Our News

Number-crunching and analysis is underway at IHC as we tally hundreds of responses to our recent survey on how New Zealand is doing for people with intellectual disabilities.

IHC welcomes moves towards a new disability system that puts greater choice and control over services in the hands of disabled people.

IHC is questioning why people with intellectual disabilities are invisible in new prison mental health plans unveiled today by the Government, at a cost of $14 million.

Two lower North Island respite bases will now be managed by NZCare Disability, under new plans announced by IDEA Services.

Are people with intellectual disabilities having their quality of life improved and how do we know? IHC is on a drive to find out with a new survey.

IHC New Zealand warmly welcomes Paula Tesoriero as the country’s new Disability Rights Commissioner.

IDEA Services is pleased to announce that CCS Disability Action will now manage Shared Care services so people have the opportunity for continued support.

Two respite bases in the Wellington region are to be run by Spectrum Care, which is set to take over these two services from IDEA Services.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed plans for IDEA to move out of providing this service.

IHC is pleased to announce quality home support services for people will continue uninterrupted.

IHC is looking for a family member of a person with an intellectual disability to join our board. IHC has always ensured good family member representation on its board, reflecting the membership and heart of our organisation. 

It's just one month to go until entries for the 2017 IHC Art Awards open online on Thursday 1 June 2017.

The Minister has announced today that Explore will pick up the Autism family education and therapy programmes IDEA Services has operated at a loss for the last three years.

IDEA Services is pleased to announce that it is in talks with two well regarded disability support service providers around Home Support and Facility-Based Respite.

We are sorry to announce that IDEA Services has given notice that it simply cannot continue to provide Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) family education and one-to-one communication support programmes following three years of underfunding.

From tonight Accessible Properties will take over the ownership and management of more than 1100 homes from Housing New Zealand in the Tauranga area.

We are going to make a number of changes to the services we provide through IDEA Services.

The IHC Art Awards provides artists with an intellectual disability the opportunity to have their talent recognised, their voices heard and to sell their work.

IHC New Zealand backs the call made by Autism New Zealand into reviewing respite care in New Zealand saying far too many people are falling through the cracks.

IHC New Zealand is delighted that the contract has been signed with the Government confirming that Accessible Properties will acquire and manage 1140 more homes in Tauranga.

IHC is calling for the Government to guarantee rights for children to attend their local school over online schools.

The Government’s new Disability Strategy makes great promises but remains lightweight on securing fair outcomes for those with intellectual disabilities who find themselves in the justice system.

IHC welcomes the Ministry of Education’s move today to outlaw school seclusion rooms and continues to advocate for individualised responses to each child’s needs, with schools having more support and direction.

IHC welcomes today’s decision to investigate the use of seclusion rooms in schools and for all to be shut down until a finding is determined.

An IHC travelling exhibition that provides insight into the lives of people with an intellectual disability opens to the public on Thursday 20 October at the ASB Theatre in Blenheim.

IHC welcomes the strong recommendations made to the New Zealand government by the United Nations Committee on Rights of the Child, to respect the human rights of disabled children and do more to ensure they are fulfilled.

An open letter from the Education for All network was read to the Minister of Education on the steps of Parliament on Thursday 23 September outlining the disappointment and frustration felt by the network at the continued lack of commitment from Government to ensure that disabled people have access to a properly resourced and inclusive education.

The thoughts and best wishes of the many people associated with IHC New Zealand are with Colin Meads, Verna and their family and friends at this tough time. The news that Colin is battling pancreatic cancer has saddened us all and we wish him every comfort and time with his family.

This week I saw the news media about the killing in Japan in an institution for disabled people where 19 people were killed and 26 others were injured by just one person and the media highlighted it as the worse killing in Japan since World War 2.

A new report from IHC shows that while there have been significant advances for people with intellectual disabilities, progress is still too slow. IHC is launching the Making Citizenship and Rights Real in the Lives of People with Intellectual Disabilities report today. It outlines priorities for ensuring the 35 thousand New Zealanders with intellectual disabilities can live valued and good lives as citizens.

An intricate embroidered cushion by Wellington artist Jo-Anne Tapiki has won the 2016 IHC Art Awards and $5000.

Jo-Anne started working from IHC’s Arts on High studio in Lower Hutt 18 months ago and this is the first time she has entered the competition. She likes to collect brochures – particularly ones about holidays – and this has been her inspiration.

IHC congratulates Robert Martin on his election to the United Nations Committee for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Robert is the first person with an intellectual disability to be elected to serve on such a committee – however he is no stranger to the UN.

IHC is delighted to announce Catalina Devandas Aguilar, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as a keynote speaker at the IHC Workability International Make it Work Conference in September.

Brent Wilton, Director of Global Workplace Rights at Coca-Cola, and Steve Shepherd, former head of Ranstad’s specialist disability recruitment team in Australia, have also been confirmed as keynote speakers.

Early bird tickets to the conference hosted in Auckland by IHC New Zealand are selling fast. Early bird ticket sales end on Friday 17 June.

IHC New Zealand says new money for teacher aides won’t necessarily mean children with disabilities get the education all children deserve.

IHC is delighted to announce Catalina Devandas Aguilar, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as a keynote speaker at the IHC Workability International Make it Work Conference in September.

The Workability International Conference is held annually and this year it is being hosted in Auckland by IHC New Zealand.

Brent Wilton, Director of Global Workplace Rights at Coca-Cola, and Steve Shepherd, former head of Ranstad’s specialist disability recruitment team in Australia, have also been confirmed as keynote speakers.

IHC welcomes today’s announcement of the NZ Health Strategy and is particularly pleased to see that action is being taken to improve the health of people with intellectual disabilities.

IHC Director of Advocacy, Trish Grant, says, “Updating the health strategy to take some action to improve the health of people with intellectual disabilities is long overdue.”

IHC is welcoming the news that children with disability will finally get equal treatment when going into out of home care.

The Social Development Minister, Anne Tolley, announced today that a major state care reform and complete overhaul of Child, Youth and Family would take place. It is aiming to improve the long-term life outcomes for New Zealand’s most vulnerable population. Children with disabilities are over represented in New Zealand’s most vulnerable.

Entries for the 2016 IHC Art Awards are now open.

The Awards celebrate the creative talents of New Zealanders with an intellectual disability. This year artists will be asked to submit full entries online for the first time and now the first stage of judging will also take place there.

IHC welcomes the survey conducted by NZEI TE Riu Roa of Special Education Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs) that shows a lack of adequate support for disabled students at school. NZEI’s survey of Special Education Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs) in schools, has revealed that around 16 percent of students were on schools’ special needs registers, but nearly 90 percent of schools’ special needs coordinators did not believe there was adequate support for students and their learning. 

Consultation for the update of the Education Act 1989 is now open. The Ministry of Education are holding a series of four regional workshops specifically for parents, families and whānau of children with special education needs and disabled people’s organisations.