In July 2020 our two Deaf Education Centres (van Asch and Kelston) merged into a new national school, Ko Taku Reo Deaf Education. This merger gave us two opportunities in reviewing cochlear implant services:

1. For the Northern Cochlear Implant Trust (NCIT) and Southern Cochlear Implant Programme (SCIP) to review the current contractual arrangements. The contract provides habilitationists in consultation with Ko Taku Reo.
2. To put forward some recommendations to the Ministry of Education.

The review found that the Cochlear Implant programmes directly employing habilitationists would provide a number of advantages for clients and employers.

As a result of the review, from 2 July SCIP and NCIT (via The Hearing House) will manage the employment responsibilities of habilitationists.

The services you receive from SCIP and NCIT/Hearing House will not change and in many cases, the same staff will be present. Ko Taku Reo’s internal support of students with cochlear implants will continue in the same way and the relationship between Ko Taku Reo and the two Cochlear Implant Programmes will remain strong.

We believe services will be enhanced as we focus on working together in new ways for the best outcomes for our ākonga and whanau.