Page 3976 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 25 November 2014
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MS BURCH: I thank Ms Berry for her interest in this. The government, as everyone in this place knows, is transitioning early intervention services to the community sector—a decision that is supported on both sides of the chamber because the Canberra Liberals have said that the transitioning out of government as a provider is indeed their policy.
To ensure that there are services ready to go from next year, the National Disability Insurance Agency made a decision to contract with a number of providers to support market development in the ACT. Six organisations were successful. I named them before, but, for the interest of members, they are Northcott, Noah’s Ark, Cerebral Palsy Alliance, Autism Spectrum Australia, Each and SDN Children’s Services.
I can inform the Assembly today that all six organisations have entered into contracts with the NDIA. These organisations have committed to providing evidence-based, child-focused and family-centred early intervention services in 2015 for children with developmental delay and/or disability. Each of the six organisations will provide key worker models of service, which involves a team of professionals delivering individually tailored early intervention services to children and their families. The services they will offer include early education, therapy and family support, and might comprise small group programs and individual intervention at home or in an early childhood education and care setting.
The locations of these services have also been confirmed. Families have told us during our market soundings that they appreciated the school-based venues for early intervention programs, and we have endeavoured to keep this link going. As in the previous answer, Northcott will operate from Mount Neighbour Preschool and Neville Bonner Primary School. Each will operate from Evatt Preschool. SDN will operate from Namadgi and Weetangera. The Cerebral Palsy Alliance will operate from Gilmore and Flynn. Aspect will operate from Charles Conder and Scullin, and Noah’s Ark is looking for alternatives so it can actually operate out of school hours.
Families were able to speak to the new providers at the open day on the 17th of this month. It was a great opportunity for families to meet with providers and get a sense of the choice they have. Not only were those six providers there but also other providers were there to show the depth of service offerings that will be available to Canberra families.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Berry.
MS BERRY: Minister, are families now able to begin their planning conversations with the NDIA and these providers ahead of the commencement of term 1 in 2015?
MS BURCH: The short answer is yes. Due to our agreement to phase people into the NDIS gradually, according to their age or life stage, we are seeing younger children enter the NDIS first. I hope that most will make the transition by the end of the year. Children between the ages of birth and four are now eligible to become NDIS participants. This means that families can go to the NDIA and start the planning process and, if eligible, their child will get funding for the early intervention services that they are seeking.
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