AUTISTIC CHILDREN IN WESTERN SYDNEY TO BENEFIT FROM AUTISM SPECIFIC CHILDCARE CENTRE

Bassema Ghaznavi's daughter is too old to gain any use from the Autism-specific Childcare Centre, but she believes it is long overdue.

Local Federal MP’s Chris Bowen, Jason Clare and Julia Irwin have welcomed the announcement from the Rudd Government to set up a new autism specific child care centre in South Western Sydney.

“The centres will provide dedicated early intervention and care for local children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs),” Mr Bowen said.

“The child care centres will give children with autism and their families the best possible start in life,” Mr Bowen said.

"We know that the earlier we intervene in a child’s life, the bigger the difference we can make to help them reach their full potential,” Mr Clare said.

"Autism is one of the areas the Rudd Government recognised needed a major injection of funding to help families and I am delighted that the government has delivered on its promise, Mrs Irwin said.

“According to Centrelink data 57% of children in NSW aged 0-5 with an autism spectrum disorder live within a 40km radius of Liverpool in western Sydney,” Mrs Irwin said.

“Clearly autism is an issue for the local community in Fairfield and that is why Western Sydney has been earmarked as a priority site, Mr Clare said.

“Raising a child with autism can be extremely difficult and few people understand the challenges parents face,” Mr Bowen said.

The new autism specific centre will involve teachers, psychologists, an occupational therapist and a speech pathologist in the delivery of programs designed to develop the skills of the child in the following areas:

• Social interaction and play skills;
• Cognitive development;
• Self-help/tasks of everyday life;
• Communication;
• Sensory integration; and
• Fine and gross motor skills.

“The centre in Western Sydney will form the basis of Specialist Autism Sites, focussing on research and training to help achieve a better understanding of autism and develop best practice services,” Mr Clare said.

“It will enable the Government to test the effectiveness of the autism specific child care and intervention model to inform consideration of further expansion,” Mr Bowen said.

The plan is currently in an open selection process and I encourage all eligible service providers to put their hand up and help deliver this service in western Sydney,” Mrs Irwin said.

The announcement follows the recently convened meeting by Western Sydney MP’s Chris Bowen, Jason Clare and Julia Irwin with the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities Bill Shorten with autism advisory groups about the need for a centre in Western Sydney.

All three local MP’s agree that this is an important first step in helping parents and children with autism in Fairfield receive the help they need.