Please see below media release from the Australian Government, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet on a significant investment in Central Australia.

The Albanese Government‘s $18.4 million investment to support children in Central Australia with FASD, ADHD and autism is being rolled out and will help children get the best possible start in life.

The initiative is part of the landmark $250 million plan for A Better, Safer Future for Central Australia.

The funding will more than double the number of First Nations children with neurodevelopmental issues who can access assessments through the Child and Youth Assessment and Treatment Services (CYATS) Program.

The expansion, which is now underway, will allow neurodevelopmental assessment of around 200 First Nations children and young people each year, compared to 90 children per year currently. 

Additional staff have already been recruited, including two clinical neuropsychologists, one occupational therapist, two speech pathologists, a clinical case coordinator and an Aboriginal family support worker.

CYATS is a specialist service providing formal diagnostic assessment, speech pathology and occupational therapy intervention for Aboriginal children and young people with neurodevelopmental delay or disorder.

The CYATS teams will also be able to work with schools, other service providers and the youth justice system.

Quotes attributable to Donna Ah-Chee, Central Australian Aboriginal Congress

“Congress has known for a long time that if we get the start to life right we can change a child’s entire life story.

“Too many children in our region have been impacted by intergenerational trauma which expresses itself in many cases, in neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, FASD, learning delays and other impacts.

“If we can assess children early and provide early interventions we can make a big difference.

“We started this critical work in 2018 and now, with these much needed additional resources, we can make sure that many more Aboriginal children and young people across Central Australia can get the assessment and help they need to get on to a more healthy development pathway.”