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Monday 9am - 4:30pm Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm Thursday 9am - 4:30pm Friday 9am - 4:30pm

Disability Connect

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Disability Connect

Supporting the parents and families of children and young people with disabilities.

Formerly known as the Parent and Family Resource Centre, Disability Connect Inc provides information, advice and support for disabled people, their families and whanau based in Auckland, New Zealand.

11/11/2025

A researcher from Auckland Council recently asked us a powerful question... When and where do disabled people and their families want to meet?

We know the best way to answer them is to ask you directly! This is your chance to tell us what works best for your whānau.

Your feedback helps us create spaces that truly work for you - whether that’s online, in person, or somewhere in between.

Let us know in the comments or take our 5 minute survey: https://questionpro.com/t/AWke5Z7B75

Image description: Blue graphic with white text, with the heading "When and where do you want to meet?". Text below reads, "Mornings, afternoons or evenings? Weekdays or weekends? Face-to-face, online or both? What are your thoughts?" There is a question mark icon at the top of the image, and the Disability Connect logo at the bottom.

08/11/2025

Want to find out how to navigate the system of social housing and supports? Join us for our free upcoming event with representatives from Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and Kāinga Ora.

We'll cover topics such as:
• navigating MSD and Kāinga Ora for accessible social housing
• eligibility and financial supports
• new opportunities and relocating options
• how to make an application
• and priority ratings.

Registration to this online event on 18 November is essential. Please email admin@disabilityconnect.org.nz for the Zoom link.

For more information, check out our event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Cry1WjHFU/

Image description: A promotional event poster. Text reads "Understanding social housing. Free online event! Tuesday, 18 November 2025, 11:00am to 12:30pm." There's an image of a house in the middle. The Disability Connect logo is at the top of the poster, and the Ministry of Social Development and Kāinga Ora logos are at the bottom.

05/11/2025

We want to hear from you so we can serve you better.

Your feedback helps us to understand what's most important for you right now, and the ways we could improve to support you more.

Help shape our services by sharing your thoughts in our annual survey - and go in to win a $200 Prezzy card!

The survey will take around 5 minutes, and will close on Wednesday 19 November 2025.

We welcome everyone - disabled people, parents, whānau, support people, and professionals - to take part.

Complete the survey here: https://questionpro.com/t/AWke5Z7B75

Image description: A dark blue graphic with white and light blue text reading, "Share your thoughts and be in to win $200! Take our survey and go in the draw to win a $200 Prezzy card!" A speakerphone icon is beside the text.

01/11/2025

As we approach the end of the school year, it's the perfect time to reflect and connect. If your child will still be in school, some forward planning now can make next year much smoother for everyone.

Here are four tips from our advisors, based on their own lived experience:

1. Find out what worked well (or didn’t) this year

Talk to your child's teacher and other staff about their observations. Ask what ideas, tools, or projects worked well - and which approaches didn’t. Use these conversations to understand what your child needs to thrive in school.

2. Start planning for next year’s class

If possible, meet with the school to discuss suitable teachers and classmates for your child. Your child's current teacher can provide recommendations. Once you have confirmation, ask the new teacher if they can visit your child in their current class. You can also start helping your child get familiar with their new classroom and key spots, like the nearest bathroom and lunch area. Take photos of these places and of people they can go to for help, such as their teacher or office staff. Going over these together, in person or through photos, will help with the transition.

3. Give the new teacher a head start

Share the valuable information you've gathered so they're not starting from scratch. Ask if they can continue the approaches that worked well this year. Building on previous progress helps create consistency for your child.

4. Bring everyone together

Build a team with everyone involved in your child's education. For example, the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO), Ministry of Education (MoE) supports like Speech-Language Therapists (SLT) or Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB). Discuss what support your child needs next year. Develop a plan with clear actions for each role so everyone is on the same page. This could include how the MoE will support the teacher, if there will be any assessments, or whether they'll use assistive technology.

Taking the time to prepare for what’s ahead will help everyone feel more confident going into the new year.

If you have any other tips that work well for your child, we'd love to hear them!

Image description: blue graphic listing the four tips. Text reads "4 tips for an easier school year transition. 1. Find out what worked well (or didn’t). 2. Start planning for next year’s class. 3. Give the new teacher a head start. 4. Bring everyone together."

29/10/2025

When Janet reached out about Rajnesh, a migrant father who lost his sight and needed urgent housing, we knew the answer wasn’t just one referral.

We connected her with Wayfinders for disability information, Aotearoa Disability Law for legal support, and a housing provider offering social housing.

Navigating disability supports alone can be overwhelming. Housing is a vital part of the disability supports ecosystem that we need to live a good life. That’s why our Disability Information Housing Service exists - to guide disabled people and their families toward safe, suitable homes.

In 2021, Impact Lab estimated that the value of the information we provide returns 850% over the lifetime of an individual for every dollar we spend. That figure didn’t even include employment or housing - we know the impact is even greater.

Since the start of this year, we’ve had over 140 housing enquiries. That's more than double what we received for all of 2024! We're currently supporting over 40 people through our new service, and four disabled people and their families have already found a suitable home.

We’re deeply grateful to Spectrum Foundation and Foundation North for partnering with us to fill this gap in disability housing information. Their support helps us guide whānau toward homes where they can thrive.

Thank you for standing with us and helping us build pathways to better lives.

Image description: Masina and Denise, our Community Disability Information Advisors, are smiling together. They are wearing blue Disability Connect-branded clothing.

26/10/2025

"For me, it's simple, if I can help one family feel safe, seen, and supported, then I'm doing what I was meant to do."

In case you haven't seen her at one of our events yet - meet Masina, our newest Disability Community Information Advisor!

Based in South Auckland, Masina is a proud mother of seven and a passionate advocate for families in our community.

She draws on her lived experience as a parent to Judge, her young adult son who lives with an intellectual disability and multiple health conditions.

Masina's personal journey gives her a unique insight into both the challenges and triumphs of disability life.

"I wanted to work at Disability Connect to be part of a movement that empowers disabled people and their whānau to thrive, not just survive in their communities."

Masina has a strong background in health and deep knowledge of the disability support system, built during her time working at Kaikaranga (formerly Taikura Trust).

She brings cultural depth and genuine warmth to her mahi, particularly when supporting Māori and Pasifika communities.

Please join us in welcoming Masina to the team. Come say hi if you see her at one of our community events!

Image description: Masina is smiling. She has blonde hair, wears dark-framed glasses, and a navy blue top.

23/10/2025

"Disability Connect doesn’t flinch from the hard stuff. They are an effective bridge to prevent ignorance and evasion, and more importantly, build confidence and potential for good lives. " - Rob Campbell

We presented our Impact Report for 2024-25 at our Annual General Meeting last week.

If you want to know more about us and the work we do in the community, in housing, the advocacy space and more, check out the report on our website: https://disabilityconnect.org.nz/who-we-are/

We're incredibly proud of our team for the hard work they've put in.

We're also grateful to our partners, donors and volunteers - without generous support from you, we couldn't make this happen.

Image description: The front cover of the Impact Report for July 2024 to June 2025. Indika and Tina are dancing at a Bollywood-themed Parent Social Group event. Aleysha the Bollywood teacher smiles and poses in the middle.

20/10/2025

“I often worry about the future my child will experience, so it was exciting to hear Ed share Air New Zealand’s plans for becoming a more disability-friendly airline and disability-inclusive employer.”

Our Annual General Meeting last week showcased the power of advocacy. Ed Collett, a parent of two disabled children, shared his family’s journey and how it has shaped his work at Air New Zealand.

Air New Zealand is the first and only New Zealand company to join The Valuable 500, a global business partnership of 500 companies working together to end disability exclusion.

A recent Air New Zealand disability research project in conjunction with New Zealand Disability Employers Network, Access Advisors and Colleen Jones Consultancy highlighted that many customers have multiple disabilities. This inspired them to introduce disability awareness training for their teams, focusing on understanding customers and co-workers from a range of perspectives.

We also welcomed Air New Zealand as an employer to Transition Expo for the first time this year. We know many families left feeling encouraged after connecting with them.

When people call for change, and organisations respond, it gives families more options and more hope for the future.

Ed, thank you for the work you do in this space. We're so grateful for the way you continue to advocate for disability inclusion in everything you do.

Image description: Ed smiling while talking to someone at Transition Expo 2025. There is a purple Air New Zealand banner in the background, and Ed is also wearing a shirt with the Air New Zealand logo on it.

Address

3B Olive Road, Penrose
Auckland
1061

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	9am - 4:30pm
Thursday	9am - 4:30pm
Friday	9am - 4:30pm

Website

http://www.disabilityconnect.org.nz/

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Our Story

Disability Connect is a small vigorous community resource centre for the families and whanau of disabled children and young people.