Referral and Assessment
Parents with children at school who are concerned about their child’s learning and development should speak to their child’s teachers or the principal to discuss what support and services their child may need, and the range of support available. This page describes how a child's learning needs are assessed.
Some children with special education needs will have had these needs assessed by early intervention staff before they start school and services will be in place for them as they start school.
In some cases, concerns about a child's learning and development are only identified after a child starts school. Parents with children at school who are concerned about their child's learning and development should speak to their child's teachers or the principal to discuss what support and services their child may need, and the range of support available.
If parents have spoken to their child's school and are still concerned, they can talk to a Ministry of Education, National Operations student support manager. They can help parents decide what to do next. District Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE) offices can provide their contact details.
Most children and young people with special education needs receive support and services from the school or college they attend. If necessary, schools can arrange for specialist teachers to provide services, or make a referral to the Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE) who can assess the child's learning needs, to determine if additional services and resourcing are required. It is important that a child's learning needs are assessed so that the most suitable programme and support can be developed.
Assessment
Assessment is largely the responsibility of the class teachers and school staff, with support from specialists from other agencies where appropriate. Assessment information will form the basis for the Individual Education Programme (IEP) for a child. A range of specialists may work with children with special education needs, including specialist teachers, speech-language therapists, special education advisors, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists and advisors on deaf children.
An assessment of a child or young person can confirm whether there is a difficulty, whether it is mild, moderate or perhaps severe, and whether the child needs:
- special teaching in order to learn
- special equipment to help them see
- special equipment to help them hear
- special equipment to help them move around.
This assessment will be done over time and it will probably be based on one or more of the following:
- observations in different settings, for example, the classroom or playground
- interviews and discussions with a child and with those closely involved with him or her
- formal, standardised tests
- a curriculum-based assessment
- assessment of their learning environment
- assessment of how they learn, for example, do they work better when instructions are written, not oral
- a review of records of a child's activities, including school attendance
- a portfolio of a child's work
- self-assessment.
Effective assessment will take into account diversity of belief systems and cultural expectations. Assessment information should be shared with the student / family / whānau at the time of the assessment, or as soon as possible afterwards.
Assessments are helpful for finding out the child's needs but can be stressful for families. Extra support and understanding by all those involved will ease this process.
New Zealand special education has taken a deliberately non-categorical approach to support for children and young people with special education needs. This means that needs are defined in terms of the support required, rather than by use of diagnostic labels.
Information from the assessment process will form the basis for the Individual Education Programme (IEP) for a child.
Special Note: the Ministry of Education recommends that where parents choose to go to a private practitioner, they establish that the practitioner is registered in their field, has an annual practising certificate if appropriate, and has a credible reputation both in the community and within their profession. The Ministry also recommends the use of a practitioner who is prepared to conduct assessments in a child's natural and everyday settings such as the home, early childhood centre and community.
Who to contact for more information
For more information, please