Disability Services
The Āhuru Mōwai Trust assists families who have children with special needs and differences to find support, take a breath, and exhale. We advocate for and enable safe havens to be created in our communities so that families can feel connected.
Cost: Free
Āhuru Mowai Trust have also partnered with Awesome Bounce Porirua to create a low sensory session for pre-schoolers/under 5s. If your tamariki finds regular play experiences too overwhelming, appreciates grace for behavioural differences, or is adjusting to an early diagnosis, then this may be perfect for you. Join with other parents and carers for a coffee, gain and share tips and insights, find support, take a breath and exhale. Entry is $5 and you a provided with a hot drink.
Altogether Autism is a free, nationwide autism information and advisory service funded by the Ministry of Health provided as a partnership between Life Unlimited Charitable Trust and Parent to Parent New Zealand
Altogether Autism strive to provide information that meets the needs of each specific request and that contains a wide range of relevant, evidence-based material.
Altogether Autism supply information to autistic people, to parents, educators, support workers, GPs, police and any other professional working with adults or children on the autism spectrum.
Cost: Free
Autism New Zealand provides services, support, education and information on autism for autistic people, whānau, caregivers and professionals who engage with them. Autism New Zealand works to:
support autistic people and those who make up their support network – who want active assistance – in a collaborative way that helps them and their community, including liaising with other agencies on their behalf.
educate individuals, families/whānau, professionals and other interested parties about autism, by providing a range of evidence-based, tailored courses that offer practical strategies, tools and information to manage effectively for the best outcomes
advocate for autistic people by providing submissions on relevant legislation and providing comment on government policy relating to autism and raising awareness of autism to promote inclusive behaviours in society.
Cost: Free
Visit: https://autismnz.org.nz/
Blind Low Vision NZ are New Zealand’s leading provider of vision rehabilitation, providing practical and emotional support for people with vision loss.
Blind Low Vision NZ’s vision rehabilitation services are personalised to meet your individual needs and goals, however big or small.
If you’re a member, you’ll be able to access a wide range of support, including:
accessible library
support with how to move around safely, confidently and independently
guide dogs
support with daily living skills
connecting you with other people with sight loss
Cost: Free
CCS Disability Action is the largest pan-disability support and advocacy organisation in New Zealand. CCS Disability Action have a long, proud history of working in partnership with disabled people, families and whānau to provide dedicated and flexible support services.
They offer a broad range of support services for disabled people, family and whānau. What is right for you will depend on your stage of life, your needs and, most importantly, your aspirations.
Services include:
Providing good information.
ACC living my life
Choice in community living
Ministry of Health intensive wraparound
Transition services
Supported lifestyles
Creating meaningful community connections.
Working as an advocate to ensure your voice is heard.
Cost: Free
Visit: https://www.ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz/
Phone: 0800 227 2255
The Cerebral Palsy Society is a member-based organisation that strives to enhance the lives of people with cerebral palsy in New Zealand by providing programmes, support and advice.
Members are at the heart of everything the organisation does and they are proud to support New Zealander’s with CP at all ages and stages.
Cerebral Palsy Society run a variety of programmes and services for our members, from vouchers to subsidised taxi travel and physical activities, to grants, member events and support networks.
Cost: Free
Cleft NZ is community for all groups interested in the outcomes for people born with a cleft. Cleft NZ have the passion, information and contacts to offer you:
emotional support
accurate, up-to-date information
links to like minded people
community opportunities to share experience
access to the information and advice you require
Cost: Free
Visit: https://www.cleft.org.nz/
Deaf Aotearoa provides a range of services for the Deaf Community from employment support to providing assistance with equipment.
Deaf Aotearoa can support:
needs assessment and coordination
applications for assistive equipment
information and advice
deaf and hard of hearing people to get a job
deaf and hard of hearing people to remain in their job
employers to understand more about employing deaf people
learning NZSL
language development
connecting with other families
a youth intern programme
iSign - enables access and participation for Deaf people by providing professional and confidential New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) interpreting services.
Cost: Free
Visit: https://www.deaf.org.nz/
Disabled Person’s Assembly’s core functions are to help engage the New Zealand disability community and to listen to the views of disabled people and articulate these as they work with decision makers.
Disabled Person’s Assembly want to turn disabled rights into reality so we can live in a country where every person is able to live and work, and simply be who we are.
To ensure your voice is heard, and to advance your aspirations, Disabled Person’s Assembly work with and help you work with:
government
your local community
the general public
the media
disability service providers.
Cost: Free
Visit: https://www.dpa.org.nz/
With no cure for a childhood heart condition, Heart Kids NZ is committed to providing lifelong, vital services at no cost to ensure all those impacted will feel supported, informed, educated, and connected. Heart Kids NZ help at every step of the journey; from diagnosis, through childhood, the teenage years and into adulthood. Practical and emotional support is vital in helping individuals and families cope with the day-to-day challenges of living with a childhood heart condition.
Cost: Free
iSign enables deaf people who use New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) to book an interpreter. Interpreters enable communication between two languages and can also help bridge cultural differences. iSign’s NZSL interpreting services are provided by qualified interpreters affiliated with a professional body that sets a professional code of conduct and/or code of ethics, that includes interpreter’s confidentiality and impartiality. iSign staff work hard to ensure appropriate NZSL interpreters are provided for each individual job. This takes into account the job location, type of job, any preferences or requirements of the Deaf person/people and iSign interpreter’s skills/experience and availability.
Cost: Free
Visit https://isign.co.nz/
The New Zealand Down Syndrome Association (NZDSA) has set itself the mission to support, inform and advocate alongside people with Down syndrome, whānau and professionals.
NZDSA can:
Inform, support, educate and empower whānau and people with Down syndrome.
Promote awareness and deeper knowledge about Down syndrome to create positive attitudes in the community, particularly interested parties like educators and medical professionals.
Advocate for the rights and inclusion of people with Down syndrome.
Review policies and lobby government and other agencies.
Create leadership platforms for people with Down syndrome.
Cost: Free
Visit: https://nzdsa.org.nz/
PVI is a registered charity which enrols and supports parents who have blind or vision impaired children. There’s no cost to enrol and you will be joining a supportive community of parents who are overcoming challenges every day.
PVI offer parents advice, information, and opportunities to meet other parents. PVI publishes a newsletter (eVision) and has a members-only Facebook page for whānau to share information and to network. PVI also have an annual conference and AGM which allows people to get together for a longer time, talk, listen and learn in a social setting.
Cost: Free
Visit: https://pvi.org.nz/
Parent 2 Parent offer coffee groups and peer support for parents of a child with a disability. Often raising a child with a disability is an experience that isn’t planned, and Parent 2 Parent know it can be a challenging journey. Parent 2 Parent can inform, educate, inspire and support you as you navigate your way through your family’s experience with disability. Their services are free and confidential.
Cost: Free
The Little Miracles Trust (formally known as The Neonatal Trust) provides a free information pack to parents with a pēpi in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) as soon as possible, and offer regular lunch/morning tea catch ups, and group information sessions.
Cost: Free
Bronwyn and Amy are two neurodivergent midwives who are dedicated to improving the childbearing experience for all neurodivergent families.
In this seven-episode podcast series they explore the childbearing journey through a neurodivergent lens, in particular a lens informed by ADHD and Autism.
This series provides useful, empowering information for neurodivergent people in any stage of their pregnancy and early parenting journey, as well as their support network of family, friends and midwives wanting to enhance the care they provide.
You can find the Neurobirth Podcast on the following platforms:
For transcripts and further information visit www.neurobirthpodcast.com
The Wellington Early Intervention Trust (WEIT) is an independent charitable trust accredited by the Ministry of Education to provide early intervention services to preschool children 0-5 years from the Greater Wellington Region.
WEIT offers a centre based programme for families who have a young child with developmental delays (physical, intellectual or behavioural). There are four specialist therapies:
music Therapy
physiotherapy
speech Language Therapy
early Intervention Teaching
The children who come to the centre have many different kinds of disabilities, such as Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Aspergers, rare genetic disorders and developmental delays with no specific diagnosis.
Cost: Free
Visit: https://www.weit.org.nz/
The Wellington Down Syndrome Association is a free, non-profit organisation that supports families and people with Down syndrome in the Greater Wellington Region.
WDSA value and support people with Down syndrome, provide encouragement, information and resources to parents, families and health professionals
WDSA support parents (particularly new parents) with community contact, welcome packs and linking to other helpful information and resources.
The WDSA run events like the Frances Clarke community awards and the annual WDSA Christmas party. You can often find WDSA running local age group catch ups to provide opportunities for people within the Down syndrome community to connect and build relationships.
Cost: Free
Visit: https://wdsa.co.nz/
Ask your GP practice about Access & Choice. The support is intended as a brief intervention service that is provided through a partnership between your GP, Health Improvement Practitioners, Health Coaches and Community Support Workers. These supports may involve brief intervention therapies, navigation of social services, advocacy, peer support, coaching, support to develop plans, budgeting and housing support. It may support the person in gaining employment and improving community or whānau connection. Other supports may include:
Emotional health and mental wellbeing
Housing
Social engagement
Paid work
WINZ
Long term disability
Money matters
Whānau issues
Managing drug use, drinking or gambling