IHC Submission on the Inquiry into the Determinants of wellbeing for Maori Children

The IHC Advocacy team has made a submission to the Maori Affairs Select Committee Inquiry into the Determinants of Wellbeing for Maori Children.

IHC has told the committee that the community of almost 3000 Maori children and young people with an intellectual disability can be even more vulnerable than non-Maori disabled children, because of the disadvantages experienced by the Maori population in general.

Parents and whanau of Maori children must be connected to support, services, information and, at times of transition, into early childhood, schools and adult support services and employment, when children and young people are especially vulnerable. Parents and whanau have told IHC that they want to receive early, sustained, flexible and culturally appropriate services that are integrated across all government agencies.