Posts by Hilary Stace
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Sam - I've replied over at Mediocrity watch too. It did not fill me with optimism.
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Sam - I think that interview is really relevant to this thread. Yes I heard that interview and had to keep reminding myself that this was a minister in her first significant interview as Minister of Disability Issues speaking to a sector that has been working very hard on several fronts over recent years. Most importantly she is charged with implementing the 22 recommendations (which had cross party support) of the disability report of the social services select committee - an inquiry that had been going for over two years. Such as a stand alone Disability Commission.
I think her interest in 'awareness type stuff' and patronising comments about not noticing wheelchairs, and commitment only to a ministerial committee, shows she has not quite got it. Frankly, I found it a heavy on waffle and psychobable, and light on detail. But we can only hope (desperately) that she learns fast.
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It would be easy to incorporate NZSL into the primary school classroom as it is such kinetic learning, involving the upper body and face. Just needs the political will and the teachers. Then kids could teach their hearing impaired grandparents, or baby siblngs.
I would recommend anyone having a go at learning NZSL. There are classes through university extension courses and night classes at secondary schools. I did a beginners course a couple of years ago taken by a brilliant Deaf teacher. Although I was pretty hopeless at it (old rigid brain) it was a great insight into Deaf protocol and culture. And over the weeks the tutor gave everyone their own sign name.
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David, I'm afraid you have destroyed Wallace Chapman's credibility as an interviewer/TV host. I can't watch Back Benches anymore without the spa pool image. On the other hand perhaps that could be a new TV opportunity for him - a talk show in the spa pool.
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Getting back to moaning about the Minister of Health. There is one area of huge injustice that has to addressed.
To get support for children with autism and their families through the Needs Assessment and Service Coordination system, the person with autism has to be diagnosed with intellectual impairment or some other medical condition as well. Apparently, families of children who have autism but normal intelligence (and what a load of baggage that phrase brings), don't have any need for respite or other support,. And considering, most of these children are also ineligible for any targetted educational support - means it can be pretty stressful in some AS households.
Some of those with the highest support needs are adults who have never had a diagnosis and suspect they have autism. Not only can they get no state support to get a diagnosis, but even if they can find and pay for a diagnostician, they are not entitled to any services through the Ministry of Health's NASC system.
Funnily enough the Ministry of Health's Disability Services is about to start a consultative road show around NZ. Please encourage people to attend and tell their stories. DS are not the bad guys - they need public support to show the need and get more money for services
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A colleague who has a deaf son completed her Masters thesis last year on the experiences of parents of D/deaf/hearing impaired children who had cochlea implants. She interviewed several parents around NZ. I don't think she has published anything yet but it was a fascinating project.
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Thanks Emma. I really like parent stories, and even though each one is of course unique, they all contribute to normalising impairments as just part of human diversity. And like Gordon Brown and Duncan Cameron talking openly about their disabled children it makes it easier for the rest of us. Our children don't have to be heroes or tragedies, but are allowed to be normal kids being part of ordinary families doing regular kid stuff.
By the way I use disabled in the sense of disabled by the barriers society puts up such as funding and service issues. Increased awareness is one way to attack the disabling society.
And did you all learn NZ Sign? I would like it to be a compulsory school subject from 5 years old for all children as it could be extremely useful in all sorts of circumstances for all of us.
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The education select committee has representatives from all parties in parliament, so even though the government has a majority, it is not necessarily just a mouth-piece for government. The non-government members also have a say. I heard that several members of the select committee know of family members, friends or constituents facing special ed issues, so they may be genuine in their concern. Let's see.
The various parties represented on the social services select committee of the last parliament managed to agree after a long public consultation on several recommendations about improving the quality and care of disabled people. That is now up to the current government to implement, but it previously had cross-party support through the select committee.
So select committees can have some teeth - if you get a chance to put your case to them (which didn't happen with several of this new government's bills which were passed under urgency).
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Ian - That is actually close to reality in some places.
There must be some way we can have a strong united and collective voice on the education of all kids with special educational needs as a human rights issue. Possibly 10% (probably higher) of kids have special educational needs. Parents and schools have a variety of ideas about what appropriate special ed looks like. Traditionally we have been split by diversions into arguments re special schools, units, mainstreaming, home schooling etc.
But there must be a collection of principles that we can all agree on around such things as adequate funding, workforce (well trained and remunerated), and access to welcoming and inclusive local schools (perhaps with some additional specialist local options).
What a powerful lobby that would be. -
To defend Allan Peachey and the select committee, I have heard hints that they are interested in working on some of these issues, and hearing from parents and professionals. So let's wait for our invitations.
What worries my slightly is that apparently Act MP Heather Roy has been allocated Assoc Min responsibilities for special education, and on Back Benches last night did mention her enthusiasm for school choice. Choice for who? And how? I can just see kids with special ed needs being given a budget rate voucher for their education but no school accepting it.
And that typo might have been my transcribing rush. I'll check the original.