'We can do better': Mum of disabled 8-year-old calls for funding changes

Families in New Zealand are calling for more flexible disability funding as a review into the current support system continues. The current system includes a self-directed support model, which was first introduced in 2004. It gave disabled kiwis more control over the help they received. When the self-directed approach was piloted, there were less than 200 recipients involved. Chief executive Marsha Marshall said "traditional models of disability support often imposed a one-size-fits-all approach, stripping away personal choice and agency." The Ministry said in 2008, the success of the scheme saw it expanded nationwide and now more than 14,500 New Zealanders access individualised funding.