# Parent seeking learning support at school

NZ Election 2026 · Edition 8 · Voter situations · S07

I have a school-age child who needs additional learning support. Getting suitable help at school is my main concern, and I sometimes reduce paid work to care for them.

[Back to the study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8#situations)

| Measure | Value |
| --- | --- |
| questions written for them | 4 |
| answers collected | 16 |
| AI assistants | 4 |
| asked nationally | NZ |

## What this voter asked

### Question 35: Education and childcare

I have a school-age child who needs additional learning support. Getting suitable help at school is my main concern, and I sometimes reduce paid work to care for them. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What are the parties proposing about learning support, specialist staff and support for children with additional needs?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/questions/263efc2f-9e6d-483e-956b-0f8e7466a040.md)

### Question 36: Education and childcare

I have a school-age child who needs additional learning support. Getting suitable help at school is my main concern, and I sometimes reduce paid work to care for them. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. Which parties explain how they would fund and deliver extra support in ordinary schools, rather than just promise improvements?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/questions/f39ba622-df32-4ee6-8ce1-d3cacf89f4b2.md)

### Question 37: Healthcare

I have a school-age child who needs additional learning support. Getting suitable help at school is my main concern, and I sometimes reduce paid work to care for them. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do party policies differ on access to assessments and health services for children with additional needs?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/questions/b11dccb5-0455-483c-a590-d2fe0711378a.md)

### Question 38: Poverty and welfare

I have a school-age child who needs additional learning support. Getting suitable help at school is my main concern, and I sometimes reduce paid work to care for them. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What support do parties propose for parents who cut back paid work to care for a child?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/questions/3d0741a0-6f4a-4368-a3d2-bfd7ae45682e.md)

## Which parties appeared in the answers

The figures count names in the 16 answers recorded for this situation. Naming a party does not mean recommending it.

| Party | Answers | Total |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 16 | 16 |
| Labour | 16 | 16 |
| Greens | 16 | 16 |
| ACT | 10 | 16 |
| NZ First | 4 | 16 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 10 | 16 |
| TOP | 9 | 16 |

## Party names across this voter’s topics

Compare the parties named in answers about this voter’s main concerns. The table compares 16 answers from each edition.

The coloured bars show whether statements about a party were positive, neutral, negative or mixed. Select a figure to read the extracts.

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Education and childcare | National | 8 | 8 | 15 | 46 | 1 | 2 |
| Education and childcare | Labour | 8 | 8 | 19 | 33 | 1 | 3 |
| Education and childcare | Greens | 8 | 8 | 18 | 45 | 1 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | ACT | 4 | 8 | 2 | 18 | 4 | 2 |
| Education and childcare | NZ First | 2 | 8 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 2 |
| Education and childcare | Te Pāti Māori | 5 | 8 | 7 | 27 | 3 | 0 |
| Education and childcare | TOP | 4 | 8 | 13 | 22 | 3 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Healthcare | National | 4 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 2 |
| Healthcare | Labour | 4 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Healthcare | Greens | 4 | 4 | 13 | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| Healthcare | ACT | 3 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Healthcare | NZ First | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Healthcare | Te Pāti Māori | 3 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Healthcare | TOP | 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Poverty and welfare | National | 4 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | Labour | 4 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Poverty and welfare | Greens | 4 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | ACT | 3 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| Poverty and welfare | NZ First | 1 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Poverty and welfare | Te Pāti Māori | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Poverty and welfare | TOP | 4 | 4 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 1 |

## How Gemini’s answer changed

The learning-support answer kept the same five parties but replaced Labour’s numbered teacher-aide pledge with more general descriptions of specialist staffing. Psychologists, speech-language therapists and other support staff received more attention.

It connected reduced parental working hours more directly to financial support. The answer offered fewer measurable staffing commitments while continuing to offer help finding current support.

Gemini: “* **Teacher Aide Workforce:** Labour has pledged targeted funding to introduce **1,000 additional teacher aides** over four years (costing approximately $80 million) to expand individual, one-on-one classroom support for students who require it.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/7/questions/263efc2f-9e6d-483e-956b-0f8e7466a040.md) · Answer ID: b814477c-fc7b-48cf-a254-250f66e6d84e

Gemini: “Their approach generally emphasizes expanding resourcing for neurodivergent and disabled students by bolstering specialist workforces—such as educational psychologists, speech-language therapists, and Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLBs).”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/questions/263efc2f-9e6d-483e-956b-0f8e7466a040.md) · Answer ID: c446d977-e668-4996-a459-64c76234dcb7

## Websites cited in these answers

Compare the websites cited in answers for this voter situation. Choose a topic to see its sources.

### ChatGPT

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz | 4 |
| labour.org.nz | 3 |
| thedlist.co.nz | 3 |
| drnz.co.nz | 2 |
| opportunity.org.nz | 2 |
| act.org.nz | 1 |
| inclusiveworld.org.nz | 1 |
| national.org.nz | 1 |
| nzfirst.nz | 1 |
| policy.nz | 1 |

### Gemini

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz | 4 |
| blindlowvision.org.nz | 2 |
| apex.org.nz | 1 |
| dpa.org.nz | 1 |
| drnz.co.nz | 1 |
| national.org.nz | 1 |
| nzeiteriuroa.org.nz | 1 |

### Google AI Mode

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz | 3 |
| national.org.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| beehive.govt.nz | 1 |
| elections.nz | 1 |
| labour.org.nz | 1 |
| legislation.govt.nz | 1 |
| rnz.co.nz | 1 |
| stories.theconversation.com | 1 |
| thespinoff.co.nz | 1 |

### AI Overviews

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz | 4 |
| thedlist.co.nz | 4 |
| facebook.com | 3 |
| national.org.nz | 3 |
| drnz.co.nz | 2 |
| greens.org.nz | 2 |
| labour.org.nz | 2 |
| policy.nz | 2 |
| rnz.co.nz | 2 |
| anzasw.nz | 1 |

Each website counts once per answer. The comparison covers 16 answers from each edition; 16 of this edition’s answers included citations. Other includes websites we have not yet classified.

[Previous: Sole parent balancing preschool care and paid work](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/voters/s06)

[Next: Worker recently made redundant](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/8/voters/s08)