Does my child need a referral to the Ministry of Education for their communication, speech or language development?
Here are some questions and answers to help you decide whether your child needs a referral to the Ministry of Education for their communication, speech or language development.
When?
- have you talked to someone else who knows your child well and tried some of the recommended tips?
- are you still concerned?
What?
- think about your child's communication skills including speech, language, and social interactions
- think about the impact on their daily activities and social interactions at home and in the early childhood education setting
- are they having significant difficulties understanding or communicating with other tamariki (children) or adults a lot of the time?
- are they becoming withdrawn or showing different behaviours to communicate their needs and wants a lot of the time?
How?
- if you answered 'yes' to the above questions then contact your local Ministry of Education office to discuss your concerns or make a referral
Who should I contact?
To make a referral, you can ring 0800 622 222 or email Special Education on special.education@education.govt.nz
More information
Acknowledgements
The content on this page has been produced in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and adapted from Much more than words | Manuka takoto, kawea ake (2014).
References
If you would like to look at anything in more detail, this list of references might be a good starting point.
