12. Question No. 12—EducationMARK PATTERSON (NZ First) to the Associate Minister of EducationQuestion No. 12—Education12. MARK PATTERSON (NZ First) to the Associate Minister of Education: What steps are the Government taking to better support pre-school children with learning support needs?Hon TRACEY MARTIN (Associate Minister of Education): In July this year I launched the Learning Support Action Plan. Priority three of this plan is to strengthen early intervention by improving the type mix and volume of services available. As part of the learning support delivery model regions are implementing a range of local approaches to better meet demand for learning support in their communities. Children's needs vary and not everyone requires individualised specialist support. Many will benefit from advice or training for their whānau their teachers or the people they spend most time with. Local approaches reflect this and include providing initial advice and support more quickly through locally run clinics or hubs or through establishing regular liaison visits where early learning teachers and parents can meet with professionals and discuss their concerns as they arise; building the skills and knowledge of whānau and early learning services through training coaching or team planning sessions so they can support their children more effectively; and working with partner organisations to ensure the most appropriate supports for a child is requested. We're also working with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust to co-design and deliver an awareness campaign to ensure parents and kaiako can identify needs and access the supports they require.Mark Patterson: Where are these local approaches in place?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: In the Wellington region one of the new approaches being trialled with the 16 He Whānau Manaaki kindergartens in Porirua is to allocate ministry specialist staff as key workers for specific early learning centres. Learning support specialists visit regularly and respond on the spot to concerns. Over 100 families have met with our staff since the end of January 2019. They've all received support ranging from advice and guidance to immediate allocation for a more tailored early intervention service. In Tai Rāwhiti ministry specialists run awhi appointments where whānau receive immediate advice and guidance about how to support their children's communication. In Papakura Franklin and Manurewa ministry staff have been working with Plunket on an initiative to better respond to need in the areas. Each month a ministry speech language therapist and early intervention teacher spend the day at the Plunket rooms in Papakura and Franklin. Parents and whānau are able to meet with ministry specialists to discuss needs that have been identified through the regular Plunket check. In Otago-Southland staff provide a liaison approach to supporting high-referring early learning services. Specialists visit the early learning service regularly and work with their management to identify children of concern who might need support the nature of their needs and how they might be addressed.Mark Patterson: What has been the impact of these approaches and is the answer to these needs all about money?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: Despite supporting 636 or 5.8 percent more children than the same time last year waiting lists for early intervention supports are beginning to trend down and average waiting times are decreasing. While this Government has invested an extra $5.9 million into early intervention the demand for services keeps increasing so we need to find new and better ways to provide support for our preschool children.