Queensland residents draw to the attention of the House the reduction of teaching staff in the Nursery Road Early Childhood Development Program (ECDP).  The Nursery Road ECDP provides early intervention for children with special needs, specifically to prepare these children for the school environment.  The Nursery Road ECDP had an allocation of 4.8 full-time equivalent teachers in 2013, and this has been reduced to 2.2 full-time equivalent teachers for 2014, with an additional reduction of teacher aide hours.  This funding cut accompanies the cessation of dual access to the ECDP and the mainstream school environment.  The reduction in early intervention and support for children with disabilities jeopardises the development of the skills required to fully integrate to a mainstream class. This unnecessarily challenges all students and staff in the inclusive classroom.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to:

1. allocate sufficient funding to the Nursery Road ECDP to provide the same number of administration, teaching and teacher aide hours per child in 2014 as was provided in 2013; and

2. restore the option for eligible children to have dual access to ECDP and the Prep Year.