Meaghan Harman was inspired to study speech-language therapy after seeing the benefit for her daughter Olivia, 6. Photo: Supplied / Meaghan Harman
Families of children with speech and language problems fear cuts by Massey University will add to the critical shortage of therapists.
The university - which reported an $8.8 milion deficit last year - said there were no current proposals to close the degree programme for therapists but described it as "unsustainable".
Massey University speech-language therapy student Meaghan Harman decided to enter the profession after battling to get help for her own child.
Six-year-old Olivia has Downs Syndrome, and has needed speech-language therapy to help her learn to swallow, communicate and support her learning.
"We have been in SLT on and off since she was six months old and it's always been a struggle to get one or receive the help.
"That's why I went back to study, because I loved the profession. But now it seems it's going to get a little bit more dire than it is."
This week Harman and her fellow students learned their lecturers have been asked to volunteer for redundancy, as Massey University looks to shed up to 245 jobs.
More than 2000 people have already signed her online petition against cuts to the course.
Harman said her family was lucky to have one-on-one therapy for Olivia, which was subsidised by Upsidedowns Education Trust.
"I know people who have been waiting two years to see an SLT at all. The issue is, when we do see an SLT, it's for two or three hours maximum for the year. They're just so understaffed."
Those therapists employed by the Ministry of Education are currently locked in a long-running employment dispute over their workloads, and are refusing to take on new clients or do extra hours for a month until 25 August.
Upsidedowns Education head Victoria Smith worried the cutbacks could affect distance learning, which was unique to Massey.
"Finding and having access to speech-language therapists is at a critical level in New Zealand. The possibility of losing a programme - especially one that's delivered by distance, which is more accessible for people to study - is a massive concern for us and across the community."
However, it is not only children affected: speech-language therapists also work with adults with brain injuries, strokes and other neurological problems.
The Speech Language Therapists' Association head Siobhan Malloy said any loss of capacity would load more pressure on an already struggling workforce, with about 10 percent of positions currently vacant.
"We have 20 speech-language therapists per 100,000 population, whereas Australia, who claim they have a severe workforce shortage as well, they have something like 42.5."
It made no sense to be losing training places when demand for speech-language therapists was so high, they had recently been added to the fast-tracked immigration list, she said.
The association has written to the Health Minister Ayesha Verrall asking for help.
In a written statement, Pro Vice-Chancellor professor Cynthia White said to work towards a more financially sustainable future, Massey needed to identify "improvements" to work more efficiently and effectively.
"Massey acknowledges the contribution the Speech-Language Therapy programme makes to the national need, however, the current cost of the programme is unsustainable longer term," she said.
"It is important to emphasise there are no current proposals to close the programme."
White said university management will have further discussions with the Speech-Language Therapists' Association next week.
