Page 1761 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 4 June 2014
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I understand that early intervention is a highly valued service. In a way, it was very pleasing to hear on Monday the regard in which many families hold these services. There is no doubt about it; they see them as very valuable services. There are a little over 300 children currently accessing these services. Of those 300 children, more than half—I think 160—will transition into kindergarten next year. So they will transition into kindergarten as part of the normal transition through their schooling years.
A further third of the children currently in early intervention programs are of a preschool age and can access 15 hours of preschool to which all Canberrans are entitled. Where it is needed, this will be resourced through the supported preschool program. I understand that schools have been delivering information sessions for parents for some time. We have about 50 children who are not old enough for preschool or school who will continue to be able to access early intervention services.
Whilst I am talking of numbers, I am very conscious that these are wee little ones. These are little children aged two, three and four. Families need certainty. Rightly, I understand their anxiety about wanting some definition and some understanding of the services that will be in place from January of next year.
This is a very big change. It is understood that 5,000-plus Canberrans cannot step out at once and move through to the NDIA. I do not think anyone would see that as a practical or sensible way to go. So we need to transition these 5,000 Canberrans in a sensible way. Importantly, as I have said, Therapy ACT services continue up to the end of 2016. Many children who are currently attending early intervention programs also receive services from Therapy ACT. This will continue as we transition through to the NDIS.
I return to the essence of Mr Wall’s motion. If we continue as a government to run early interventions, even for another 12 months as this motion suggests, I believe we will be denying the sector the opportunity to grow and in turn denying Canberra families and Canberra children the opportunity to have access to what is deeper and more flexible than the current arrangements. This is not about saying that we do not value first-rate, top-rate, evidence-based early intervention programs. But it is very clear that the government must move out of the way so we have community providers that can come into this space.
There is a slight contradiction. It was only just before lunch when Mr Wall stood and wanted this government to do more to get out of the way for private providers. Here he is now actually asking us to stand in the way of our community and private providers coming in. Simply to put this off for another 12 months will send a message that we are not serious about growing the non-government sector. It is my strong belief that if we start building the non-government sector now there will be deep and meaningful opportunities for children and their families.
We have secured $12.5 million to help prepare the community for this transition and a number of organisations have taken advantage of grants worth between $20,000 and $50,000 so they can prepare for this. These grants have already been allocated to providers here in the ACT to help them provide and prepare for the NDIS.
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