Principles

Principles and long-term change direction

 Principles to guide change

Achieving our future vision for disability supports is complex and will take time. There will be many details to work through. A principles-based approach will ensure we stay on track to progress the vision. We will use the principles in the Enabling Good Lives report to help guide decisions on the changes.

The principles are:

Self-determination

Disabled people are in control of their lives.

Beginning early

Invest early in families and whānau to support them; to be aspirational for their disabled child; to build community and natural supports; and to support disabled children to become independent, rather than waiting for a crisis before support is available.

Person-centred

Disabled people have supports that are tailored to their individual needs and goals, and that take a whole life approach rather than being split across programmes.

Ordinary life outcomes

Disabled people are supported to live an everyday life in everyday places; and are regarded as citizens with opportunities for learning, employment, having a home and family, and social participation - like others at similar stages of life.

Mainstream first

Disabled people are supported to access mainstream services before specialist disability services.

Mana enhancing

The abilities and contributions of disabled people and their families are recognised and respected.

Easy to use

Disabled people have supports that are simple to use and flexible.

Relationship building

Supports build and strengthen relationships between disabled people, their whānau and community. 

Long term change direction

• Significant redesign and change will be needed on multiple fronts:
• Building knowledge and skills of disabled people: to ensure disabled people understand the direction for change, and can exercise more choice and control over their supports.
• Investment in families/whānau: to assist them to support their disabled family member to have a good life and help them develop aspirations about what can be achieved.
• Investment to build inclusive communities: to ensure communities, including businesses, workplaces, schools, and cultural, sport and recreational activities, are accessible, welcoming and recognise the contribution of disabled people.
• Changing government systems and processes: to support the system redesign e.g. integrated, outcomes-focussed contracting, individualised funding, funding pooled from across Votes and involving disabled people and families in governance, system and service design and monitoring.

Changes to service provision: to align service governance, delivery models, workforce capability, accountability measures, monitoring and evaluation with the vision and principles of the transformed system.