Learning support demand 'outpacing what the system can provide' - Ministry

Average wait times for children needing Ministry of Education support for their disabililties rose across the board last year.

But the ministry's annual report said the number of children on its waitlists was falling as it tackled the longest delays first.

The report said the number of children receiving a specialist learning support service rose by 1000 to 53,978 in the 2025/26 year.

The average wait time for Ongoing Resourcing Support, for children with most severe disabilities, was 11.89 calendar days, an increase of almost one full day.

The average for the Early Intervention Service for the youngest children also increased by a day to 118 days.

Wait times for the Behaviour Service increased nine days to 63, and for the Communication Service by 26 days to 106.

"Demand for learning support has outpaced what the system can provide, and the number of children receiving support continues to grow," the report said.

"We are prioritising support for children who have been waiting the longest. In 2025/26, this has meant that average wait times have remained high or increased, even though the overall waitlist is getting smaller."

The government last year increased funding for learning support by $747 million, but it would take several years for the full effect of that funding to be felt.

The annual report said the ministry was increasing the learning support workforce.

It said demand for learning support had grown by about 13 percent since 2022/23.

"Rising demand, more complex learner needs and workforce capacity have led to longer wait times, particularly for the behaviour, communication and early intervention services," it said.

"Our backlog and wait times for these services consistently fail to meet targets, indicating a persistent gap between expected and actual service performance."