Every Disabled Child Counts

3 MARCH 2008

Every Disabled Child Counts

CCS Disability Action celebrates Children's Day and supports the call from Every Child Counts to establish a cross-party caucus to discuss issues affecting children but warns that particular focus needs to be on the rights of disabled children.

"In the past, disabled children have either been ignored or treated poorly and we want to prevent that from ever happening again. CCS Disability Action would be more than happy to work with any group to ensure that policy and planning includes the voice of disabled children too," urges Chief Executive Viv Maidaborn.

CCS Disability Action offers specialist services to support young children with disabilities and their families, giving the children the best possible start in life and the opportunity to develop within the context of their community.

"We have a proud history of helping children and we continue to do that with our Early Support Framework. Our team of community support workers provide information and support to families as their child progresses through early childhood education and through the transition to school," adds Viv Maidaborn.

Ongoing support, education and provision of information assists families to make informed decisions that will develop the potential of the child within family and community relationships. Referrals for the early support service can come from anyone who feels that the child could be helped by the service.

The work that CCS Disability Action undertakes in this area is aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990), New Zealand's Agenda for Children (2002), the New Zealand Disability Strategy (2001), The Children, Young People and Their Families Act 1989 and the Treaty of Waitangi.

**ENDS**

© Scoop Media