AEIOU Foundation welcomes the Coalition’s $35 million election commitment to early childhood early intervention for autistic children.
AEIOU CEO Alan Smith said the disability sector has been reeling since NDIS reforms commenced in mid-2024, with many autistic children impacted.
“Overnight the access to supports has diminished for hundreds of families across our service,” Mr Smith said.
“While AEIOU supports plans for Foundational Supports, this program could be years from implementation and there are many children missing out on vital support in the meantime.”
Mr Smith said the situation is dire for service providers and the community alike, explaining the Coalition’s $35 million pledge for a three-year pilot program to provide targeted early intervention recognises the lifechanging impact of timely, evidence-based supports.
“AEIOU urges the Australian Labour Party to match this pledge. A bipartisan funding commitment would give families confidence and send a clear message that the developmental needs of young children with disability are above politics,” Mr Smith said.
Mr Smith said he sought a solution that would give families the certainty they need to plan and access services without delay.
“We look forward to working with both parties on the details of funding models, service design and implementation timelines,” he said.
“Our organisation stands ready to partner with government and community stakeholders to deliver high quality supports that drive real and measurable impact.”
An independent cost benefit analysis of AEIOU’s program, undertaken by Synergies Economic Consulting, showed that based on data obtained from AEIOU and the NDIS, intensive early intervention programs deliver average savings of about $297,000 per child over their lifetime.
The study shows the trajectory of children’s lives changed dramatically due to the outcomes obtained from intensive early intervention provided by AEIOU, resulting in significant implications not only for their own lives into the future, but on their families as well.
Mr Smith said for every dollar that is invested in providing children with intensive early intervention, more than $6 is saved for the community, including $4.59 in direct NDIS savings.
AEIOU, now in its 20th year of operation, operates 11 centres across Quensland, South Australia and Australian Capital Territory. This funding will provide opportunity to reestablish and expand supports across the nation.
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