Opposition spokesman for education Julian Leeser says he has sought clarity on how the government’s Thriving Kids program will roll out in schools, but has received “very little”.
Thriving Kids is the initiative that seeks to provide early intervention support outside the NDIS. It was announced in August by Health Minister Mark Butler.
Asked whether he was satisfied with the information the government had provided about how the program, which launches today, would roll out to schools, Leeser told ABC Radio National:
Opposition education spokesman Julian Leeser.Alex Ellinghausen
“Ever since Thriving Kids was announced, I’ve been asking state education teachers and administrators. I’ve been asking people in the Catholic and independent sector, and people can tell me very little.”
He said there were more questions than answers about its implementation.
“The website doesn’t tell you very much. I mean, how does it help a parent who is not sure whether their child needs moderate or high support? Where is the line to be drawn there? What is the role here for teachers and schools, and how does this actually create any additional services in terms of occupational therapists or speech therapists?”