Inklings Autism Program

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (15:13): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the parliamentary secretary and Assistant Minister for Autism regarding the Inklings program.

Leave granted.

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO: Recommendation 6 of the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care was to partner with the commonwealth to trial the Inklings program, an early intervention program for children at risk of being diagnosed with autism, and the government has proceeded to allocate $6.4 million in funding towards a program.

However, I believe, in response to concerns raised about the program by the Australian Neurodivergent Parents Association and others, the Department of the Premier and Cabinet has indicated that it will establish an expert review panel to undertake an assessment of the Inklings manual to ensure that it meets required standards. My questions are:

1. Why did the government fund the program to start enrolling families in this program before conducting assessments as to whether it met required standards?

2. What additional due diligence did the assistant minister and the government do before funding the $6.4 million towards the Inklings program other than the recommendation by the commissioner?

3. What consultation did the government undertake?

4. Is the assistant minister aware of the concerns raised by a number of parents and the Australian Neurodivergent Parents Association about this program?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (15:14): I thank the member for her question. This is a significant program that we are implementing in South Australia. It is a first for the joint funding commitment from both the federal and state governments, which is totalling just over $14 million, and an exciting first step in addressing one of the points you were making about families calling for this and where is the consultation.

It came from one of the largest consultations we have had in South Australia, actually through the strategy consultation that we held last year. Over 1,200 people, I believe, participated in that consultation. From there, I don't know how many times I heard in the 25-plus forums I held over three weeks that, 'I wish we had known earlier. I wish that there was a way of having this knowledge earlier about either a diagnosis or how I can get an assessment in autism.'

The Inklings program has been around for quite some time, I have been advised. It is a program that has been undertaken by Telethon Kids, an organisation that is led by Julie Bishop. This is a really significant program because it is about giving knowledge back to parents; it is not about changing a child. This is not being implemented in any way yet; it is being developed as we speak.

I think within the first two weeks of us announcing that this program would be available in South Australia we held a community forum and anyone could come and join who was able to register. We discussed there and then why the importance of this is about giving the knowledge back to parents and training up our CaFHS nurses and our family day-care centres and children centre staff and workforce because they are often the first people who come into contact with our children who are aged between six and 18 months.

This is where this program is seeking to support really little ones, but it's not even about what we can do for the child, it's about giving that knowledge to new parents or to parents about how to best support and communicate with their child. I believe the honourable member asked something about why do we even start enrolling families; is that correct?

The Hon. H.M. Girolamo: Yes, why is it being enrolled at the moment?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: Families are not being enrolled in this program yet. As I have said during these comments, this is a program that we have just been successful in getting that funding through the federal government. It was in the federal budget. We are now scaling that up to how we will be able to train those staff and those workforces that I have just detailed: children's centres, family day-care services and also CaFHS nurses because they are our first, quite often, either allied health support or government educational support staff who are coming into contact with our little ones.

There is a lot that has to happen in this year about training up that workforce, but we haven't rolled out this program in South Australia yet; we have just been successful in getting that funding. Now we have a lot to do to get out there and make sure that we can get that knowledge to our parents and to our carers when that program is ready to do so.