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Disability in New Zealand

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Māori Disability Support Services


Here you can find information for Māori living with an impairment or disability and their whanāu, family, friends or carers. A number of Māori provider organisations offer services for Māori who have a disability, and have services specifically for Māori.

The Ministry of Health is only one of a number of agencies providing support and services for disabled people.

Services for Māori

The Treaty of Waitangi is New Zealand's founding document and the Government acknowledges its obligations as a Treaty partner. The Māori philosophy towards health is based on a wellness or holistic health model. The Ministry of Health recognises that services for Māori should be based on Māori thinking and behaviour and recognises Māori ways of healing, care, and rehabilitation.

The Ministry of Health funds a range of disability support services for people (mostly aged under 65 years) who have been assessed as having a physical, intellectual or sensory disability (or combination of these) that is likely to continue for a minimum of six months; resulting in a reduction of independent function; and that require ongoing support. Some of these services are offered by Māori providers or other organisations offering services specifically for Māori.

Several key documents set out the specific needs and requirements of Māori who use health services.


Information in Te Reo

The Disability fact sheets and pamphlets has downloadable information about Ministry of Health funded disability support services, in Te Reo.
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Marae

There are a number of Marae that are accessible to disabled people. We hope to extend the number of accessible Marae to enable Māori to participate and play their part in society. The following list of Marae have been used by the Ministry of Health in the last 12 months and have had Māori who have a disability participate without significant mobility and tikanga issues. We intend to use them for future hui.

This list of Marae have not been subjected to any set application criteria. Marae need to demonstrate that their facilities, including access to car parks and ablutions, are fully accessible to Maori who are deaf, blind or have mobility issues. Natural hazards should be able to be easily identified. The Kaumatua can testify that the facilities, kawa and tikanga of the Marae enables access to Maori who have a disability of any kind. There are guidelines on what things need to be in place when meeting with a disabled person/people on the Office of Disability Issues website (www.odi.govt.nz). Also note that some Marae have day services and special arrangements may need to be made for overnight hui.

Contacts for the following Marae are available through Takoa (National Maori database for Maori resources), on the website www.maori.org.nz, or in your national and local telephone directory

If you think your Marae can meet the accessibility requirements of disabled people and would like to list it here please contact your local Disability Services office or email us on disability@moh.govt.nz. We prefer that you have an overnight hui at your Marae with a range of Maori who have disabilities and their whanau and send a summary of their comments on access and tikanga to the email address above. Please note any particular problems and how they were overcome during the hui.

The following organisations are contracted by the Ministry of Health to provide services for disabled Maori.

Useful links

For information on some services that are available for Māori who have a disability, go to http://waikato.webhealth.co.nz

For an example of how to implement a Māori Disability Strategy within a DHB, see Waikato DHB http://waikatodhb.govt.nz (PDF, 364 KB)

If you want to see how Iwi can support Māori who have a disability, go to http://tuwharetoa.co.nz


Page last updated: 25 November 2009
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