- Hon Erica Stanford
"Every child deserves the chance to thrive and today I'm proud to announce a $266 million investment in Budget 2025 to clear waitlists, expand the Early Intervention Service, and reach thousands more children with the support they need to succeed," Education Minister Erica Stanford says.
"For too long, families have faced unacceptable delays accessing the Early Intervention Service. This investment will fix that by clearing the backlog, expanding support to the end of Year 1, and significantly increasing our workforce capacity," Stanford says.
"We are not only expanding the size of the service, we are changing how it's delivered," Stanford says. "We will contract NGOs and private providers to deliver specialist services alongside the Ministry, ensuring children with additional needs get the support they need faster.
"This Government is absolutely focused on getting help to the child, wherever they are, and however it's needed. If that means using trusted private providers and NGOs to deliver services at pace, that's exactly what we'll do," Stanford says. "Families don't care who employs the speech-language therapist or the psychologist, they just want the support their child needs. And we are determined to do whatever it takes to make sure they receive it."
As part of the Budget 2025 package, the investment will deliver:
- More than 560 additional full-time equivalent specialists, including educational psychologists, speech language therapists, occupational therapists, and early intervention teachers.
- An expansion of the Early Intervention Service through to the end of Year 1, reaching around 4,000 additional children with learning and behavioural needs.
- Reduction of existing waitlists, ensuring more than 3,000 children currently waiting will receive support sooner.
- Increased support for the 7,100 children already in the service, with greater access to specialists and interventions.
- 900,000 additional teacher aide hours per year from 2028, to assist young learners receiving EIS support.
This investment reflects the Government's commitment to a social investment approach by targeting resources early, where they will make the greatest long-term difference. "The evidence is clear: the earlier we intervene, the better the outcomes for children, families, and New Zealand. Early intervention reduces the need for more intensive support later and gives every child that needs it the best possible start.
"To parents across the country, this is my message to you: help is on the way. We are clearing the backlog, building a stronger and more responsive service, and putting your child's needs at the centre of our education system. You shouldn't have to fight to get support-and with this investment, we're making sure you won't have to.
"This is a transformational shift," Stanford says. "We're building a future-facing service that keeps up with demand and delivers for kids. Every child deserves that chance and this Government is backing them from day one."
