Early Intervention Expansion to Support 1,000 More Young Children

Education Minister Erica Stanford announced the expansion during a visit to The Pudney Hub in Hawke’s Bay, which has been selected as one of the new providers.

More young children with high and complex developmental needs will be able to access specialist education support earlier, with the Government expanding the Early Intervention Specialist Service to provide up to 1,000 additional placements across New Zealand at any one time.

Education Minister Erica Stanford announced the expansion during a visit to The Pudney Hub in Hawke's Bay, which has been selected as one of the new providers. Alternate providers will begin delivering the additional placements from September, while the Ministry of Education will remain the country's main provider of Early Intervention services.

Earlier Help During Important Years of Development

The Early Intervention Specialist Service, known as EISS, provides Ministry of Education-funded support tailored to young children with high and complex developmental needs, helping them participate in learning while developing skills and confidence during their early years. Stanford said getting the right support to children sooner can help them make progress in education and everyday life, particularly during a stage when early assistance can play an important role in their development.

Expanding capacity is also expected to reduce the time some families spend waiting for specialist services, giving eligible children a better chance of receiving support earlier in their learning journey rather than waiting until their needs become more difficult to address.

Families to Have Greater Choice of Providers

The expanded service will operate through a mixed-provider approach, with the Ministry's Early Intervention Service working alongside alternate providers to deliver specialist assistance across the country.

Adding more providers gives eligible families and whānau greater choice over who supports their child, creating more opportunities to find services suited to individual developmental and learning needs while increasing the overall number of children who can receive help.

The Pudney Hub in Hawke's Bay is among the newly appointed providers that will contribute to the expanded network from September.

Budget Investment Targets Growing Learning Support Demand

The additional EISS capacity forms part of the Government's multi-year Budget 2025 investment in learning support, which is focused on identifying children's needs earlier and responding to growing demand for specialist assistance.

Stanford said increasing both placements and providers is designed to strengthen the learning support system while helping children participate, progress and learn alongside their peers.

For families caring for children with complex developmental needs, earlier access can mean specialist guidance becomes part of a child's education from a younger age, giving parents and educators more support as they work together to understand individual strengths, challenges and the kind of assistance that can make everyday learning more accessible.