HUNTER REGION EARLY INTERVENTION FUNDING
The Hon. ELISABETH KIRKBY [6.05 p.m.]: I draw to the attention of honourable members the concerns of the Hunter early intervention providers that have been brought to my attention. They wrote me a letter on the letterhead of the University of Newcastle, which reads as follows:
As a group of service providers in the field of Early Intervention in the Hunter we wish to express our concern about current funding levels to Non-Government Early Intervention Services. This has been prompted by what we are all experiencing as a growing discrepancy between the needs of consumers and our ability to provide appropriate levels of relevant services. This discrepancy arises from inadequate funding which has failed to keep abreast of CPI growth and increasing demand.
It also leads to situations where, for example, services who might in the past have been able to supplement funding from the Department of Community Services (DOCS) with Commonwealth Young Children with Disabilities (YCWD) funding are now very dependant upon the latter to provide a basic service. This means that contrary to the guidelines from the Commonwealth stating that their funding must only be supplementary, many programs now receive the majority of their funding for particular projects from this source.
In 1997, expected Commonwealth funding has been significantly delayed in addition to insufficient funding from DOCS and Ageing and Disability (ADD). The result of this has been that some programs have been forced to delay indefinitely the provision of some services e.g. Special Education Centre Home Based Outreach Program, Early Education Outreach Program and Outreach Support Program, Lower Hunter Early Childhood Support Program, and to curtail others e.g. Special Education Centre Early Education Baby Program, Early Education Preschool Program, Hunter Prelude Early Intervention Program.
This leads to increased stress on the families, carers and teachers of the children involved in these programs due to the extended periods without or with limited access to the services they need and the valuable support they gain from them.
Early Intervention Services who are experiencing these funding difficulties additionally find it difficult to maintain consistency of skilled and experienced staff from one year to the next as continuity of employment can never be assured.
These concerns have ramifications for DOCS, ADD and Commonwealth YCWD funding.
Your consideration and attention to our concerns is appreciated.
I believe that this is a relevant matter. I am glad that the Minister for Community Services, Minister for Aged Services, and Minister for Disability Services is in the House and has been made aware of these problems. I know that the Minister faces problems as a result of the Federal Government’s funding cutbacks. It is often, and easily, said that when governments want to cut funding, community services and early intervention are the soft options. Treasury officials do not understand how much these programs are needed, nor do they understand the anguish and suffering felt by parents and carers. A number of children with disabilities can be helped as a result of early intervention. In fact, some people say that if a child has not had assistance by the time it is two years old, later assistance will be of little value. I place this letter before all honourable members and I hope that the needs of these service providers will be met in the next budget. I hope that Opposition members will put pressure on their Federal colleagues to ensure that there are no further cutbacks to the State of New South Wales or to any other State.
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