SLEEPWISE

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (15:01): My question is to the Minister for Disabilities. Can the minister update the council on the findings of the recent report into the Sleepwise initiative, which aims to assist older children and adolescents with developmental disabilities to get a good night's sleep?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (15:02): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. As the member knows, ensuring that children get a good night's sleep is very important for all children, but also for their parents, I understand. Children with developmental delays often struggle with this process more than others. It has been recognised for some time that for many children with developmental delays sleep does not come easily.

In 2005 the former intellectual disability services council devised a program called Sleepwise, which provided parents with knowledge about the sleep process and taught a number of skills to assist their children to have a good night's sleep. Some of the strategies included providing a healthy bedtime snack as a positive sleep practice, or using sensory methods like massage to help them relax or behavioural measures like timetabling, or gradual ignoring by parents.

Later that year the first report into the efficacy of the program found that 83 per cent of children involved had developed positive sleep patterns and achieved many of their sleep goals. I am advised that much of that change was permanent. In 2009 further long-term research into this subject was approved by my department, and the Apex Foundation for Research into Intellectual Disability conducted a two-year project over 2010 and 2011 looking into this in a more extensive manner.

I was recently provided with this report, and I am pleased to say—although I must note that I am not qualified in this area of research at all—that the research still seems to back up the practice. I might add that it is also believed by my departmental officials that this was the first research of this kind, and that it is something that other jurisdictions may find themselves turning to for advice.

In short, the major finding of this two-year study was that children and parents who participated in the Sleepwise program had a significant reduction in sleep problems. It was concluded that 79 per cent of parents reported achieving short-term sleep goals within six to 18 months, and there was a significant drop in parent stress levels. I am pleased to see that Sleepwise is having a positive change in the lives of many South Australian families. If anyone wishes to get involved or obtain more information I encourage them to contact their local Disability Services office.