Carers reflect on six months since shock disability cuts
Your Awhi newsletter
Kia ora Awhi community,
How are you? Spring has sprung! Or has it? Here’s a fun fact for anyone who has a season hyperfixation. There are as many as four starting dates for the New Zealand Spring:
Astronomical dates – based around the equinox and solstice suggests Spring begins September 21.
Meteorological dates – the tidy three-month division of the year into seasons, suggests Spring begins September 1.
The solar winter – the three "darkest" months with the June 21-22 winter solstice in the middle, suggests about August 8.
And of course - Nature! For many, Spring begins when the kowhai bloomed, or the first lamb is born. Ka puāwai ngā kōwhai he tohu tēnā kua aroaromahana / When the kōwhai is in flower it's a sign that it's spring.
Kōanga is the Māori word for Spring - it includes the word 'kō', a digging implement because Spring is the time to dig the soil.
Whatever you think is the right Spring date, we hope you are doing well. As a calming exercise, see if you can see the signs of Spring. Can you see blossoms blooming? Is Spring / Kōanga a time of hope for you and your family? A time of new growth? A new beginning?
This morning
and Katy Thomas were on Nine to Noon speaking about how the last six months have been for the community.It's been six months since shock cuts to what disabled people and their carers could purchase came into effect and those affected say there hasn't been a day of peace since.
In a flurry to protect its budget Whaikaha limited what people could use their disability and carer support budgets for, dropping the news without notice on March the 18th.
Carer Support, Individualised Funding, Choices in Community Living, Enhanced Individualised Funding, Enabling Good Lives personal budgets were all affected.
Changes were also made to Whaikaha's Equipment Modification Services.
But it wasn't just that - numerous other changes have impacted the disabled community - things such the ending of public transport subsidies, the reinstatement of fees for prescription medication, there's also decisions that will have long-term impact such as cutting the funding for the 15-year long Growing Up in New Zealand project - research that tracked 6000 children which specifically looked at the impact of disability on poverty rates.
Further reading:
Enabling Good Lives vs Abuse in State Care
NZ study finds parents of children with autism have lower quality of life
ADHD community hails plan to increase access to medication
This beautiful tribute by
about her daughter turning 16:The way she moves, the way she talks, the way she sees the world are completely unique to her. I haven’t seen an autistic person exactly the same as her. That’s why I always laugh at the concept of autistic tick box style checklists - because my girl broke the mold when it comes to (insert massive air quotes here) typical neurodivergence.
We all want our young people to be self-sufficient and do the things they enjoy - like catching a train. But is displaying independence a precursor for funding cuts? Are we expected to clip their wings to keep them safe? And to spare us the trauma of having supports taken away from us every time things are going well?
Events and opportunities that may be of interest:
Join Women in Urbanism as part of the 2024 Aotearoa Festival of Architecture to learn and discuss Inclusive Design principles and enjoy a screening of the epic Sundance Award-Winning Film "Crip Camp - A Disability Revolution." More info.
Disability Expo - Carterton Events Centre - 28 September.
Wellington takataapui musician Callan James hosts a sing-along at Te Waka Huia Wellington Museum.
Learn practical facilitation & consensus skills for advocacy October 1 at Newtown Community Centre Theatre. Learn video editing for advocacy 15 October.
How can heritage organisations go about making their spaces more accessible for the disabled community? In this free public talk, Amy Boswell-Hore of Access Quest NZ will discuss a simple process for conducting an accessibility audit, and highlight just how manageable and achievable it can be to work towards meaningful change. Teece Museum Christchurch.
The ATSNZ Disability Expo will be held in Auckland, and for the first time, Christchurch, in November. More details.
Disabled Persons Assembly AGM online and in person 23 November. More details.
Te Pou has opened applications for the Disability Training and Leadership Development Grants! Perfect for DSS, DPO, or IF recipients to boost skills and leadership. Leadership Grant closes 30 Sept 2024. Apply today: communications@tepou.co.nz
Got a minute to do some good?
For years now we have been talking about the travel assistance scheme. Now we finally have a chance to give feedback on it!
The National Travel Assistance Scheme helps parents who are referred by their specialist to see another specialist, and need to travel long distances or travel frequently to get support. The funding for the scheme has been unchanged since 2009.
The specialists must both be part of a government-funded health and disability service. It is set at 28c per kilometre and $100 per night for accommodation. To put that into context, the current 2022 IRD mileage rate is 83c per kilometre.
“When our daughter had open heart surgery, we all travelled together as a family to Auckland - as you can imagine it is very difficult for one parent to be home with our son and the other to be in the hospital with our daughter alone. That means driving is reimbursed by the kilometre, or if we all flew, only my daughter and one support person’s flights would be covered.”
Please recommend below that the travel assistance scheme be updated and increased to $1 per kilometre. It only takes seconds.
Capture the moment
People’s Choice voting is now open! Vote for your favourite photograph from this year’s talented finalists in the IHC Capture the moment photography competition!
Are you or someone you know navigating life with an intellectually disabled family member?
IHC is on a mission to enhance the lives of people with intellectual disabilities in New Zealand through two important research projects.
IHC are especially interested in connecting with families in Auckland, Wellington, and surrounding areas who have an adult intellectually disabled family member living at home, as well as individuals with intellectual disabilities who are not currently engaged in work or study.
Interviews will be conducted face-to-face and will last up to two hours, with the possibility of follow-up online interviews and feedback requests (up to an hour). As a token of appreciation, participants will receive a $150 Prezzy voucher.
For more information or to express interest, please email advocacy@ihc.org.nz. IHC have developed an Easy Read guide to explain more - read it here.
We hope you are safe and well. And we are always available to contact via DM or by replying to this email.
Please let us know if you’d like us to include anything in our Awhi newsletter.
Arohanui, the Awhi team.
