Help for kids with reading difficulties

Monday, 21 March 2011 10:41

Media Releases - Kevin Anderson Media Release

Adrian Piccoli, Shadow Minister for Education, and Kevin Anderson, The Nationals candidate for Tamworth, today announced plans to improve services to children across the state with reading difficulties.

"There is no doubt there were improvements which could be made to the Dalwood program, however the complete axing of the program, without consultation with parents, was the wrong way to go," Adrian Piccoli said.

"Our plan takes the best elements of the Dalwood model and improves upon them.

"When the Keneally Labor Government cut the Dalwood program and replaced it, hundreds of concerned parents petitioned us to re-instate what was a great program which led to great outcomes.

"We have consulted with clinicians, parents and education experts and they agree that the previous Dalwood model had many significant advantages which we have incorporated into this new program.

"Our plan will be funded by redirecting money allocated to the NSW Centre for Effective Reading.

"As part of our plan we will:

• Establish a clinical, individualised service;
• Increase the intensive residential program to 4 weeks (Labor had cut it to 1 week);
• Incorporate all services, including assessment, programs & accommodation, in the one location. We have been in discussions with a facility that has a long history in helping rural kids access services they can't get in regional areas. We have reached an agreement to negotiate terms and conditions to house, and operate our new program;
• Improve the eligibility criteria to 100km from Sydney for attendance in our new program (Labor reduced eligibility to exclude areas like Bathurst and Orange);
• Examine the opportunity for referral of younger primary school children into the residential program; andExamine programs which could provide access to web-based information and resources to all schools universally throughout the State.

"The model operating at Dalwood provided great outcomes and made a massive difference to the lives of countless remote and regional kids with complex reading difficulties," Adrian Piccoli said.

"Our plan is to increase to four weeks the intensive residential program in Sydney. The advice that we have received from both clinicians and parents is that four weeks are necessary to give children enough face-to-face time with specialist to begin to address their reading problems.

"The NSW Liberals & Nationals believe that children across the state, particularly those with reading difficulties, deserve the best education and support possible.

"We have been told that children with reading difficulties need support as early as possible, which is why we will examine the opportunity for referral of younger primary school children into the residential program.

"Our plan will also examine web-based information and resources which could be provided to all schools universally throughout the State," Adrian Piccoli said.

"Last year I met with concerned Tamworth parents about this issue. They told me their problems with the current program and how they felt the previous Dalwood model provided better outcomes for their kids," Kevin Anderson said.

"Since that meeting I have had the opportunity of assisting in the formulation of the new program with a number of Liberal & National Shadow Ministers and Members.

"The opportunity to be involved in this policy formulation is a demonstration of the importance of being involved in a strong and dynamic team.

"I'm glad that we now have a plan that will deliver improved results for children with reading difficulties in the North-West," Kevin Anderson said.