A STaR is born

I was delighted last week when Senator Kay Patterson, Federal Minister for Family and Community Services, launched a Macquarie University-based project aimed at encouraging childcare centres to enrol and support children with disabilities or developmental delays.

Funding for special needs programs is available at preschool level in New South Wales, but childcare centres do not receive the same level of support. This new scheme aims to bridge this gap, thus improving outcomes of children with disabilities through mainstream childcare centres.

The project is jointly managed by Access Macquarie Ltd and the Special Teaching and Research (STaR) Inclusive Early Childhood Association, and funded through the Federal Government’s Family and Community Services Early Childhood - Invest to Grow initiative with additional Commonwealth support through the Intervention Support Program and funding from supporters of the STaR Association.

Established in 1989 as the commercial arm of Macquarie University, Access Macquarie Ltd (formerly Macquarie Research Ltd) facilitates and supports the commercial needs of industry, business and government seeking access to the University’s academic expertise.

The STaR project is based on 10 years of research into inclusive childcare education at Macquarie’s Special Education Centre and practical application in the classroom. A program developed by the Centre has been operating successfully in Ryde, Seven Hills, Kings Langley and St Clair, with plans for new programs at Werrington, Blackett and Penrith.

“As well as aiming for inclusive education, the STaR program’s main objective is to accelerate and enhance the children’s development with the goal of helping children with special needs attend a mainstream school where this is in the best interests of the child and family,” says Project Director and Macquarie Senior Lecturer, Dr Coral Kemp.

“Our research at MUSEC has demonstrated that this model of inclusive early childhood education benefits children with and without disabilities.”

Senator Patterson said the project would help child care centre staff to learn the skills needed to provide the right kind of care for babies and children with disabilities.

“STaR will support the families of these children through the provision of child care, enabling parents to return to work, study or receive respite,” she said.

* This is my last column for 2005, but it will return early in the New Year. In the meantime, from myself and all of us at Macquarie – have a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year.