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Canberra Today 12°/15° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Libs push for Autism services

THE Canberra Liberals will push the need for early intervention services for children with autism as a matter of public importance in the Legislative Assembly today.

Steve Doszpot
Steve Doszpot
Shadow Minister for Education Steve Doszpot says ACT Labor has refused to provide a specialised early intervention service for families with autistic children, but congratulated the University of Canberra which is in the final planning stages of establishing such a centre for children with autism.

“The Canberra Liberals took a policy for an autism school to last year’s election based on a successful Queensland school model,” Mr Doszpot says.

“The policy was opposed by both Labor and the Greens who claimed it was a cost for parents and that it wasn’t required in Canberra.

“Earlier this year the Canberra Liberals ran a motion urging the Government to adopt the school policy, but they continued to claim it was too expensive and that what was currently provided was appropriate. This was despite various autism groups claiming current services were inadequate.

“Evidence shows 75 percent of the students who attend the AEIOU Centre in Queensland move to mainstream schools. It would be of great value to the community and parents of autistic children if a similar model was established in the ACT.”

 

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