Page 1755 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 4 June 2014
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How many therapists does Therapy ACT currently have?
How many have left since the announcement in April?
How many does Therapy ACT expect to have after December 2014 and how many do they need to ensure that children who require therapy are not left behind.
A figure of $80 million was mentioned in the forum yesterday incorporating supported accommodation and early intervention. How much is the government saving by withdrawing from:
early intervention units (all) within the ACT Department of Education, and
b. therapy services
A lot of questions from one very worried mother, Madam Deputy Speaker. Another email that I received from a concerned parent reads:
As a parent and a citizen I am writing to urge the ACT government to continue to maintain the current early intervention programs during the NDIS trial until it is clear that the private agencies are capable of offering the same calibre of learning and support that the Education and Training Directorate currently offers. ACT children must not be disadvantaged as a result of the teething problems of the NDIS.
When it comes to developmental delays, there is a small window of opportunity in which to help a child gain some of the skills they are lacking. It requires intensive assistance and draws from many different therapies. It is commendable that the government is attempting to address these deficits with the new NDIS. A lot of benefit will be gained from parents being able to choose which therapies and providers are best suited to their child. However, I think that before we go jumping off into a void, we need to be certain there is solid ground beneath.
I therefore urge you to pressure the government to maintain the current early intervention programs: Early Intervention Playgroups, Early Childhood Centres, Early Childhood Units, Early Intervention Units, Autism Intervention Units, and Language Units.
These programs were developed over a number of decades. They are best practice and evidence based programs that are insitu with the preschools because this is optimal for the children integrating in a mainstream program. The teachers employed for these roles have a deep understanding of the needs of the children and the importance of an Independent Learning Plan (ILP) to help target individual deficits. Without these programs, or suitable replacements, the local mainstream preschools will have a higher proportion of children requiring intensive assistance and monitoring, particularly those children who are not yet toilet trained or who abscond. Unfortunately children do not synchronise their habits to co-incide with their half-time support.
We were very lucky. My youngest son participated in the Turner Early Childhood Centre program based at Theodore, for two years (2011-2012). He
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