There are qualified, experienced staff who work with young children with special education needs from birth through to the time they start school. They provide a range of early intervention services. These people are available to visit children at their home or in their early childhood education setting.

 

Early intervention services are mainly provided by the Ministry of Education, Special Education but in some areas there are also other specialist early intervention service providers. These provide a complementary range of early intervention services. To find out about these options in your local area contact Special Education – they will provide you with information. Contact details for all Special Education offices are listed at the bottom of this fact sheet.

 

Early intervention services may include:

What services are provided when a child or young person goes to primary or secondary school?

If a child or young person has special education needs the school or college they attend provides support and services. This assistance may include access to:

• specially trained teachers who work with students with moderate learning and/or behaviour difficulties - (called Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour – RTLBs)
• specially trained teachers for students with vision impairments (called Resource Teachers: Vision)
• teachers who work with children who have hearing impairments (called Resource Teachers: Deaf)

• therapists who provide assistance to students with high speech and language needs. They are able to assist families and teachers and provide programmes to meet students’ needs (speech-language therapists)
• therapists who provide assistance to students with physical impairments. They are also able to provide advice to teachers and families (occupational therapists and physiotherapists)
• psychologists work with those who need assistance to learn, and with behaviour, social and emotional development. They provide appropriate psychological and educational assessments and interventions
• advisors who work with children with behavioural and learning needs. These advisors also work with teachers to help adapt their programmes (special education advisors)
• advisors who work with children who are deaf or have hearing impairments (advisors on deaf children)
• teacher aides who provide support under the direction of classroom teachers
• support workers who work with children with behavioural and communication needs, and provide one-on-one support for children within schools under the direction of therapists, psychologists or advisors

• a subsidy or allowance for transport assistance so a child can travel between home and the nearest school
• alterations or additions to school property to enable children to enter and carry out regular activities within state schools
• a wide range of resources and equipment to help children learn

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