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 (DSCG) and engaging with our established Disability National Industry Advisory Group (NIAG) to guide this mahi.
Toitū te Waiora Workforce Development Council is seeking sector and community feedback on two proposed qualifications:
These qualifications have been co-designed with disabled people, whānau, employers, providers, and the wider disability community. Development has been guided by our Disability Support Consultation Group (DSCG) — comprised of subject matter experts and those with lived experience from across the disability support sector. They reflect contemporary, rights-based practice and are grounded in the Enabling Good Lives approach.
Why these qualifications matter
Feedback from our 2024–2025 sector engagement showed that existing health and wellbeing qualifications do not fully meet the needs of the disability support workforce. The new qualifications aim to:
About the Level 3 qualification
The New Zealand Certificate in Disability Support (Level 3) will be supported by skill standards. There are currently two sets of skill standards out for public consultation, with more identified in the pipeline for priority development:
We will continue to develop new skill standards, either by redeveloping existing unit standards or creating new standards to address identified gaps. Once there is a full suite of skill standards to support the Health and Wellbeing sector, it is expected that they will become mandatory for programme assessment.
About the Level 4 qualification
The skill standards to underpin the Level 4 qualification will be developed next, providing a clear next step in the disability support learning pathway. It is our intention that the development of the Level 4 skill standards will be undertaken by the new Industry Skills Board (ISB) as a priority once they are established in January 2026. This mahi will scaffold directly on the foundation created at Level 3. We will continue to work with our DSCG and the future ISBs to ensure this mahi is progressed in 2026.
How to give feedback
Email [email protected]
Your feedback will help ensure these qualifications meet the needs of learners, the disability support workforce, and the disability community.
📢 National consultation closes: 5pm, Friday 12 September 2025 📄 Read the documents and submit your feedback:
New Zealand Certificate in Disability Support (Level 3)
New Zealand Certificate in Disability Support (Level 4)
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]
January – April 2025
Strategic regional and national consultation
April–July 2025
Qualification and skill standard development, alongside ongoing consultation
August – September 2025
Public consultation of draft qualifications and skill standards before final submission to NZQA
You can request information from us in your preferred format at: [email protected]
Alternate formats available:
We will do our best to provide it as quickly as possible, but there may be some delay with accessibility services.
