Whether DSS records co-occurring conditions (intellectual disability with autism, and with ADHD)
Jamie Robinson made this Official Information request to Ministry of Social Development
The request was successful.
From: Jamie Robinson
Dear Ministry of Social Development,
I am requesting the following information under the Official Information Act 1982.
I run Neuro Support, a Christchurch-based disability support service. I am trying to understand how often intellectual disability co-occurs with autism and with ADHD among Disability Support Services (DSS) clients, and my questions are about what your administrative records are able to show.
1. Does the DSS client administrative system record any secondary or co-occurring disabilities or diagnoses in addition to a client's principal disability?
2. If it does:
(a) How many DSS clients in the 2023/24 financial year have both intellectual disability and autism (Autism Spectrum Disorder) recorded?
(b) Is ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) recorded anywhere in the client record as a secondary or co-occurring condition? If so, how many clients with a principal disability of intellectual disability also have an ADHD notation?
3. If secondary or co-occurring conditions are not recorded in the system, please simply confirm that, so that I understand the information does not exist rather than being withheld.
If any part of this request would require substantial collation or research, please contact me so I can refine it rather than declining it.
Yours faithfully,
Jamie Robinson
Neuro Support
From: OIA_Requests (MSD)
Ministry of Social Development
IN-CONFIDENCE
Tēnā koe Jamie Robinson
Thank you for your email received 30 May 2026, under the Official Information Act 1982. Your request has been forwarded to the appropriate officials at National Office to respond.
Ngā manaakitanga,
Official Information Team | Ministerial and Executive Services
Ministry of Social Development
Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to help themselves to be safe, strong and independent
Ko ta mātou he whakamana tangata kia tū haumaru, kia tū kaha, kia tū motuhake
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From: Jamie Robinson
Dear OIA_Requests (MSD),
Oh dear I have mistakenly closed the request after your confirmation.
That was my error and I apologise for any inconvenience I have caused.
I do wish to continue my information request.
Yours sincerely,
Jamie Robinson
From: OIA_Requests (MSD)
Ministry of Social Development
IN-CONFIDENCE
Tçnâ koe Jamie Robinson,
Please find attached the Ministry’s response to your Official Information
Act request.
Nâ mâtou noa, nâ
Official Information team | Ministerial and Executive Services
Ministry of Social Development
Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent.
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whânau.
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Jamie Robinson left an annotation ()
Thank you to the Ministry of Social Development for the full and clear response.
The decision confirms that the DSS client database does record all reported disabilities, classified as principal or non-principal, and that both Autism and ADHD are recorded conditions. The appendix provides exactly the figures I was after: for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years, the number of people allocated DSS support who have both an intellectual disability and Autism recorded, and both an intellectual disability and ADHD recorded.
This is genuinely useful. It gives a national picture of how often intellectual disability co-occurs with autism and with ADHD among people receiving disability support, which is otherwise hard to come by. Much appreciated.
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