DPA New Zealand

Annual Report 2001

1. Publications & Communication

This year DPA decided to discontinue publishing our award-winning magazine, Able UPDATE for reasons of cost. Our last Able UPDATE was published for December 2000 / January 2001 and was very favourably received for its reporting on our wonderful November 2000 National Assembly, Te Ao Hou. We have, however, replaced the magazine with more timely and up-to-date issues of our lower cost newsletter, DPA Bites, that is produced and distributed to members every two months through our regional assemblies. Though we introduced a two-colour format into the published newsletter, we were able to reduce print costs by switching suppliers.

DPA Bites is also sent our electronically via email and placed on our website with our other publications.

The Communications Working Group was involved in discussions about the publications and is working with regions regarding Regional Assembly Audits.

1. Disability Appointments & Consultation File

Early in 2001 the DPA National Secretariat decided to update the DPA Disability Appointments and Consultation File. This file is a database of members' interests and expertise established to allow the Secretariat to quickly identify people who might be able to:

All members who were interested were invited to contact the National Secretariat for information.

1. Education

In our school system there is evidence of systemic discrimination against children with disabilities. But new changes announced this year are expected to create a framework that will allow this discrimination to be addressed. Last year the Government announced some specific changes to SE2000 and this year it announced a new Special Education structural framework.

Specialist Education Services (SES) will be disestablished, and its staff and services transferred to a new directorate within the Ministry of Education. The directorate will be established in 2002, with a Learning Support Network and regional, local resource and support centres.

This decision to dis-establish SES was based on the Wylie Report recommendation and sets out that a new national network of support and resource centres for special education will be developed under the aegis of the Ministry of Education.

A range of options had emerged from the submission process and subsequent consultation on Special Education. The Government believes it is proceeding with the option that provides the best basis for improved co-ordination both within the education system and with other social services to address fragmentation that existed for children, young people and their families. There is a clear need for special education to be responsive to local needs while at the same time offering national consistency, leadership and strong professional support for the specialists who work in special education and the rationale is that placing responsibility for SE2000 within the Ministry creates a direct line of accountability to Government. Parents who made submissions during the consultation called for accountability, advocacy and attitudinal change. There were many reports of discrimination, hostility, exclusion, and powerlessness even though the Education Act and the Human Rights Act provide the right to education for children and young people with disabilities and special learning needs. The Human Rights Commission received a large number of complaints and enquiries about special education and the number appeared to be growing. Overall, 60 per cent of complaints in the education area concern disability.

More from the 2001 Annual Report

Index . Vision, Mission, Philosophy . Acknowledgements . President's Report . Chief Executive's Report . National Executive . Goal 1: Providing Leadership . International Relations . Charter for the Third Millennium . RI Social Commission . Vocational Commission . Leisure, Recreation and Sport Commission . Goal 2: Quality Advice . Goal 3: Advocating . Goal 4: Monitoring . Financial Statements

For previous reports contact gen@dpa.org.nz.