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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 12 Hansard (12 November) . . Page.. 4049 ..

MS REILLY (continuing):

children with disabilities may be shown to have the best results. We should look at the South Windsor service with an open mind, examine what it delivers, examine the outcomes for the children concerned and see whether we can enhance services available in the ACT. My motion suggests that the ACT Government look at this service and see whether it would be useful for the ACT. I ask for support for the motion.

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education and Training) (4.47): Mr Speaker, I certainly share the concern Ms Reilly obviously feels about the needs of children with disabilities. However, for a number of reasons, I do not share her view that the Government undertake a study to determine the feasibility of operating an early intervention centre such as the one operating in New South Wales. A lot of work has already been done on this. I will come to that later. As members of this Assembly would be aware, the ACT Government already provides a range of very good quality services for children with special needs. I am interested to hear that Ms Reilly concedes that she is not suggesting that we are deficient in any way. These services are delivered by professional staff working in partnership with parents. The Child Health and Development Service, or CHADS, provides services in a range of settings right across the ACT - at community health centres, at CHADS centres at Kaleen, Holder and Homeworld Tuggeranong, at child-care centres, at preschools, at schools and in family homes.

Early intervention, which is critical to giving young people with disabilities a sound start, is provided through a range of services which focus on children prior to school starting age. In the age range from 18 months to three years, individual therapy is provided to children with varying and multiple disabilities by occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech pathologists, early childhood teachers and social workers. Intervention is also provided in small group settings for these children. There are also programs that provide parent support. For three- and four-year-olds, we have early intervention units which operate on nine sites, in addition to regular preschools. There are 24 places in a language preschool. One hundred and sixty-eight children take advantage of this service. We also provide a special program for children with severe communication disorders and provide services to special schools.

The establishment of the Children's, Youth and Family Services Bureau within the Department of Education - an initiative of this Government - has made possible an even more integrated service for children with special needs, particularly in the areas of preschool and early childhood education. If Ms Reilly is concerned about the provision of early intervention services for children in the ACT, I suggest that she come to see me. I would be delighted to arrange for her to familiarise herself with the range and quality of services that we provide through the Children's, Youth and Family Services Bureau.

Mr Speaker, last year we, in fact, investigated the Stimulus Centre that Ms Reilly is asking the Government to implement a feasibility study of. As a result of documents they sent to us, there were a number of conversations between staff from the Children's, Youth and Family Services Bureau and people from the centre. I had a meeting with a couple of people and we looked into it. I met with the Hon. Kevin Rozzoli and someone from the centre on 17 June last year, and a bit of work went on in relation to that. I understand that a number of documents were also sent to my department, as well as a video outlining what the centre could do. I understand that there were a number of conversations as well between officers of my department and people at the centre.

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