The exclusion of a four-year-old neurodiverse boy from a Melbourne kindergarten following an epilepsy diagnosis [1] highlights the ongoing struggles faced by children with disability and their families, campaigners say.
Minderoo Foundation’s Thrive by Five campaign is calling for the creation of an inclusive, universal early childhood education and care system.
Thrive by Five’s Jay Weatherill said too many early childhood services were not funded or set up to accommodate children with disability.
“We would never stand for a primary school or a healthcare service turning away someone because of disability, and that is because we have universal P-12 education, and a universal healthcare system through Medicare,” Mr Weatherill said.
“But currently, early childhood education is not treated like the essential service – and the essential right – that it is.
“That is causing too many children and families to miss out, whether because they cannot afford it, or there are a shortage of places in their area, or because centres do not have the resources to accommodate children with disability.”
Mr Weatherill said early childhood services and workers were not to blame.
“This is a systemic issue, and early childhood educators are some of the most vocal advocates for change because it breaks their hearts that their services do not have the resources to educate and care for all children.”
In March, Thrive by Five launched a draft bill to legally enshrine the right of all children to early childhood education and care, including capping fees at $10 a day.
“We are calling on MPs and Senators to pledge their support for the proposed legislation, to make early childhood education universally accessible and affordable for all Australian children and families,” Mr Weatherill said.
[1] Parents heartbroken by exclusion of son from kindergarten after epilepsy diagnosis, ABC News
