Page 638 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 23 March 1993
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Parents need ongoing and long-term support to maintain a positive attitude through difficult periods. The Down Syndrome Association provides such support, as do paediatricians, staff at the Early Intervention Service, community support workers, other services, and many family members and friends. The Early Intervention Service aims to maximise the physical, communicative, cognitive, social and emotional development of the child, working with the family and the community.
Early intervention starts with baby and infant stimulation programs which are provided by physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech pathologists for parents or carers to incorporate in the baby's or young child's everyday routine. It is by constant stimulation and repetition that skills are developed and reinforced in a familiar setting. The Early Intervention Service has an early education teacher providing home-based programs for children from nine months of age so that parents and carers can start on a broad early education program to maximise learning and develop social skills from a very young age. Intervention strategies change to meet the emerging needs of the child. However, the emphasis remains on incorporating new therapy activities into the child's daily routine and to allow for the gradual acquisition of motor, speech and language skills in a secure setting for practice and reinforcement. This combines effective use of therapy resources with the soundest way for the child to acquire and retain skills.
The overall needs of the child, Madam Speaker, and the family of course, need to be considered, and this covers the areas of health, development and education. Children with Down syndrome do take longer to learn and need planned assistance, and children will progress at different rates. At three years of age the Department of Education offers a range of early education programs to meet the needs of individual children with development delays or disabilities. Parents and health and education staff liaise to determine the most suitable program for each child and family. After full assessment and discussion the parents make the final decision, which may be a special school or early intervention unit, and possibly lead on to a mainstream preschool.
The level of education attainment is related to the intellectual capacity of the child, along with other social and emotional variables. Madam Speaker, nothing beats practice and for some children the programs in special schools provide the repetition needed to consolidate newly acquired skills. Social integration is very important and this can be balanced with the need for special education programs to meet the individual needs of the child. Some children are able to manage well with some support in mainstream school settings and they benefit from both the educational program and the social interaction with their peers. Therapists continue to support children in the education settings and individually with families according to the child's needs. As the child progresses through primary and high school the emphasis shifts to a focus on education which builds on strengths to assist with later employment and lifestyle choices.
Down syndrome is a disability, and together with other disabilities, is covered by Commonwealth and ACT legislation to protect the rights of people with disabilities. The Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 applies in the areas of employment, education, accommodation, goods, services and facilities, clubs, land, sport, application forms and administration of Commonwealth programs.
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