Although they are yet to see the fine details, two of those
who work with the disabled in Dunedin are welcoming
additional government funding for services.
Having a choice of schools to attend is not always a reality
for high-needs special education pupils and CCS Disability
Action wants to find out how widespread the problem is.
A giraffe is an animal with four legs and a very long neck.
But to Cade Westoby and Calum Glasgow, it can often look like
nothing more than a yellow blur in a picture book.
The
frequency of committee meetings was under scrutiny at
yesterday's inaugural disability support and community and
public health advisory committee meeting in Dunedin, with one
member saying once every two months was not enough.
The deinstitutionalisation of care for the intellectually
disabled in this country - moved during the 1980s and beyond
from large "homes" where they were cared for by staff
employed under public service conditions into small groups in
community houses - was considered socially desirable and also
provided fiscal benefits.
You could say skier Karen Skillen took the counterculture
route of turning on, dropping out, and tuning in, to start an
international fundraising bid for adaptive snowsports.
Advancements in medical care mean New Zealand's
intellectually disabled population is living longer, but
questions are being raised about how their changing needs
will be met and who will care for them.
