The first 2,000 days are the most critical in a child’s life.
Jess Wilson’s Liberals have announced a dodgy policy, with science and costings that don’t stack up.
They want to screen children for autism or ADHD in Prep, but that’s too late for those important early years.
Then, they want to hand out a voucher to families, abandoning them to find a private specialist with no support.
Combined with the Liberals’ $40 billion in school and hospital cuts, this policy leaves families worse off.
Labor’s Maternal and Child Health system already screens kids in their first 2,000 days, covering more than just ADHD and autism.
Our 10 Key Ages and Stages visits include development checks, all of which happen before a child starts school.
In a trainwreck 3AW interview, Shadow Education Minister Brad Rowswell couldn’t answer basic questions.
He can’t even get the basics right – our school Disability Inclusion funding is based on need, and it doesn’t require a diagnosis as he claims.
Victorians deserve to know:
- How can you fund this when you’re cutting $40 billion from our frontline services?
- Why won’t you support children beyond a once-off voucher to see a specialist?
- Will you cut the current School Nursing Program to fund this?
- How many Student Support Services staff will you cut to fund this?
- What tools will you use to screen for neurodivergence?
- Will every school get an Occupational Therapist and Speech Pathologist?
Victorians want services and cost of living support they can rely on – not Liberal cuts and empty promises.
As stated by Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll
“This announcement is all spin and no substance – you just can’t trust Jess Wilson’s Liberals and their $40 billion cuts plan.”
“Only Labor will take a strength-based approach to supporting kids with disability, while Liberals push a neoliberal voucher agenda on our Schools.”
