NT Government awards inclusive education support grants – ECEC recipients included

The Northern Territory Government has announced the recipients of its latest round of inclusive education support grants, with early childhood education and care (ECEC) services benefiting. 

 

“It is important to support organisations that focus on the education of children with a disability so we can improve the outcomes for these special students and their families across the NT,” the Territory’s Minister for Education Eva Lawler explained.

 

“I applaud the commitment of the grant recipients who are providing the structure of wellbeing and inclusion for children with a disability and helping them develop as integral members of our Territory community.”

 

The grants support not-for-profit and non-government organisations that provide programs to children with disabilities to improve their access and engagement in education, with the Department of Education prioritising key focus areas to receive funding each round.

 

This year’s focus areas included:

 

• vision impairment; 
• hearing impairment; 
• mental health conditions like anxiety, depression and eating disorders; 
• autism spectrum disorder; and 
• Down Syndrome.

 

There is $600,000 in grant funding available annually provided through the Student Wellbeing and Inclusion Services and Programs budget. This is in addition to the $12.7 million over 4 years to better support students with disabilities attending mainstream schools, the Department explained.

 

Recent Inclusive Education Support Grants have been provided to:

 

• Autism NT Inc, $100,000 – Individual Support & Reengagement Education Program to work with school communities to provide tailored support for students.

 

• Brother to Another Ltd, $100,000 – Mentoring at Re Engagement Schools Program, to provide mentoring and wellbeing support to students enrolled in the Top End 

 

• Flexible Learning Centres.The Central Australian Toy Library Inc, $35,000 – Education support for early childhood to employ an educator to provide support for children with disabilities at the three-year-old kindy.

 

• Deaf Services Ltd, $91,000 – Increasing classroom facilitation of deaf and hard of hearing children in the NT

 

• Down Syndrome NT Inc, $60,680 – Down Syndrome School Support Program to provide specialised support to students and families to navigate transitions and access education.

 

• Riding for the Disabled Top End Inc, $62,000 – Saddle Up program to promote physical and mental health to students participating in equine activities.

 

• Vision Australia Ltd, $100,000 – Vision impairment program to provide solutions and therapeutic interventions for students.

 

For more information about the grant stream please see here.