Budget 2015: Autism NZ says funds badly needed

Autism NZ. Photo / File

Autism New Zealand has welcomed a funding boost to assist children with special needs at school, but says there will still likely be an unmet need.

The Budget assigns an additional $63 million over the next four years to assist children with special needs.

It will continue in-class teacher aid support for 1500 students with special needs, a programme that started in February.

The money will also extend the Ongoing Resource Scheme (ORS) to a further 500 students - paying for specialists such as speech-language therapists and occupational therapists.

Extra in-class teacher's aid support for students who have special education needs like dyslexia and autism spectrum disorder, but don't qualify for ORS, will also be funded.

Dane Dougan of Autism NZ said life could be hard for families with a special needs child who was not adequately supported at school.

Act Party leader David Seymour's push for more charter or "partnership" schools was successful, with two more to open next year or in 2017.

Schools' operational grants - which greatly affect resources and day-to-day operations - will increase by 1 per cent.

That rise was dismissed as inadequate by the NZEI education union.