Canberra children under four with autism or a developmental delay can now move to the National Disability Insurance Scheme as the ACT government prepares to shift school-based services to community providers.
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The ACT government will shift early intervention programs provided by the Education and Training Directorate for children not yet enrolled in school to community providers at the beginning of the 2015 school year.
Therapy ACT will continue to provide services until December 2016.
Minister for Disability Joy Burch said six providers had been selected by tender to deliver services from next year.
Eligible children and their families can now organise access to funding through the scheme.
"From next year children who are eligible for the NDIS and have not yet started school will be linked with new community-based early intervention providers," she said.
"They are now in contract negotiations and final arrangements will be in place soon. But because these contracts are non-exclusive, any other provider wishing to offer early intervention or therapy services in the ACT under the NDIS will still be able to do so."
Ms Burch urged families of children accessing early intervention or therapy services to contact the National Disability Insurance Agency if they had not done so already.
She said families wishing to use a different service provider would also be able to do so.
"The NDIA will be able to determine if your child meets the eligibility requirements and needs some support, and how to get that support," she said.
"I encourage any providers interested in delivering these services to register with the NDIA as soon as possible, and encourage families to talk to the NDIA and find out if their child is eligible."
Families will be able to meet new service providers at an open day on November 17 at Hedley Beare Centre for Teaching and Learning.
For more information, contact the NDIA on 1800 800 110.
