New Consultation to Improve Disability Support Services for Family Carers

The feedback gathered will also help shape a new package of support specifically targeted at family carers, including potential financial assistance and expanded respite options.

The Government is seeking fresh input from disabled New Zealanders, their families, and carers as part of a new consultation process aimed at improving disability support services and developing stronger assistance for family carers.

Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston announced that Disability Support Services (DSS) will undertake a nationwide community consultation from 8 June to 31 July, giving people the opportunity to share their experiences and ideas about how the disability support system can better meet their needs.

The consultation will focus on key areas identified by the disability community as priorities for improvement, including more flexible support options, better planning for life transitions, improved access to information, enhanced feedback mechanisms, and stronger respite services for carers.

The feedback gathered will also help shape a new package of support specifically targeted at family carers, including potential financial assistance and expanded respite options.

According to the Government, the initiative forms part of a broader effort to create a disability support system that is fairer, more transparent, more sustainable, and more responsive to the everyday realities faced by disabled people and those who care for them.

Building on Previous Reforms

Minister Upston said the latest consultation builds on significant work already undertaken to improve disability support services.

Recent engagement with disabled people, families, carers, and advocacy groups has already resulted in a number of changes across the system.

These improvements have included reforms to flexible funding arrangements, enhancements to needs assessments, greater recognition of carers' needs during assessment processes, and efforts to make support services more transparent and consistent.

"Disabled people, their carers and families deserve services that work well in everyday life," Ms Upston said.

"Feedback from the community has already led to positive changes to flexible funding, needs assessments — including carers' needs — and making the system more fair, transparent, consistent, and sustainable."

However, the Minister acknowledged that significant work remains to be done.

"But we know there is more to do," she said.

The Government believes that continued engagement with service users is essential to ensuring future reforms reflect the practical challenges people face and deliver meaningful improvements.

Focus on What Matters Most to the Disability Community

The upcoming consultation has been designed around themes that the disability community has consistently identified as priorities.

Rather than focusing solely on administrative or technical changes, the consultation aims to gather ideas about what good support looks like from the perspective of disabled people and their families.

"This consultation builds on what we have heard already from the disability community and focuses on what good support looks like in key areas the community has said matter most," Ms Upston said.

Participants will be invited to provide feedback on several important areas.

One major topic is the need for more flexible support services that can adapt to individual circumstances and changing needs.

Another focus is improving planning processes to help disabled people and their families navigate significant life transitions, such as moving from school into employment, changing living arrangements, or adapting to changing support requirements.

The consultation will also explore how disability services can better measure and support outcomes that matter most to disabled people, rather than focusing primarily on service delivery metrics.

Improving access to information and advice is another key priority, with many families and carers reporting challenges in understanding available services and navigating the support system.

Participants will also be asked about ways to make it easier to provide feedback and raise concerns, ensuring services remain responsive and accountable.

Greater Attention on Respite Support

One of the most significant aspects of the consultation is its focus on respite services for carers.

Respite care provides temporary relief for carers, allowing them time to rest, manage personal responsibilities, or address their own health and wellbeing needs.

For many family carers, respite support plays a critical role in maintaining their ability to continue providing care over the long term.

Minister Upston said the Government wants to better understand what carers need and how respite services can be improved.

"It will ask for people's ideas on more flexible supports, better planning for life changes, outcomes that matter, better information and advice, making it easier to give feedback, and better respite options for carers," she said.

The feedback gathered during the consultation will directly inform future policy decisions and service design.

New Support Package Being Developed for Family Carers

Alongside the consultation, the Government has instructed Disability Support Services to begin work on a new support package aimed specifically at family carers.

The initiative reflects growing recognition of the vital role family members play in supporting disabled relatives and the challenges many carers face in balancing caregiving responsibilities with other aspects of their lives.

"As part of this Government's focus on carers, I have asked DSS to work on a new package of financial and other support, giving more certainty and consistency for family carers," Ms Upston said.

The proposed package is expected to include several potential forms of assistance.

Among the options being considered are a dedicated carer payment, expanded respite care arrangements, and additional practical support services.

The Government says no final decisions have yet been made and that consultation feedback will play an important role in shaping the final package.

Rethinking Family Care Arrangements

The Government is also examining how disabled people can best be supported when family members provide care.

Currently, Disability Support Services allows disabled individuals to use flexible funding to employ family or whānau members in certain circumstances.

While this approach provides flexibility, the Minister indicated that formal employment arrangements may not always be the most effective way to recognise and support family caregiving.

"DSS currently supports disabled people to employ a family or whānau member using flexible funding," Ms Upston said.

"We are looking at better ways to support family carers than formal employment arrangements. These can be complex, difficult to administer and don't apply well to family care."

Officials are exploring alternative approaches that may provide greater simplicity, certainty, and practicality for families while still recognising the value of caregiving work.

The review reflects broader discussions occurring internationally about how governments can best support unpaid and informal carers.

Long-Term Reform Focused on Sustainability

The Government has emphasised that improvements to disability support services will take time and will require ongoing engagement with stakeholders.

Minister Upston said further discussions with carer organisations, advocacy groups, and community representatives will be undertaken as work progresses on the proposed carer support package.

"This work will take time, and we want to get it right," she said.

"There will be further engagement with carer groups and representatives to develop the carer support package."

The Minister stressed that sustainability remains a key objective of the wider reform programme.

"My priority is making sure we are fixing the basics of disability support and building a sustainable future which disabled people, their families and carers can rely on."

The Government argues that creating a sustainable system is essential to ensuring support remains available for future generations while meeting growing demand.

Record Investment in Disability Support

The consultation and proposed reforms come against the backdrop of substantial government investment in disability services.

According to Minister Upston, recent Budgets have included record levels of funding aimed at strengthening the disability support system.

"In recent Budgets, our Government has already committed a record investment of $2.1 billion of additional funding into the disability support system," she said.

The funding has been directed toward maintaining services, improving support delivery, addressing cost pressures, and ensuring the long-term viability of the system.

The Government says this investment demonstrates its commitment to supporting disabled New Zealanders while continuing to improve service quality and accessibility.

Creating a Fairer and More Responsive System

The latest consultation represents another step in the Government's broader effort to reshape disability support services around the needs and experiences of those who rely on them.

By inviting disabled people, carers, and families to help guide future reforms, officials hope to develop a system that is easier to navigate, more flexible, and better equipped to respond to individual circumstances.

As consultations begin on 8 June, stakeholders across the disability sector will have an opportunity to influence the next phase of changes, including the development of a new support package for family carers.

The Government says its ultimate goal is to create a disability support system that is fair, clear, sustainable, and capable of providing reliable assistance to disabled people and their families for years to come.