WA LIBERALS’ COMMITMENT TO PRIORTISING CHILDREN AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT

February 2, 2025 11:05 AM
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Libby Mettam
WA Liberal Leader
Donna Faragher
Shadow Minister for Community Services; Early Childhood Education; Youth; Seniors and Ageing
Rikki Baulch
Liberal Candidate for Butler

• Nine commitments worth $110m to support children and their overall health and wellbeing.

• Investing in children early provides them the best opportunities for success and reduces the likelihood of more expensive intervention in later years.

• Announcement shows the WA Liberals clear commitment to children and their families in Western Australia.

The WA Liberals have today announced a significant financial commitment to deliver a comprehensive and practical plan to support children, particularly in the early years.

Investing in early childhood development is one of the most powerful and effective ways to build a stronger, healthier and more prosperous society.

Research consistently shows that the first years of a child’s life form the foundation blocks for a child’s future development, health and wellbeing. Positive experiences and the development of key skills including communication and language as well as physical, social and emotional skills all contribute to helping ensure a child thrives at school and well into their future.

This nearly $110 million commitment into nine initiatives by a future Mettam Liberal Government is an investment in breaking cycles of inequality and ensuring every child, regardless of their background, can reach their full potential.

1. ADHD SUPPORT

The WA Liberals will focus attention on increasing opportunities for greater collaboration between paediatricians and GPs when it comes to ADHD management.

While there has been some progress on a shared care model, with the Department of Health’s Child Development Services initiating co-prescribing with GPs, concerns have been raised with respect to its success due to factors including GP knowledge of ADHD management. There continues to be calls for more comprehensive training to support GPs to increase their skills in this critical area.

That’s why a WA Liberal Government will invest $5m to support greater training of GPs to expand their role in ADHD care. This will ensure GPs are equipped with the skills and knowledge to manage ADHD in collaboration with paediatricians and other specialists.

A Mettam Liberal Government will also invest $250,000 p.a. over four years to ADHD WA expand their professional development programs for teachers, principals and school staff.

ADHD WA’s Professional Development Programs have been successfully delivered to hundreds of teachers, principals, school psychologists and other school staff over the years and this funding will enable more opportunities for educators to learn practical strategies to support students with ADHD in the classroom.

2. EARBUS FOUNDATION

Middle ear disease remains a significant health issue for Aboriginal and disadvantaged children across Western Australia, leading to hearing loss, speech delays and learning difficulties.

The impact of untreated ear disease is profound affecting a child’s ability to engage in school, communicate effectively and develop crucial social skills.

Many children in regional and remote communities struggle to access specialist ear health services, leaving them at risk of permanent hearing loss.

The WA Liberals are committed to closing this gap by fully funding the Earbus Program over the next four years to expand the reach of their mobile clinics state-wide.

Earbus typically operate mobile ear clinics or buses for ear examinations, diagnosis, and treatment, which allows access to areas where healthcare services are limited.

That is why the WA Liberals will invest $26.8m over four years to fully fund the Earbus Program which will allow more children in regional and remote areas to receive early diagnosis and specialist care.

3. CHILD AND PARENT CENTRES

Evidence shows teaching and nurturing children in their early years significantly increases their likelihood for success.

We must increase opportunities for young children, parents and caregivers to more easily access a suite of health, education and family services in one location and close to home.

Child and Parent Centres play a vital role in helping close the gap between the development, health and learning outcomes of children who may be at risk of developmental delay through their one-stop hub approach. Schools are also better equipped to engage with families before children enter the formal education system which helps ensure a smoother transition into school and creates a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

The Barnett Liberal Government established 21 Child and Parent Centres which are still in operation. By contrast, WA Labor has added just one.

That is why a WA Liberal Government will invest $30.4m in 10 new Child and Parent centres strategically located in both metropolitan and regional areas.

In expanding these Centres, we will also ensure there is greater capacity to increase access to maternal and child health services, allied health services early learning programs and parenting support.

4. SPEECH PATHOLOGY

Language and communication skills are fundamental to a child’s ability to succeed in school and beyond. However, thousands of Western Australian children experience speech and language difficulties which can impact their overall learning outcomes and their ability to successfully communicate with family members, teachers and friends.

As at November 2024 the median wait time for a primary school aged child to see a speech pathologist in the metropolitan area was 10.6 months and over 4,080 children are on the waitlist. Many families cannot afford private services and have no choice but to wait for these public services.

Without timely support, children with speech difficulties can struggle to keep up with peers, putting greater pressure on teachers and classroom learning environments.

Western Australia is one of the few states that does not provide a speech pathology service in schools.

That is why a WA Liberal Government will invest $8.8m to trial a speech pathology service in 100 primary schools to support language development.

This initiative will introduce a two-year trial program across 100 schools through four speech pathologist teams. This will provide greater opportunities for students who need speech therapy to access face-to-face therapy on school grounds and will give teachers direct access to information and advice that complements their teaching practices in the classroom.

A WA Liberal Government will also investigate an appropriate location for a new Language Development Centre.

5. MOBILE ALLIED HEALTH SERVICES

Under WA Labor, children and families are experiencing significant delays in accessing allied health services through the Department of Health’s Child Development Services.

According to answers provided in Parliament during November 2024, median wait times for the Metropolitan Child Development Service (MCDS) were:

• Speech Pathology – 10.6 months

• Paediatrician – 22.2 months

• Audiologists – 6 months

• Clinical Psychologists – 21.8 months

To complement the work being done by the MCDS and the WA Country Health Service, a future Mettam Liberal Government will spend $5.3 million to establish two mobile allied health clinics to increase access to essential allied health services for children.

These fully equipped mobile units, staffed by a multi-disciplinary team of specialists within the Department of Health, will have a particular focus on childcare centres and Child and Parent Centres across the State, with the aim of supporting children before reaching school.

This practical initiative will complement the existing government services and make allied health services more accessible, timely and community-focused.

6. SCHOOL GLASSES

Good vision is essential to a child’s ability to learn, but thousands of Western Australian students struggle in school because of undiagnosed vision problems.

Evidence suggests 20 per cent of children aged 6 to 11 need glasses but many go without due to the cost of buying glasses, and the long waiting times for a screening.

That is why the WA Liberals will invest $4m to provide 20,000 students from Kindergarten to Year 3 with vouchers of $200 to removed vision-related barriers to education.

Helping kids get glasses is particularly important in disadvantaged areas, where families may struggle to afford essential healthcare services like eye tests and prescription glasses. Vision issues left undiagnosed can lead to poor academic performance, frustration, and even behavioural challenges as children fall behind their peers.

By prioritising early intervention, we are investing in stronger academic outcomes, better classroom experiences, and a future where every child in Western Australia has the tools they need to succeed.

7. KIDS HELPLINE

Kids Helpline is Australia’s only free 24/7 online and phone counselling service, supporting young people aged between 5 and 25 years. The service also provides child-centred resources for parents to assist them in supporting their children through challenging times, as well as educational sessions and resources for schools.

Of the 27,000 attempts to contact Kids Helpline in 2023 originating from Western Australia, the service was only able to respond to 8,772. With increased funding, Kids Helpline has the potential to respond to more contacts and support more children and young people across the State.

The need for accessible, confidential and professional mental health support for young people has never been greater.

That is why a WA Liberal Government will commit $6 million over four years to help increase Western Australian children and young people’s ability to access Kids Helpline.

The additional funding – which will be allocated to yourtown, the operator of Kids Helpline – will support the service to expand its presence in Western Australia through the establishment of a Perth-based hub, employ more counsellors and connect with other local mental health support providers.

8. CHILDREN’S DENTAL SERVICES

Extensive waitlists, a shortage of public dental services, and long travel distances often compromise timely treatment, exacerbating oral health issues that can lead to pain, poor academic performance, and costly interventions.

The WA Liberals have made a $19 million commitment to fund five mobile dental units to provide services to those in the Goldfields, Mid-West, Pilbara, and other remote and at-risk communities.

If public services are unavailable, a Mettam Liberal Government would enter partnerships with local private dental providers to provide these services.

This dual approach of improving public capacity and leveraging private expertise will significantly reduce wait times, address geographic barriers, and lay the foundation for healthier generations.

This commitment recognises the significant barriers Western Australians face in getting dental treatment, especially for children, in the regions.

9. SELECT COMMITTEE INTO CHILD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES REPORT

The Select Committee into Child Development Services made a series of important recommendations aimed at improving the accessibility and sustainability of the child development service system both now and in the future. The WA Liberal Party is committed to ensuring these evidence-based recommendations are implemented to improve services for children and families across the State.

In addition to the commitments already outlined, we will ensure other key recommendations from the Select Committee’s Final Report are actioned, including improving collaboration between departments, reviewing child health check schedules and increasing community partnerships.

We will work with government agencies, not-for-profit organisations and healthcare providers to strengthen collaboration, streamline service delivery, and enhance early childhood screening and intervention programs.

By ensuring these recommendations are actioned, we can create a more efficient,

accessible, and effective system that delivers real results for families across Western Australia.

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO LIBBY METTAM, WA LIBERAL LEADER AND SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH

Our plan to revolutionise access to early childhood development services will ease pressures on families’ budgets, equip our kids with the tools to succeed, and reduce the need for more costly interventions later in life.

I regularly hear stories about families having to go to the East Coast to have their child diagnosed and treated for ADHD. By empowering GPs to practise to their full scope, treating and managing ADHD, families can get treatment more quickly, closer to home, often at a lower cost.

It will also free up paediatricians to focus on more complex cases, and other paediatric issues, helping to fix our broken health system.

Under WA Labor, regional services have been gutted.

From the Earbus, to Kids Helpline, Children’s Dental Services, and Mobile Allied Health services, we are committed to restoring regional services.

In a state as wealthy as WA, families should not be forced to wait two years to see a paediatrician – only the WA Liberals have a plan to fix Labor’s broken health system, and help our kids get the help they need, when they need it.

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO DONNA FARAGHER, SHADOW MINISTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Investing in early childhood development is one of the most powerful ways to build a stronger, healthier and more prosperous society.

Research consistently shows that the first years of a child’s life form the foundation blocks for a child’s future development, health and wellbeing.

Positive experiences and the development of key skills including communication and language as well as physical, social and emotional skills all contribute to helping ensure a child thrives at school and well into their future.

Studies show every dollar spent in early childhood delivers a significant return on investment.

The simple fact is, however, that the longer a child has to wait for early intervention and support, the greater impact it has on their overall development and wellbeing.

We all want our children to reach their full potential and early diagnosis, and intervention undoubtedly improves a child’s health, learning and social outcomes both in the short and long term.

Our children don’t have time to wait.

Our commitment is not just about immediate assistance; it is about shaping a future where every child has the tools to succeed, ensuring a more prosperous and equitable Western Australia for generations to come.

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO RIKKI BAULCH, WA LIBERAL CANDIDATE FOR BUTLER

When I am out and about talking to parents across Butler, I regularly hear about their frustration in getting access to what should be essential services.

WA has lived through the biggest boom in our history, it shouldn’t be harder than ever for our kids to get diagnosed for ADHD or get access to allied health services.

Our Building a Better Future Blueprint shows that only the WA Liberals have a plan to set up our kids for success, lower living costs, fix a broken health system, and restore regional services – our comprehensive early childhood development package is another example of how we will do that.

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