AEIOU News
ABC agreement offers expansion opportunities
Tue, 25 Oct 05
AEIOU has the opportunity to significantly expand its service as soon as next year following a ground breaking agreement with childcare provider ABC Learning.
The agreement is expected to lead to ABC Learning establishing facilities for AEIOU centres at new childcare centres being built throughout Queensland.
The first of the new facilities under the Heads of Agreement are likely to be established in Brisbane and Townsville and will be operated by AEIOU, Queensland's only full-time early intervention provider for children with autism.
Founder and chairman, Dr James Morton, said the Heads of Agreement provided the opportunity to meet a huge demand for early intervention programmes, with feasibility work to start immediately on three new centres for 2006.
"The research shows one in 300 Queensland kids is affected by autism, with more than 150 diagnosed every year.
"We have a considerable waiting list at our Moorooka Centre and some parents have already been told they are unlikely to be offered a place next year.
"This will allow AEIOU to expand much more quickly, because eliminates a significant portion of our costs.
"It gives us the opportunity of realising our vision - a place for every Queensland child from the time they are diagnosed," Dr Morton said.
"I am excited by the enthusiasm Eddy and Le Neve Groves have for the program and their vision," he said.
ABC CEO ? Education Dr Le Neve Groves said the benefits of providing early intervention education programs for children with autism were immense and ABC was proud to be able to provide these facilities to assist AEIOU.
"Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?represents more than 50 percent of children with learning difficulties," Dr Groves said.
"The cause of ASD is unknown and there is no known cure for ASD but high quality early intervention can significantly alter the outlook and potentially transform the outcome for these children."
Where it is educationally beneficial, ABC will facilitate contact between the ABC Learning Centre and AEIOU centre.
"The opportunity to develop early intervention services for children with ASD that are linked to mainstream childcare provides a unique model that will facilitate the development of their socialisation skills," Dr Morton said.
"These skills are critical to the development of these children and represent a major barrier to incorporation of children with ASD into mainstream education."
AEIOU operates as a charitable organisation funded largely by parents? fees, fundraising and donations.
14 children presently attend the Moorooka centre, where they receive specialist teaching, occupational therapy and speech therapy, with a view developing their skills, independence and self-confidence to prepare them for mainstream schooling.
