Children's Centres

In reply to Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (26 September 2018). (Estimates Committee B)

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education): I have been advised of the following:

Allied health services in Children's Centres for Early Childhood Development and Parenting (children's centres) are provided by personnel who meet criteria to work as an Allied Health Professional Level 2, as specified in Appendix 6A: Allied Health Professionals Work Level Definitions, contained in the South Australian Modern Public Sector Enterprise Agreement: Salaried 2017.

Currently there are 37 FTE family services coordinators in 41 positions in children's centres. These positions are filled by personnel with a social work, occupational therapy or psychology degree. A majority of these positions are 1.0 FTE; however a small number are 0.5 FTE based on identified community need.

There are 10.4 FTE occupational therapists in 30 positions in children's centres. These positions are filled by personnel with an occupational therapy degree. In metropolitan centres these positions are 0.3 FTE, and in regional areas they are 0.5 or 0.6 FTE.

There are 8.8 FTE speech pathologists in 28 positions in children's centres. These positions are filled by personnel with a speech pathology degree. The FTE distribution for speech pathologists follows the same pattern as for occupational therapists, with 0.3 FTE positions in metropolitan centres, and 0.5 or 0.6 FTE in regional areas.