SIGN our petition

Surprise Surprise, the government is dragging their feet and we are waiting on red tape.

Our e-petition number is EN5446 and will go live on the Parliament of Australia’s website on Wednesday the 13th of September. IF, you would like a reminder of when this is live and ready please add your name to the contact form below. In the meantime, you can read our submitted petition below.

Stop childcare legislation discriminating against children with profound disabilities and medical complexity.  

Petition Reason: 

In Australia, children with profound disabilities and medical complexity are being systemically excluded from mainstream childcare models. Current legislative constraints force childcare providers to discriminate against such children. This is morally wrong.

Under the NDIS, these children’s families are forced to pay up to 11 times the cost for care supports than typical families who can access subsidised childcare. This discrepancy puts enormous pressure on their already vulnerable situations.  

All children have a fundamental human right to freedom from discrimination. This requires that they have equal access to meaningful early childhood educational opportunities regardless of their medical situation or disability status.    

Complex children deserve and need a new childcare subsidy that meets their specific requirements.  

Your signature can help ensure this happens. 

Petition Request: 

We ask the House to:

  • Legislate that all early childhood education and care providers be included in the Disability Standards for Education of 2005.  

  • Amend the Family Assistance Law (the basis for Commonwealth child care fee assistance) to include a new subsidy for vulnerable families of children with profound disabilities and medical complexities, and put appropriate policies in place to guide the application and other requirements of the subsidy.

  • Fund research (including feasibility studies) into the social and economic benefits of a new early childhood education and care model (including the provision of appropriate facilities and services) that properly meets the needs of this demographic.