Baseline Study of the Disability Support System in the MidCentral Area: Whānau Report

In Oct 2018 a new system of providing funding support for disabled people was launched in MidCentral Region. It was called ‘system transformation’. This involved the creation of new funding body, Mana Whaikaka, with the whole initiative based on Enabling Good Lives (EGL). Prior to the launch SAMS (Standards and Monitoring Services) was commissioned to undertake a baseline study of ‘where services were at for disabled people and their family and whānau’. This has been referred to as the baseline study. A second repeat study was undertaken in 2021 three years after the newly transformed system has been initiated.
The baseline study surveyed (by face-to-face interview) 172 disabled people and 152 family or whānau (mixed face-to-face and telephone interviews). The surveys were both in long answer and likert scale format and were conducted by experienced interviewers from the disability sector. The current report outlines the results of the whānau survey. The result indicated that whānau who directly supported a disabled person(s) in their own home carried unique stressors that impacted on their own quality of life.