Child and Youth Services Mutual Ltd

The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:50): My question is to the Minister for Human Services. Can the minister give us an update about the Child and Youth Services Mutual?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:50): I thank the honourable member for her question. Child and Youth Services is one of the many services currently provided by Disability SA as part of its services for people with disabilities and is one of the areas which is transitioning following the implementation of the NDIS in South Australia. Child and Youth Services is an organisation which employs a range of therapists—speech therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and the like—and clearly provides services to children. It is the entity which delivers early childhood early intervention services under the NDIS in South Australia, as well as a range of therapy services to children with disability and development delay.

The Child and Youth Services division under NDIS made a decision collectively that they would establish a rather unique entity in South Australia which is to be known as the Child and Youth Services Mutual Limited, which is to commence in September. I'm advised that mutuals are organisations that operate particularly in the UK but this is a first for establishment in Australia. The therapists are very excited about how they will transition going forwards. I am advised that the majority of the employees within this division have decided to join the mutual, following an extensive expression of interest and recruitment process, and that they will commence in their new role on 1 September 2018.

The staff moving to this new entity continue to be active participants in their own decision-making and business activities to help shape the new organisation. There was a recent kick-off event which I was privileged to attend to celebrate with them on 24 May this year, held at the Convention Centre. As well as myself, officers of the department and one of the new employees, there was also a range of people who spoke at the event, including the lady who was the chair of the board—I have just forgotten her name for the moment—who spoke in very glowing terms about the development of the new mutual.

It was a very uplifting and exciting event in that I think the employees are very excited about where they are going with this new mutual. I commend them on reaching this decision and the approach that they have taken and wish them all the best in the new entity and for the services that they will be providing to children with disability into the future.