In addition, New Zealand can learn from
2.4 Compulsory education
overseas examples. Sweden, Norway and
Finland provide substantial government
2.4.1 What is provided
funding for sign language tuition and
resources for families from the time a child
Schools are directly funded by government
is identified as deaf.90 In Norway, parents
to provide support for the majority of
are offered a total of 40 weeks of training
children with special education needs. If a
in sign language over the first 16 years of
child has high or very high needs related to
their deaf child’s life. Government support
a disability, a school can call on additional
includes covering the costs of tuition,
support from the Ministry of Education.95
travel, accommodation and compensation
A needs assessment outlines how much
for loss of earnings whilst training.91 Deaf
help a child will require to join in and
children whose parents received sign
learn alongside their peers. The Ministry
language training were described as more
of Education directly funds a higher level
knowledgeable and well-adjusted when
of support for a child with high or very
starting school. These positive outcomes
high needs through a range of schemes or
were attributed to the children’s early
services. These include the:
exposure to sign language.92
a
Ongoing Resourcing Scheme
The Fitzgerald Report discussed the
(ORS) that provides support for
strengths and weaknesses of international
children with severe or multiple
initiatives and suggested options for
needs through additional specialist
New Zealand. It recommended that a
teachers, teacher’s aides or other
broader range of early intervention staff
specialists, or through purchasing
be employed, including fluent and trained
items a child might need in the
NZSL instructors to provide 1.5 hours per
classroom
week of NZSL support to children and
their families at home.93 The report further
b Communication Service which
suggested that deaf people with existing
provides support for children who
sign language skills could be trained to be
have difficulties with talking,
early intervention deaf consultants and
listening and understanding
NZSL tutors, in order to improve services
language.96
and options for deaf children.94
Services to deaf and hearing impaired
children and young people are offered by a
variety of providers, such as:
38