Page 3325 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 21 October 2014
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committee made no further recommendations. In three instances the committee requested further information. In accordance with standing order 5A I now table a schedule of statutory appointments considered during this reporting period. I present the following paper:
Justice and Community Safety—Standing Committee—Schedule of Statutory Appointments—8th Assembly—Period 1 January to 30 June 2014.
Leave of absence
Motion (by Ms Burch) agreed to:
That leave of absence be granted to Mr Corbell for this sitting week as he is attending a global greenhouse conference.
Disability—early intervention programs
Statement by minister
MS BURCH (Brindabella—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Disability, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Racing and Gaming, Minister for Women and Minister for the Arts) (10.05), by leave: On 4 June this year the Assembly resolved, among other things, that I as Minister for Disability should report to the Assembly in the first sitting week of term 4 2014 with an update of the readiness for the early intervention non-government service providers to commence in the 2015 school year. I would like to provide a brief update on the progress that has been made to date.
In April the ACT government made the decision to transition early intervention programs delivered by the Education and Training Directorate to the community sector. Doing so would support the intent of the national disability insurance scheme, giving families more choice and control and providing space for community providers to set up or to expand their services.
To inform the transition of services, the government asked KPMG to conduct market soundings and undertake interviews with families. During June and July KPMG facilitated early intervention and therapy forums with approximately 200 attendees. KPMG interviewed 31 providers and five peak body organisations and also carried out 14 family focus groups with 64 participants and produced reports on best practice in early intervention and advice to government on transitioning services.
KPMG found significant interest from the market in providing early intervention services here in the ACT. On 13 September the government held an early intervention and therapy services expo, offering families an opportunity to talk to a range of service providers in one place. More than 1,000 people attended the expo and around 50 organisations were represented.
To ensure services will be ready to go in 2015 and to meet the commitment that no-one currently receiving services will be left behind, the National Disability Insurance Agency carried out a tender for early intervention services in the ACT during
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