Latest news with #EarlyInterventionService
Scoop
4 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
$266 Million To Expand Early Intervention And Clear Waitlists For Children With Additional Needs
Press Release – New Zealand Government This Government is absolutely focused on getting help to the child, wherever they are, and however its needed. If that means using trusted private providers and NGOs to deliver services at pace, thats exactly what well do, Education … Minister of Education 'Every child deserves the chance to thrive and today I'm proud to announce a $266 million investment in Budget 2025 to clear waitlists, expand the Early Intervention Service, and reach thousands more children with the support they need to succeed,' Education Minister Erica Stanford says. 'For too long, families have faced unacceptable delays accessing the Early Intervention Service. This investment will fix that by clearing the backlog, expanding support to the end of Year 1, and significantly increasing our workforce capacity,' Stanford says. 'We are not only expanding the size of the service, we are changing how it's delivered,' Stanford says. 'We will contract NGOs and private providers to deliver specialist services alongside the Ministry, ensuring children with additional needs get the support they need faster. 'This Government is absolutely focused on getting help to the child, wherever they are, and however it's needed. If that means using trusted private providers and NGOs to deliver services at pace, that's exactly what we'll do,' Stanford says. 'Families don't care who employs the speech-language therapist or the psychologist, they just want the support their child needs. And we are determined to do whatever it takes to make sure they receive it.' As part of the Budget 2025 package, the investment will deliver: More than 560 additional full-time equivalent specialists, including educational psychologists, speech language therapists, occupational therapists, and early intervention teachers. An expansion of the Early Intervention Service through to the end of Year 1, reaching around 4,000 additional children with learning and behavioural needs. Reduction of existing waitlists, ensuring more than 3,000 children currently waiting will receive support sooner. Increased support for the 7,100 children already in the service, with greater access to specialists and interventions. 900,000 additional teacher aide hours per year from 2028, to assist young learners receiving EIS support. This investment reflects the Government's commitment to a social investment approach by targeting resources early, where they will make the greatest long-term difference. 'The evidence is clear: the earlier we intervene, the better the outcomes for children, families, and New Zealand. Early intervention reduces the need for more intensive support later and gives every child that needs it the best possible start. 'To parents across the country, this is my message to you: help is on the way. We are clearing the backlog, building a stronger and more responsive service, and putting your child's needs at the centre of our education system. You shouldn't have to fight to get support—and with this investment, we're making sure you won't have to. 'This is a transformational shift,' Stanford says. 'We're building a future-facing service that keeps up with demand and delivers for kids. Every child deserves that chance and this Government is backing them from day one.' Notes: Learning support funding – detailed breakdown Budget 2025 includes a total of $2.5 billion for Vote Education. The Learning Support Budget has $645.8 million in operating funding and $100.9 million capital for learning support initiatives. This includes: $266.0 million to extend the Early Intervention Service (EIS) from early childhood education through to the end of Year 1 of primary school. This will fund more than 560 additional full-time equivalent (FTE) over the next 5 years for EIS teachers and specialists. This investment includes: $74.9 million to extend the Early Intervention Service (EIS) into Year 1 of primary school $127.7 million to reduce wait times and meet the growing demand for the EIS $40.0 million for 900,000 additional Teacher Aide hours for young learners in the EIS $23.4 million for early intervention specialist service providers and specialist workforce development. Overall, there is funding for more than 2 million additional teacher aide hours into the system, every year, from 2028. Budget 2025 also provides: $192.5 million so that all state and state integrated schools and kura with Year 1 to 8 students get access to a Learning Support Coordinator (around 650 additional FTTE), enabling improved identification of, and response to learner needs. $122.5 million to meet increased demand for the Ongoing Resource Scheme (ORS), for students with high and complex needs. This includes a structural change to the funding model so every child who is verified for ORS funding receives the support they need. This investment will also increase the number of specialists and teacher aide time to support the more than 1,700 additional learners forecast to access ORS over the next 4 years. $41.5 million of operating and $1.4 million of capital funding for an extra 78.5 FTE speech language therapists, 6.2 FTE psychologists, and supporting teacher aide hours to help meet the growing demand of students with communication and behaviour needs. This will provide specialist suppxxxorts to around 2,500 students over the next 4 years. $7.3 million for 45 more places in the Intensive Wraparound Service | Te Kahu Tōī (a 7.5% increase), so more learners with the most complex social, emotional and behavioural needs can get tailored supports. $4.2 million to employ 25 intern education psychologists each year to enable a more sustainable pipeline of locally trained workforce. $3.0 million of investment in our teacher aides with targeted professional learning and development to help them support learners with social, emotional, wellbeing and behavioural needs associated with disability and neurodiversity. $90.0 million of capital funding and $18.4 million of operating funding for 25 new learning support satellite classrooms to provide around 225 new student places across the Ministry's specialist school network, and up to 365 property modifications to make schools more accessible.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
$266 Million To Expand Early Intervention And Clear Waitlists For Children With Additional Needs
Minister of Education 'Every child deserves the chance to thrive and today I'm proud to announce a $266 million investment in Budget 2025 to clear waitlists, expand the Early Intervention Service, and reach thousands more children with the support they need to succeed,' Education Minister Erica Stanford says. 'For too long, families have faced unacceptable delays accessing the Early Intervention Service. This investment will fix that by clearing the backlog, expanding support to the end of Year 1, and significantly increasing our workforce capacity,' Stanford says. 'We are not only expanding the size of the service, we are changing how it's delivered,' Stanford says. 'We will contract NGOs and private providers to deliver specialist services alongside the Ministry, ensuring children with additional needs get the support they need faster. 'This Government is absolutely focused on getting help to the child, wherever they are, and however it's needed. If that means using trusted private providers and NGOs to deliver services at pace, that's exactly what we'll do,' Stanford says. 'Families don't care who employs the speech-language therapist or the psychologist, they just want the support their child needs. And we are determined to do whatever it takes to make sure they receive it.' As part of the Budget 2025 package, the investment will deliver: More than 560 additional full-time equivalent specialists, including educational psychologists, speech language therapists, occupational therapists, and early intervention teachers. An expansion of the Early Intervention Service through to the end of Year 1, reaching around 4,000 additional children with learning and behavioural needs. Reduction of existing waitlists, ensuring more than 3,000 children currently waiting will receive support sooner. Increased support for the 7,100 children already in the service, with greater access to specialists and interventions. 900,000 additional teacher aide hours per year from 2028, to assist young learners receiving EIS support. This investment reflects the Government's commitment to a social investment approach by targeting resources early, where they will make the greatest long-term difference. 'The evidence is clear: the earlier we intervene, the better the outcomes for children, families, and New Zealand. Early intervention reduces the need for more intensive support later and gives every child that needs it the best possible start. 'To parents across the country, this is my message to you: help is on the way. We are clearing the backlog, building a stronger and more responsive service, and putting your child's needs at the centre of our education system. You shouldn't have to fight to get support—and with this investment, we're making sure you won't have to. 'This is a transformational shift,' Stanford says. 'We're building a future-facing service that keeps up with demand and delivers for kids. Every child deserves that chance and this Government is backing them from day one.' Notes: Learning support funding – detailed breakdown Budget 2025 includes a total of $2.5 billion for Vote Education. The Learning Support Budget has $645.8 million in operating funding and $100.9 million capital for learning support initiatives. This includes: $266.0 million to extend the Early Intervention Service (EIS) from early childhood education through to the end of Year 1 of primary school. This will fund more than 560 additional full-time equivalent (FTE) over the next 5 years for EIS teachers and specialists. This investment includes: $74.9 million to extend the Early Intervention Service (EIS) into Year 1 of primary school $127.7 million to reduce wait times and meet the growing demand for the EIS $40.0 million for 900,000 additional Teacher Aide hours for young learners in the EIS $23.4 million for early intervention specialist service providers and specialist workforce development. Overall, there is funding for more than 2 million additional teacher aide hours into the system, every year, from 2028. Budget 2025 also provides: $192.5 million so that all state and state integrated schools and kura with Year 1 to 8 students get access to a Learning Support Coordinator (around 650 additional FTTE), enabling improved identification of, and response to learner needs. $122.5 million to meet increased demand for the Ongoing Resource Scheme (ORS), for students with high and complex needs. This includes a structural change to the funding model so every child who is verified for ORS funding receives the support they need. This investment will also increase the number of specialists and teacher aide time to support the more than 1,700 additional learners forecast to access ORS over the next 4 years. $41.5 million of operating and $1.4 million of capital funding for an extra 78.5 FTE speech language therapists, 6.2 FTE psychologists, and supporting teacher aide hours to help meet the growing demand of students with communication and behaviour needs. This will provide specialist suppxxxorts to around 2,500 students over the next 4 years. $7.3 million for 45 more places in the Intensive Wraparound Service | Te Kahu Tōī (a 7.5% increase), so more learners with the most complex social, emotional and behavioural needs can get tailored supports. $4.2 million to employ 25 intern education psychologists each year to enable a more sustainable pipeline of locally trained workforce. $3.0 million of investment in our teacher aides with targeted professional learning and development to help them support learners with social, emotional, wellbeing and behavioural needs associated with disability and neurodiversity. $90.0 million of capital funding and $18.4 million of operating funding for 25 new learning support satellite classrooms to provide around 225 new student places across the Ministry's specialist school network, and up to 365 property modifications to make schools more accessible. Useful links
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Learning Support Funding Welcomed But Something's Got To Give For ECE
There was no meaningful financial relief announced for ECE providers in Budget 25 – but the government's commitment to a funding review, buried in the detail, may offer some light at the end of the tunnel. 'If you're an ECE provider struggling to stay viable, you're asking 'what will help me keep the doors open? The lack of investment today confirms providers' worst fears - that the Government does not have confidence to invest in ECE because of the broken funding system,' said Simon Laube, Early Childhood Council CEO. ECC, who've campaigned for a comprehensive funding review over many years, takes the funding allocated to an ECE funding review in Budget 2025 as a big win for the entire sector, but says an announcement with the details can't come soon enough. 'After Budget 2024 we were told there would be real cost relief through the ECE Regulatory Review, but any changes are still unclear and 14-18 months away,' said Early Childhood Council CEO Simon Laube. Further evidence of the broken funding system was revealed today, with the government having to find $334.5 million to fund higher than expected early childhood payments to providers this year, likely caused by the costly Pay Parity policies combined with questionable population projections. One ECC member alone had a $60,000 shortfall this year due to Pay Parity's teacher salary progression requirements, which give all teachers 4% salary increments, unfunded by government - shortfalls of that size are enough to sink a vulnerable business or community group. This year's ECE cost adjustment of 0.5% is a record low. Over the last six years, successive government's lowballing adds up to a massive 12.7% shortfall against inflation over the period. 'The Government is allowing these cost pressures to mount up - ECE funding in 2026 will be 12.7% less valuable than it was to providers in 2020, that's the equivalent of a massive funding cut in today's dollars,' said Simon Laube. ECC celebrates the Learning Support investment in the Budget, as it has the potential to make a massive difference for learners who need additional support. Supporting these learners shows that New Zealanders truly care for all children, and it's about time. In ECE, additional funds for the Early Intervention Service and an expansion of that service into Year 1 of school will massively help address the well-known problems with children's transition out of ECE into school, when the Early Intervention Service used to get cut off. Now it won't get cut off and children who need additional support can experience a more seamless education.
1News
22-05-2025
- Business
- 1News
Budget 2025: $646 million boost for student learning support
Budget 2025 has delivered a $646 million boost for learning support. Increased support for students with conditions affecting their learning is the issue schools have called for greater government investment in year after year. Education Minister Erica Stanford said today that, across different initiatives, the Budget will provide funding for more than an additional 2 million teacher aide hours per year by 2028. Stand out investments in Budget 2025 include $266 million to extend the Early Intervention Service so Year 1 students can access a range of supports such as speech language therapists and psychologists. The service currently stops when a child turns five. Funding for an additional 560 staff has been provided. The Ongoing Resource Scheme for students with the highest learning needs in the country has received a cash injection, with $122 million in funding to meet growing demand. Funding has historically been restricted, with access to around 1% of students, though the number has been steadily growing. Instead of the set funding model, there will now be increases in funding over the next four years. Students who already qualify are expected to receive additional support such as increased teacher aide hours, and an additional 1700 students are expected to qualify in the next four years. Learning support coordinators will also be supporting all primary and intermediate schools by 2028, with a $192 million investment. The coordinators assess the needs of students and help them access support services. Only one tranche had been rolled out in New Zealand previously, increasing inequity in support among schools. Contingency funding will also be in place for the construction of 25 learning support classrooms at schools and 365 property modifications at existing schools, with a $90 million investment over four years. New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa, the primary teacher's union, recently called for an additional $2.5 billion investment in learning support over five years in a report. Its recommendation for professional development for teacher aides has been answered with $3 million in funding between now and 2028. Primary principals and NZEI have previously called for a teacher aide to be funded for every classroom. Kāhui Ako – which is funding for schools in a geographical area to become a network that collaborates and shares best practice initiatives and guidance – has been cut, with $375 million over four years instead set to be spent on learning support. Resource Teacher: Māori and Resource Teacher: Literacy roles have been cut after the Education Minister proposed this earlier this year. Feedback from the sector on this proposal wasn't released publicly before this funding decision was announced. NZEI, affected teachers, and other education leaders called for funding for these support and specialist roles to continue, saying they helped students learn to read and supported Māori staff to deliver the curriculum and assess student learning. Less money has been spent on Associate Education Minister David Seymour's charter school reintroduction than was set aside in last year's Budget. Around $4 million will be spent in education elsewhere. Apart from the Resource Teacher: Māori roles, the Wharekura Expert Teachers role has also been disestablished. The Māori Education package of $36.1 million has been redirected into other Māori education initiatives such as the curriculum and support for teachers to develop Te Reo Māori skills. A further $36.1 million allocated for 2023 Māori education collective bargaining settlements has been reprioritised. The Budget summary states this contingency funding was overestimated.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Largest Boost To Learning Support In A Generation
Minister of Education The Government is delivering the most significant investment in learning support in a generation to better support Kiwi kids to thrive at school, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. Key investments include substantial annual increases to teacher aide hours, building up to over 2 million additional teacher aide hours per year, from 2028; Learning Support Co-ordinators for all schools with Year 1-8 students; expanding early intervention services from early learning through to end of year 1; and an historic overhaul of the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) funding model to ensure that demand for the service is met with guaranteed funding so all students with high and complex needs who are verified for ORS receive the support they need. 'Too many children wait too long to receive support, or miss out altogether, on the help they need to succeed. We are addressing this by investing in a smart, system-wide reform that significantly increases specialist and support staff resources in our schools. 'We're powering up support to the frontline and investing early to ensure our kids get the tailored help they need, and so that teachers have more time to teach the basics brilliantly,' Ms Stanford says. Budget 2025 invests $2.5 billion over the forecast period in Vote Education with a focus on delivering a transformational boost to learning support funding. 'Backed by a social investment lens, this is a seismic l shift in how we support learning needs in New Zealand. We're deliberately prioritising early intervention, investing in what works and directly tackling long-standing inequities in the system.' The learning support funding package includes: · $266 million to extend the Early Intervention Service (EIS) from early childhood education through to the end of year 1 of primary school. This will fund more than 560 additional FTE for EIS teachers and specialists. We are investing in: expanding the service through to the end of Year 1 to support the effective transition into school of around 4,000 children with additional needs. reducing existing waitlists in early intervention so that more than 3,000 children that need the support receive it sooner. o increasing the amount of specialist support provided to the more than 7,100 children who are currently enrolled in EIS. o building up annually to an additional 900,000 teacher aide hours per year, from 2028, to support young learners in EIS. · $122 million to meet increased demand for ORS (Ongoing Resourcing Scheme) for students with high and complex needs. This includes a structural change to the funding model so every child who is verified for ORS funding receives the support they need. This investment will also increase the number of specialists and teacher aide time to support the more than 1,700 additional learners forecast to access ORS over the next four years. $192 million to ensure that over three years, all Year 1-8 schools and kura are funded for a Learning Support Coordinator to work with students, families and educators to identify and respond to learner needs. This investment will benefit 1250 schools and an additional 300,000 learners around New Zealand. · $43 million for an extra 78.5 FTE speech language therapists, as well as additional psychologists and supporting teacher aide hours to help meet the growing demand of students with communication and behaviour needs. This will provide specialist supports to around 2500 students over the next four years. · $3 million of investment in our teacher aides with targeted professional development for working with learners with social, emotional, wellbeing, behavioural, and neurodiverse needs. · $4 million to employ 25 intern educational psychologists each year to enable a more sustainable pipeline of locally trained workforce. · $90 million of capital for approximately 25 new learning support satellite classrooms to provide around 225 new student places across the Ministry of Education's specialist school network, as well as provide learning support property modifications so that schools are more accessible to learners with additional needs. 'Across all learning support services in Vote Education, we are building up to more than 2 million additional teacher aide hours into the system every year from 2028. 'The education sector has been calling for more support for a long time, and this Government is delivering results. This investment recognises and responds to the growing number of children with additional learning needs and the pressure it places on teachers,' Ms Stanford says. Budget 2025 also includes substantive key investments in the Government's priority areas: $298 million into strengthening Curriculum and Assessment supports, including $132.2 million for accelerated learning in literacy and maths. $572 million of capital funding invested into school property. $100 million of operating funding, to maintain and upgrade classrooms. $150 million to build the education workforce of the future through leadership development pathways, teacher supply initiatives, and funded registration and certification. $104 million to support Māori learner success, including $50 million of capital funding for new classrooms in Māori Medium and Kaupapa Māori schools. $140 million for a new attendance service and to support and strengthen frontline attendance services 'To deliver this investment, we have assessed underspends and reprioritised initiatives that are underperforming or lack clear evidence that they're delivering intended outcomes. Around $614 million within the vote has been identified for reinvestment into frontline, priority education initiatives. 'Budget 2025 builds on the strong foundations we've already laid through teaching the basics brilliantly. We will continue to invest to raise achievement and close the equity gap in schools across the country, so all Kiwi kids have the knowledge, skills and competencies they need to reach their full potential,' Ms Stanford says. Notes: Learning support funding – detailed breakdown $192 million of operating funding so all Year 1-8 schools and kura have access to a learning support coordinator (around 650 additional Full-Time Teacher Equivalents - FTTEs), enabling improved identification of and response to learner needs. This builds a nationally consistent model for in-school Learning Support services and reducing substantive inequities in access to support for children with additional learning needs $266 million to extend the Early Intervention Service (EIS) from early childhood education through to the end of year 1 of primary school. This will fund more than 560 additional FTE for EIS teachers and specialists. We are investing in: expanding the service through to the end of Year 1 to support the effective transition into school of almost 4,000 children with additional needs reducing existing waitlists in early intervention so that more than 3,000 children that need the support receive it sooner increasing the amount of specialist support provided to the more than 7,100 children who are currently enrolled in EIS building up annually to an additional 900,000 teacher aide hours per year, from 2028, to support young learners in EIS $122 million of operating funding to meet forecast demand for the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS). ORS provides specialist support for students with the highest levels of ongoing need, and the new funding will mean all learners who meet the criteria will receive the specialist support they need. This investment will also increase the number of specialists and teacher aide time to support the more than 1,700 additional learners forecast to access ORS over the next four years. This includes a structural change to the funding model away from a constrained annual Budget bid approach to a forecast driven model that automatically updates the funding each year, to reflect demand so every child who is verified for ORS funding receives the support they need. ORS provides a package of support for students who have the highest level of ongoing need, including access to specialists (such as therapists, psychologists), additional teacher time in school staffing entitlements, contribution to teacher aide hours, and consumables grants for small items to support students' needs. Students get a unique mix of resources, to reflect their individual needs. ORS follows the student and they continue to receive support for the whole of their schooling. ORS is provided on top of the per student funding paid to each school for every student. $41.5 million of operating funding and $1.4 million of capital funding for an additional 78.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) speech language therapists, 6.2 FTE psychologists and teacher aide time for behaviour and communication services. This will also help the service meet the forecast demand increase of 2,479 learners who'll need this support over the next four years. $4 million of operating funding for 25 intern educational psychologists each year to boost the locally trained workforce and address shortages. $7 million of operating funding for 45 additional places (a 7.5 per cent increase) for Te Kahu Tōī Intensive Wraparound Service, so more learners with the most complex social, emotional and behavioural needs can get tailored supports. $3 million of operating funding for targeted professional learning and development for teacher aides, to help them support learners with social, emotional, wellbeing and behavioural needs associated with disability and neurodiversity. $90 million of capital funding and $18 million of operating funding for up to approximately 25 new learning support classrooms to provide 225 new student places across the Ministry's specialist school network, and up to 350 learning support property modifications so that schools are more accessible to learners with additional needs. Knowledge-rich curriculum: $ 287 million in operating funding and $11 million in capital funding to support the ongoing delivery of a knowledge-rich curriculum and structured teaching approaches in schools and kura. This includes: Early maths and pāngarau checks for learners at Year 2. 143 FTTE specialist accelerated learning teachers across Years 0–6 to raise achievement in mathematics and pāngarau. Maths/ pāngarau tutoring for up to 34,000 Year 7-8 students per year. Increasing ongoing structured literacy staffing across Years 0-6 by 78 FTTE to 349 FTTE. This maintains the 2025 one-year expansion of 46 additional FTTE, and adds a further 32 FTTE Hands-on science and pūtaiao kits for all Year 0-8 learners to lift science engagement and achievement. Homework and tutoring services for Year 9-10 learners in schools with 50 per cent or more Pacific learners. This supports meeting the literacy and numeracy co-requisites and achievement across NCEA. Support oral language development in early childhood education. This includes the ENRICH (Enhancing Rich Interactions) programme for up to 525 early childhood education services. A new assessment tool for Years 3 to 10 in reading, writing, maths, pānui, tuhituhi and pāngarau to support quality, consistent assessment and reporting for approximately 540,000 students. Māori Education $54 million in operating funding and $50 million in capital funding to support Māori learner success through investment in curriculum supports and professional learning and development for teachers. Key investments include: Training and support for up to 51,000 teachers in Years 0-13 schools to learn te reo Māori and tikanga. A Virtual Learning Network that will deliver online STEM education to more than 5,500 Year 9-13 students in Kura Kaupapa and Māori Medium education. Seven new curriculum advisors to support teachers in understanding and using the redesigned Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and its key resources. New curriculum resources in te reo matatini and STEM to support around 5,000 senior secondary students. Developing a new Māori Studies subject area for The New Zealand Curriculum, for Year 11-13 English medium schools. Supporting our Workforce: 150 million of operating funding in workforce so that we can bring more teachers and leaders into the classrooms and support our current workforce. This includes: Covering the costs of domestic teacher fees and levies for around 115,000 school and early childhood teachers over the next three years. 530 additional places in the School Onsite Training Programme over four years and cost adjustments for 1,331 places committed to through Budget 2024. Professional learning developments in literacy and te reo matatini, maths and pāngarau, and assessment and aromatawai, for 1,800 to 2,000 teachers working across Years 0-10 over the next four years. An aspiring principals programme for up to 200 principals each year from 2026 to help build their leadership skills and confidence. 17 more leadership advisors to provide one-on-one support to around 2,500 principals who can access the service, with specialist advisors available for rural, area, Māori, and Pacific principals. Domestic and overseas marketing campaigns to attract more teachers and raise the profile of the profession. Schools' operational grants $121.7 million of operating funding to increase school operational grants by 1.5 per cent to address cost pressures. This includes increased base funding for Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu, Secondary-Tertiary Programmes and Service Academies. Attendance Around $123 million for the delivery of a new attendance service and almost $17 million to support and strengthen frontline attendance services.
