Last week in a National Press Club address the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Mark Butler MP, noted an “unintended aspect” of the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s (NDIS) rollout, “namely, its enrolment of large numbers of young children with mild to moderate developmental delay and autism.” He announced that young children with mild to moderate developmental delay and autism would be diverted from the NDIS over time to a “robust system of supports to help them thrive”. To this end the Minister announced a new program – Thriving Kids – to be jointly funded with the states and territories that will support children under 9 years with autism and developmental delay. . This announcement seemed to come as somewhat of a surprise to disability peaks and to the states and territories themselves, and everyone is eagerly awaiting more detail. FRSA is conscious that, already, universal services delivered to children and young people by our members under the Department of Social Services Families and Children Activity are routinely working with families who are struggling to get the appropriate assessments and supports for their children with suspected developmental delays and autism. Our members provide holding support to these families and where possible link them into appropriate services. At this stage, it’s unclear what the impacts of this policy announcement will be on universal services and, of course, on the capacity for children and their families to have their needs met. We have been attempting to gain more information about these changes – including where responsibility and delivery of this new service/program will sit and we will be watching developments closely.
Over the last few days, I have had the opportunity to meet with a number of our members in WA. On this occasion I had the chance to meet with people in Centrecare Inc, Anglicare WA, Relationships Australia WA, Communicare, Ngala and Centacare Geraldton. Meeting and talking to our members provides a fountain of knowledge and wisdom.
I thrive on the life-giving energy that emerges out of these visits providing me with substantial insights into the work of our services and the people they work with in the places and communities where they operate.
In this eBulletin you will also notice that there is a new segment called ‘FRS Sector Insights’. I want to thank and acknowledge FRSA Board Director, Cheryl Orr for being the inaugural author of an article in this series. The idea for her article ‘Justice and Equity, what is it?’ emerged out of the FRSA Family Law Pre-Conference Workshop and discussion around the issue of property division in the FDRP context.
Just a reminder that National Child Protection Week is coming up 7-13 September. The steward of this Week, NAPCAN, has a strong focus on prevention and early intervention and provides a number of resources you might find useful in your own acknowledgement and recognition of this week. If you are holding events in National Child Protection Week, don’t forget to link into their social platforms – and it would be great if you were to tag us too @frsaorgau on Facebook and Family & Relationship Services Australia on LinkedIn.
