Newman Government supports parents of children with Autism

Disability Services Minister Tracy Davis has told a parenting conference the Newman LNP Government will deliver extra support to parents of children with autism to help them through the maze of services and get the connections they need.

Ms Davis told around 100 parents, teachers and staff at the AEIOU Queensland Parents’ Conference at South Brisbane that Autism was complex, but it needed to be tackled early if children were to have fulfilling lives as part of their local communities.

“The Newman Government agrees that early intervention is vital to making a life-long difference and will help support their families,” Ms Davis said.

“We have committed $4 million over four years for a ParentConnect initiative to assist mums and dads of newborns and newly diagnosed children to access the services they need.

“We also currently fund $4.323 million through the Autism Early intervention initiative to provide support to 471 children with autism and their families.

“This will be complemented by our commitment to provide $9.5 million for speech pathologists in state schools, in addition to those currently working alongside organisations like AEIOU.

“AEIOU and Autism Queensland deliver very important, personalised programs for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

“I look forward to working in partnership with organisations like AEIOU and Autism Queensland to help achieve their goals of support services that intervene early and encourage skill development.”

Ms Davis said that whilst early intervention was vital, families and their children also needed support at school and beyond.

“I applaud parents for their work and commitment to their children,” Ms Davis said.

“The Newman Government understands the invaluable contribution community organisations like AEIOU and their staff and volunteers make to Queensland families living with autism and will act to support their activities.

“Through partnerships with the community and innovative approaches, we can make a significant difference to the lives of many Queenslanders, especially our children and young people.”

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