A new model for delivering learning support

We're implementing a new way to deliver learning support, so that children and young people can get the right support, at the right time, in the right place.

More about the Learning Support Delivery Model

The Learning Support Delivery Model reflects feedback from parents, whānau, staff, and disability and education groups and includes six elements.

  1. Known contact points for family and whānau. Students, families and whānau know who to contact to get help with their learning support needs. Their known contact keeps them informed and provides faster, simpler access so they don’t have to navigate a complex system on their own.
  2. One plan. For children and young people needing individualised support, a single plan will set out the goals agreed with family and whānau, and provide joined up and tailored support to meet a student’s individual needs.
  3. Working together. Schools, kura, early learning services and kōhanga reo work together to identify what their community needs, and make decisions about the best use of available resources. By working together, they can work in new and different ways to support learners, identify those with similar needs, and address issues earlier.
  4. Better facilitation. An agreed Ministry facilitator function brings together local schools and early learning services, and specialist supports and services. They support collaborative decision-making, broker supports, and make sure the right people are involved.
  5. More flexibility. Flexible decisions can be made about support that meets local needs and priorities, rather than sticking to rigid criteria to access a fixed support. The cluster can work with Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) and other specialists on system-wide, targeted or individual support, and a range of earlier, simpler solutions.
  6. Sharing data. Schools, kura, early childhood services and kōhanga reo share information and data so they can clearly understand and plan for the needs and priorities for children and young people in their area. All privacy rights will be upheld and the privacy and security of information protected.

Sharing information

The Learning Support Delivery Model is being rolled out nationally.

Proactively identify local needs and gathering available resources

Local early learning services, kōhanga reo, schools and kura in a cluster agree how to share information safely to create a full picture of the needs and priorities in their community.

They proactively identify all of the resources, skills and knowledge available in their community, including those based in early childhood education, schools and kura, RTLB, and Ministry of Education services. An inquiry approach helps them decide on the best way to use resources to support children and young people’s learning, strengthen the capability and confidence of the adults around them, and plan local solutions. When needed, the facilitator function connects them to services and agencies in the wider social, disability and health sectors.

Collaborative decision-making

With detailed information about needs and resources, everyone involved can help decide the right way to respond to learning support needs. Support can be more responsive and provide continuity and flexibility for children and young people throughout their education.

The model allows learning support specialists to use their skills where they have the most impact for learners and their whānau. They can build on existing good practice, whether that’s supporting teachers in the classroom, building the skills and confidence of groups of teachers, improving advice to whānau, or providing individualised support.

Each community’s needs are different. What matters is that local people can provide earlier, and more joined-up support for learners and their whānau based on best practice.

Strengthening support across a range of needs

Evidence shows that building the confidence and capability of adults around a child means more children have access to the support they need earlier, and closer to where they are learning.

The model allows specialists to have input where they can have the greatest impact on outcomes for children and young people and help whānau and teachers create flexible, responsive environments where all children can thrive, whilst still providing support to individual children who need it.

By sharing expertise, RTLB, specialist services and other agencies can help schools and early learning services get support to meet the diverse needs of all children and young people. Solutions may include changing classroom routines, providing professional development to their teachers, improving advice to whanau, or providing specialist help, but will always be based on what is best for children and young people.

Families and whānau are included in decisions so that support works for them and their tamariki. A child or young person may be involved with specialists at different times and in different ways, depending on what is best for the child.

The Learning Support Delivery Model [PDF, 383 KB]

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