The state government has recognised the need for early childhood intervention support in Melbourne’s growth corridors, with a bulk of new places dedicated for the north and north-western suburbs.
Visiting the Education Program for Infants and Children (EPIC) in Bundoora last week, children and Early Childhood Development Minister Wendy Lovell announced the delivery of 500 new early intervention places across 20 community organisations.
Early childhood intervention services provide families of children with disabilities or developmental-delays support in the pre-school years.
Carers in early childhood intervention work in homes and kindergartens to ensure children develop learning skills.
The latest announcement follows 500 places allocated in March.
There will be 132 places allocated to providers that service fringe suburbs in Melbourne’s north and north-west. EPIC will get 20 of them.
EPIC chief executive Nicole Mahar said the boost would be a great help to families in Whittlesea, Darebin and Banyule.
Ms Lovell said early childhood intervention built the capacity of parents and family members to respond to children’s needs.
Lauren Matthews, executive officer of Early Childhood Intervention Australia’s Victorian chapter, said there was a constant demand on early childhood intervention services.
She said the Victorian model was a “key influencer” in the development of intervention services under the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
“Victorian early childhood intervention policy and the service providers who implement it are seen as the national leaders of best practice,” she said.
Colleen Argent’s four-year-old daughter, Ella, has used the EPIC early childhood intervention services for almost two years, after a year on the waiting list.
Ms Argent, of Epping, said it was important the services be local.
“It needs to be convenient,” she said. “Ella’s carer is only a short drive from her kindergarten and our home.”
