an interest feel free to get in touch. I will be in contact with individuals and groups in the New Year to begin a discussion about where people think we should be going with our policy. I want to use some new methods of policy development, including in the virtual world. In the meantime, have a read of Hilary Stace’s comments on the possible impact on the national standards on children with autism. Interesting and worrying stuff.
Great news Grant. The issue of national standards keeps getting thornier and the article you link to highlights the hard truth – anyone deemed ‘too hard’ will not just fall through the cracks, they’ll be shoved through them.
Great idea having some someone with a passion for this subject able to bring a sharp focus on this especially vulnerable group. Personally I would also like to see the same applied to tertiary and adult Ed as well. I wonder how a more focused attack (under the Ed spokesman) could force change from the minister?
On Autism it was interesting to read in the Dom not so long ago about a Scandinavian company that employs only Autistic staff. It is an I.T. company and they find the higher concentration and attention to detail a distinct advantage, the industry being more tolerant of social quirks. This company trains the staff who then go on to high flying careers with Google/Amazon/Microsft/etc.
Perhaps if National could see Special Ed as contributing to our much needed skill shortage they would not see this group as just a drain on the economy (ie nursed through school and then put on the scrapheap of supported employment).
Congratulations and best wishes Grant.
Congratulations and Merry Christmas Grant.
Grant: Welcome to the fraught area of Special Education (even the name is problematic). High on your list of ‘experts’ to talk to – and the person with probably the best grasp of the issues in NZ, from the inside and out – Matt Frost.
Jeremy: that Danish man is Thorkil Sonne and several of us have been trying to get him to visit NZ to talk to IT and related companies about his employment scheme and company, Specialisterne. I heard him speak about his ideas, and the foundation he now heads, in Sydney a few months ago. A true visionary. There’s a little about him on this humans post but a lot more recent stuff on Google. http://humans.org.nz/2009/06/19/thorkil-sonne-and-his-employment-model-for-people-with-autism/
Thank you Hilary,
Yes a visionary, how many others would have spotted the opportunity he did.
Grant: Good luck to George and his parents, and let’s hope that one day getting the right support for your disabled kids won’t depend on luck.
Hi Grant,
Congratulations on your new role.
Our organisation – Inclusive Education Action Group – would love to come and talk to you about the educational barriers facing disabled students. We have lots of ideas of where improvements could be made. Check out our website:
http://www.ieag.org.nz/
I’ll be in touch
Ian Armstrong, Co-Convenor IEAG
Hi Grant,
Many thanks for this post and congratulations on your appointment. This is as Hilary says an area with many challenges but also lots of opportunties to enhance lives like that of George and his family.
Without false modesty, in response to Hilary I’d say there are lots of experts out there- families and most importantly young disabled people who are having to negotiate a system which is not meeting their needs and is not visionary.
I’ve enjoyed working with Lynne and the team this year and would welcome meeting with you early in 2010.
Have a great Christmas,
Cheers, Matt.
Merry Christmas Dominic, Jeremy, Ian, Hilary and Matt.
Grant – I do not pretend to understand the complexities of Special Education – I am privilaged to have three well adjusted right thinking children with no disability.
At the school attended by my three children there are kids with some disabilities – some are disruptive to the class environment – and there are i think 3-4 teacher aids to assist these kids throughout the school. Giving these kids some sort of foundation is necessary and hopefully a solid investment in their future. This is one area of social spending I am very pleased to fund as a citizen. We have an obligation as a society (and indeed it is a measure of the maturity of a society) as to how well they look after their weakest and most at risk citizens.
To you too, Spud. I’ve learnt a lot about emoticons from you this year, thanks.
As someone who’s both met you and spent the last eight years fighting with the Ministry of Education over my daughter’s ORRS funding, I’m very pleased to hear this.
Hi Grant
I am confident that you will give this role the attention it needs, especially in view of the Special Ed review.
‘most importantly young disabled people who are having to negotiate a system which is not meeting their needs and is not visionary.
I’ve enjoyed working with Lynne and the team this year and would welcome meeting with you early in 2010.’
I would like to echo Matt’s thoughts, and reiterate the importance of putting to the fore youth perspectives, with the policy and service knowledge that we have in the sector. I believe it is possible to create a great education system that works for all who participate in it.
Go well, happy holidays!
Alex
AN EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE REPORT ON THE GOLD STANDARD FOR EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY CAN BE FOUND AT
http://www.anglicare.org.au/files/pdf/Kingsdene%20Final%20Report%20-%20Master.pdf
I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND THIS REPORT TO ANYONE STUDYING SPECIAL EDUCATION, SOCIAL WORK, SPEECH THERAPY, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, PHYSIOTHERAPY AND ANY PARENT OF AN INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED CHILD.
Good luck with this area Grant – it is a particularly tricky portfolio, and I while it is good to see the Nats doing a rethink with Spec Ed early 2010, I worry the outcome will be further cuts and even less resources to spread around.
Currently, much of the problem lies in GSE (Group Special Education – the other wing of the Ministry of Ed) – or lack thereof. The same cuts that govt depts have had to make apply to GSE – so people are not being replaced. The problem with this somewhat flawed approach to ‘cutting down’ public people, are they are not policy makers not being replaced but actual front line staff – such as ed pyschs and speech lang teachers etc. This is a worry. And not reported so the public do not realise they are losing support here as well. (as an aside, I do wonder what planet the Nats come from)
The second issue is that the ORRS funding has never been funded well – its a contribution towards paying for the needs of a student with issues – and I would go as far as saying not always a fair process. Some of this responsibility lies with Govt, some with the Ministry and some with individual schools.
It will be interesting to see how the IHC Court case goes.