CCS Disability Action Responds to Funding Boost for Specialist Schools

Media release
14 June 2024

CCS Disability Action expresses deep concern over the Government’s recent funding announcement for specialist schools and satellite classes, which poses a significant setback for inclusive education in New Zealand.

Mel Smith, Chief Executive of CCS Disability Action, says: “While additional funding in education is always welcome, directing it solely towards specialist schools and satellite classes undermines the very fabric of inclusive education. This decision marginalises disabled learners, segregating them from their peers and community.”

The announcement by Ministers Nicola Willis and Erica Stanford has pledged substantial financial support to specialist settings, raising questions about the commitment to disabled children’s rights to attend their local schools. “Today’s funding boost, although seemingly beneficial, sends a disheartening message about the value we place on disabled children within our education system,” said Smith.

Smith further commented, “Inclusive education is not a privilege; it is a fundamental human right. Every child deserves to learn, grow, and thrive alongside their non-disabled peers in their community. Our vision aligns with the United Nations Conventions, advocating for an education system that celebrates diversity and fosters lifelong positive outcomes.”

CCS Disability Action urges the Government to reconsider its approach and invest in resources that support all children within mainstream settings. “We stand for a future where every school is equipped to welcome and nurture all students. It’s time to bridge the gaps, not widen them,” concluded Smith.

For more information, please contact CCS Disability Action.

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For further information contact:

Lucy Green
National Manager Marketing Communications & Fundraising
CCS Disability Action
Phone: 027 434 9256
Email: Lucy.Green@ccsDisabilityAction.org.nz

CCS Disability Action background information

CCS Disability Action is the largest disability support and advocacy organisation in Aotearoa New Zealand.

We support people with all types of impairments and have been working alongside disabled people since 1935. We are at the forefront of service provision, advocacy and information sharing in the disability sector. We partner with disabled people, their families and whānau to remove barriers at an individual, community and national level. Our vision is to see every disabled person and whānau hauā interwoven into the lives of their whānau and community.

We provide direct support to around 5,000 children, young people, and adults through our 18 branches, which operate from Northland to Invercargill. Our support focuses on breaking down barriers.

CCS Disability Action is a leading advocate for inclusive education in New Zealand, working to ensure that disabled students have equal access to learning opportunities in their local education setting.

We also run New Zealand’s nationwide Mobility Parking Permit scheme. This scheme currently supports more than 160,000 people to access their communities and facilities more easily. Our subsidiaries, Lifemark and BarrierFree, advocate for and provides universal design consultancy to improve the accessibility of New Zealand’s housing and built environments.

We receive a mixture of government and charitable funding.