Families embrace funding

By Elise Adams
A RECENT funding boost for children with disabilities has been applauded by local parents.
Two funding announcements in the space of a week by Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development Maxine Morand bring the total to $2.8 million for early intervention service agencies in Melbourne’s southern suburbs.
Windermere Child and Family Services in Cranbourne will get an extra 30 early childhood intervention places.
Cranbourne’s Rhonda Cosic knows first hand the importance of early intervention.
Both Mrs Cosic’s sons live with the severe neurodevelopmental disorder autism, which research now suggests affects three times as many children now as it did a decade ago.
Jakob, 4 and Thomas, 2 were officially diagnosed this year after being on a 14-month waiting list.
The Cosic family recently moved from Bendigo and say that they are in awe of what has been done for them since.
“The services help get them out into the community, integrating them. The more the better,” Mrs Cosic said.
Each new centre will offer special education, therapy, counselling, support during kindergarten and childcare as well as assisting in the transition to school.
Jakob and Thomas receive services from Windermere and Biala which between them will have 40 new facilities opening.
Local mother Irina Watsin also welcomed the announcement.
In October a childcare worker’s suspicions were confirmed and her four-year-old son Harry was diagnosed with autism as well as developmental delays
Harry receives assistance from Biala, which sends an early intervention worker to visit, play and talk with him once a fortnight.
“They’ve been really good to us. The more funding the more services. There’s always more to be done but it’s a great start,” Mrs Watsin said.
Head of Autism Victoria Meredith Ward commended the boost.
“There are approximately 12,500 children with disabilities, which puts huge pressure on services. It’s good to have extra places created,” Ms Ward said.
“Early intervention is extremely important to a child with a disability – the sooner the better. It will be money well spent.”