AEIOU’s Centre of Excellence receives funding boost from Federal Government

The Prime Minster Tony Abbott and Assistant Minister for Social Services Mitch Fifield today jointly announced a funding package of more than $16 million for six autism-specific child care centres around the country. 

The centres, known as Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centres (ASELCC), provide programs and support for children aged zero to six years with autism spectrum disorders.

Funding is being extended for the next three years until the end of 2018, providing ASELCCs with financial stability, and an opportunity to adapt their business models for the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

AEIOU Foundation for children with autism operates the ASELCC Queensland centre in Brisbane.  “We are delighted at this announcement,” said Founder and Chair Dr James Morton AM “as it gives AEIOU financial certainty and continuity in delivering critical, early intervention for young children with autism until the NDIS is fully implemented across Australia.  We thank the Federal Government for listening to and acting on some of our funding concerns and in understanding the importance of the ASELCCs in supporting these children and their families”.

Early intervention is the key to helping children with disability develop their capacity for participation at school and other settings, which in turn is crucial to helping them attain their goals now and later in their life.

AEIOU is celebrating its 10^th Anniversary this year and and has grown to become one of Australia's largest providers of full-time and part-time early intervention for children with autism through an education and therapy program which meets the 2012 Australian Good Practice Guidelines.

AEIOU has nine centres across Queensland and one in Adelaide supporting over 200 pre-school aged children.

About 70% of children who complete the AEIOU program successfully transition to mainstream school.

ENDS

Media contact: Faye Lawrence, Corporate Affairs Manager, AEIOU Foundation - 0400 552139 - faye.lawrence@aeiou.org.au