IHC launches 2012 appeal wilth call to parents having difficulty enrolling child at school

IHC is launching its 2012 Annual Appeal with a call to parents who are having difficulty enrolling a child with a disability at school.

“Let us know if you are having trouble of any kind. We want to help you make sure your child is educated – and welcome – at school,” says IHC Director of Advocacy Trish Grant.

When twins Levi and Olivia Jeffery turned five, two Hamilton primary schools refused to enrol Levi, who is blind and has autistic tendencies. It disrupted the education of both children and was stressful for the whole family. In the end Olivia left her school and started with Levi the following year, aged 6, at Woodstock Primary School, in Hamilton.

Trish says despite disabled children having the right to be fully included in their local schools, many schools refuse to enrol disabled children or put limits on their enrolment. “Parents are often asked to contribute financially to teacher-aide hours, to take their child home early, or keep them at home during a school activity or camp because it’s seen as too hard to include the children.”

In its Annual Appeal, which runs for the month of February, IHC is asking New Zealanders to help us go into bat for children with intellectual disabilities.

Disabled children and young people experience high rates of poverty and family breakdown. Parents often don’t get the right information or support; they don’t know what their entitlements are; they struggle to support their child’s rights. Ten percent of children aged under 15 have a disability; 25 percent of children with a disability live in benefit-dependent homes; 18 percent of children with a disability live in homes where the income is less than $30,000 a year.

To report problems enrolling a child with a disability in school phone 0800 442 442 and press 2.

Please send a donation to IHC, PO Box 1757, Wellington or donate online at www.ihc.org.nz/donate or call 0900 44 900 to make a $20 donation.

BACKGROUNDER
31 January 2012
Our priorities for children

Every day disabled children and young people are missing out at home, at school and in the community. They experience high rates of poverty and family breakdown, and few attend early childhood education. Parents don’t get the right information; they don’t know what their entitlements are.

IHC wants to improve lives for families and in our 2012 Annual Appeal we are asking New Zealanders to support a change for children.

The facts:
• 5% of all children have special education needs.
• 10% of children aged under 15 have a disability.
• 25% of children with a disability live in benefit-dependent homes.
• 28% of children with a disability live in one-parent homes.
• 18% of children with a disability live in homes where the income is less than $30,000 a year.
• Only 25% of disabled children 0-14 are estimated to be getting special education support.

IHC relies on donations for much of the work it does on behalf of children in New Zealand with intellectual disabilities. Many IHC programmes are not government-funded so we need help from the public if we are to carry on our work in communities.

Our work to support children includes:
• Regular advocacy on behalf of families who struggle to get the early support they need. IHC has been running ‘Start Strong’ seminars throughout New Zealand to improve this early support.
• A commitment to inclusive education for all children. IHC is pursuing a complaint with the Human Rights Commission against Government policies and practices that discriminate against children with intellectual disabilities.
• Commissioning research on inclusive education that made a powerful case for including disabled students in regular classrooms.
• Providing a free book about intellectual disability to every family and their child who request it.
• A special ‘We Can Help’ campaign to help Christchurch families in the aftermath of the earthquakes.