What we offer Tā mātou e tuku nei

Resource Teachers Vision and DOMs work in partnership with parents and whānau to provide local specialist education services to over 1600 children and young people who are blind, deafblind and low vision. This specialist support may take place in homes, early childhood centres, kura and schools.

Who can access BLENNZ Services

Ākonga who are blind, deafblind or have low vision, aged from birth to 21, or to the end of their schooling
Parents and whānau
Teachers, teacher aides, education support workers and others involved in the education of the child or young person

What services are offered

National Services

The National Assessment Service at Homai Campus helps assess children's vision and development needs. BLENNZ Counsellors provide specialized support for families dealing with vision impairments. The Developmental Orientation & Mobility (DOM) service aids students in becoming confident travelers. Immersion courses offer intensive programs and peer support. The Youth Library provides accessible resources for children and young adults.

Find out more about our National Services

Regional Services

BLENNZ Visual Resource Centres house itinerant resource teachers and specialists who provide local education services to over 1400 blind, deafblind, and low vision children. BLENNZ Early Learning Services (BELS) supports early learning through mentoring and coaching, focusing on whānau-centered, active learning approaches to enhance development for young children.

Find out more about our Regional Services

School Services

Homai Campus School specialises in educating children with vision impairments and additional disabilities, using individualized plans based on the BLENNZ Curriculum. The James Cook Satellite Class, nearby, integrates blind and low vision students into mainstream and specialized programs, supported by dedicated teachers and aides.

Find out more about our School Services

Residential Services

The Transition Pathway Programme supports young adults who are blind or have low vision in transitioning to tertiary education, work, or independent living. BLENNZ staff collaborate with students to achieve personal goals. Homai Residential Services offers residential placements for students attending Homai Campus School, James Cook High School, or Manurewa High School.

Find out more about our Residential Services

RTVs typically begin visiting families shortly after the child has first been diagnosed as blind, deafblind or low vision. At this time, the family learns about their child’s needs and begins the unfamiliar journey of navigating the services that they and their child may require. This can be a confusing and emotional time for families – the RTV can support the family through these challenges. The RTV will then begin to support the family in enhancing the child’s development, initially in the home and then within the early childhood centre and school environments.

BLENNZ Resource Teachers Vision (RTV) are trained teachers with qualifications in working with children. There is an expectation that all permanent teaching staff will complete the Postgraduate Diploma Specialist Teaching (Blind and Low Vision). The RTV can visit you in your home, early childhood centre or school, depending on the needs of the child. The RTV will work with you to assess your child’s vision needs, to support you and family, and to develop a programme to support your child’s education needs. If you have not already been referred to BLENNZ, you can do the referral yourself by contacting your local Visual Resource Centre or the campus school team through the Contact us page.

Choosing an early childhood education service

At some time, you will likely choose to enrol your child in an early childhood centre. When this occurs, the RTV may continue to support your child, both in the home and in the early childhood centre. The RTV can also refer you to additional support services if these are needed and can help you to choose an early childhood centre. New Zealand has many types of early childhood education services to choose from. Each type has its own way of working with children and with families and whānau.

Some offer all-day education and care; some offer only a part-day service.

Generally speaking, services fall into two main categories.

Teacher-led — where registered teachers provide the education and care, e.g., kindergartens and early childhood education centres.
Parent-led — where parents, families and whānau provide the education and care for their own and other children, e.g., Playcentres and kōhanga reo.

If you’re not sure about the service best suited to you and your child, talk to someone in your child’s vision team for advice and guidance. You might like to visit a few services before deciding on the right one. Someone in your child's vision team is available for support when visiting centres if you would like. Ask for time with the people in charge so they can answer any questions you may have.

Te Whāriki is the Ministry of Education’s early childhood curriculum policy statement. Te Whāriki is a framework that focuses on learning partnerships between the child, teachers and whānau based on the child’s needs and sociocultural context.

There are a number of partner agencies that you may wish to be in contact with, that includes:

You can find more information about the early years by visiting The Vision Book: The Early Years section of our website. This document is also available from your Resource Teacher: Vision.

Starting school is a big landmark for you and your child. Most children and young people who are blind, deafblind and low vision attend their local school where they will be supported by a Resource Teacher Vision (RTV), as part of the school teaching team. But that is not the only option.

In some areas there are special schools which your child may be eligible for, there's also home schooling and Conductive Education centres. As a parent and whānau, you may want to look at all options and find the best fit for you and your child.

Finding the right school

It takes time to find the right school for your child, so plan to make visits to local schools well ahead. Your RTV or your local Special Education Early Intervention teacher will be alongside you as look for the right school for your child. You can also find more information on the Enrolling and starting your child at school page on the Ministry of Education website.

Funding and support

Your RTV or your local Special Education Early Intervention teacher will also provide information on any extra funding that may be available to provide extra support for your child in school. They will walk you through all the paper work. More information is on the Learning Support, Ministry of Education page.

How will my child learn alongside everyone else?

In New Zealand the curriculum is provided through Te Whāriki: Early childhood curriculum and The New Zealand Curriculum. These provide the basis for all children’s education. You may also hear the words Expanded Core Curriculum. This is the tool that helps children and young people who are blind, deaf blind and low vision to access and participate in the regular curriculum as well as develop skills of independence.

With you and your child at the centre, the teaching team will plan together how to create a successful, supportive, learning environment for you and your child. The RTV will work alongside to support the team as they adapt the school environment, the resources and the way they teach to meet the needs of your child through out your child's school life.

First-hand experience of finding the right school

Video 1: Sharon describes what it was like when Boston started school at 5 years old.

Sharon Beattie - Starting school. BLENNZ: Family stories Part 3

Transcript

Duration: 2:40

Sharon Beattie — Starting school

BLENNZ Family stories Part 3

Chrissie Butler:

Sharon Beattie shares her experience of her son starting school. This is part 3 of a BLENNZ Family story.

Sharon Beattie:

Starting school for Boston was really exciting but also quite daunting, in the way, as I mum, I felt that, "When he goes to school, how are the other kids going to react to him? Are they going to be his friends?" Just little things like that.

But when Boston started school I was supported by Chrissie and another lad called Rachel, where she took me around the schools in my area and where we decided collectively, with her input. She didn't give me any negatives about the school but just the input that would best suit Boston. And we visited all the schools in Titahi Bay and I chose the school that was the furthest away from my house, basically because when we went for an interview with Titahi bay North school the teachers were so, so forthcoming because they were so excited about teaching a child like Boston because they hadn't had that before.

And what really got me was that they were willing to learn along with him as well, his Braille. And they were prepared to change the curriculum to meet his needs. And the whole school came on board with his well being at school.

You know the children, I think they were spoken to by different people about Boston. And plus he had, before he even started school, he had a few interactions with a couple of the kids who were going to the kind with him. So therefore he had, he sort of had friends coming into the school as well.

But the main reason why I did choose that school, in the end, was because it was small, the classes were small and the teachers were wanting to learn with him as well, they were willing to.