New qualifications and skill standards in Disability Support

Toitū te Waiora are excited to announce the development of new Disability Support qualifications and supporting skill standards at Levels 3 and 4, set to begin in early 2025. This initiative comes as a direct result of our extensive consultation with the Disability Support sector during the Health and Wellbeing Qualifications Review, as well as the outcomes of the New Zealand Disability Support Network (NZDSN). NZDSN Voices From the Community Report highlighted the critical need for qualifications that prioritise disability support services. 

In collaboration with the sector, disabled individuals, and their whānau, Toitū te Waiora is committed to creating qualifications and skill standards that accurately reflect and support the unique needs of the disability support workforce and disabled people. 

We are eager to connect and engage with disabled people, their whānau and supporters, disabled people’s associations, subject matter experts, service providers, and disability organisations. We are particularly interested in hearing from people working within, or from, the Māori, Pacific, intellectual disability, and neurodiversity spaces to ensure that disabled people remain central to our mahi. 

Toitū te Waiora are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to contribute. Our consultation will be inclusive of both regional and national perspectives and take a co-design approach. To achieve this, we will be hosting a series of online surveys, webinars, one-on-one kōrero and workshops in collaboration with local disability support networks. Additionally, we will be forming a Disability Support Consultation Group and engaging with our established Disability National Industry Advisory Group (NIAG) to guide this mahi.

Progress update: Public consultation and next steps 

We are pleased to share that the public consultation period for the new Disability Support qualifications has now been completed. 

Throughout March and April, we engaged with over 100 organisations and individuals, including disabled people, whānau, and others working in the disability support sector. This included four online webinars, and two in-person hui held in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) and Ōtautahi (Christchurch). 

The feedback we received strongly reinforced the sector’s support for these qualifications and the importance of ensuring they reflect the values and skills needed to enable good lives for disabled people. Key themes included: respect, strong and inclusive communication, sharing of information, community inclusion and acceptance, ethical and safe practice, valuing cultural perspectives, and recognising the New Zealand disability support context through the lens of the social model of disability. There was also a clear emphasis on meeting the practical, mental, and emotional needs of disabled people. 

We have now extended invitations to members of the Disability Support Consultation Group. This group will meet between April and June (4–6 sessions in total) to help shape the Level 3 and 4 qualifications, ensuring the insights gathered during consultation are embedded into the qualifications in a way that is measurable and assessable. 

If you were not able to participate during the formal consultation period, there is still time to share your voice. We welcome ongoing conversations with individuals and groups—please get in touch using the contact details below to arrange a meeting. 

We are making strong progress and are on track to release the first draft qualification for public consultation in June. Keep an eye on this page for updates or subscribe below to be among the first to know when the draft qualifications and skill standards are available for feedback.

Participants’ answers to: What is one word to describe the disability support sector?

Need support to participate?

We want to ensure everyone who wants to be involved can contribute. If you require an accessible format, flexible timing, or another form of support, please get in touch with us at [email protected]