NT Families as First Teachers expected to get 2024 budget lifeline

Educators have been kept in the dark over the funding future of a ‘life changing’ remote preschool program helping more than 2600 mums and bubs.

Gunbalanya School's first Families as First Teachers Educator Nuala Scannell works through conversational reading exercises with a parent and child as part of the FAFT program. Picture: Sierra Haigh

The federal government is expected to offer a lifeline to more than 2600 remote Territory mums and bubs in this week’s budget.

For the past 15 years the Families as First Teachers program has been offering a culturally-safe environment to remote parents and babies and toddlers as they transition into the formal education system.

In December Education Minister Mark Monaghan said the remote early education program had recorded its most successful year in 2023, with 2674 mums and bubs enrolled across 55 centres.

Education Minister Mark Monaghan talks about the impressive year the Families As First Teachers (FAFT) program. Picture: Sierra Haigh

Mr Monaghan has previously said the program would “change lives” and gave “children the best start to life”.

However educators were left in the dark over the program’s future, with only seven weeks of confirmed funding left.

In 2016 FaFT was among a number of programs under the $986m Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment scheme.

When that six-year funding pool ran dry, a $173.20m lifeline was offered in 2022.

That extended funding partnership between the Federal National Indigenous Australians Agency fund and the NT government was due to expire on June 30.

With budget looming and no public assurances given, many in the sector were concerned that the future of the 55 centres was doubt.

However, the federal government has indicated to the NT News that it intends to continue program.

It is understood that the upcoming Tuesday budget will commit further funding to FaFT, however additional details will only be released on budget night.

NIAA said it continued to work closely with the NT government on future investments into its remote children and schooling activities.

“The commonwealth government recognises the importance of services in remote Northern Territory communities, including the FaFT program,” a spokeswoman said.

She said a third of the 2022 NTRAI funding extension, $58.5m was devoted to children and schooling activities, including the FaFT program.

The NT Education department directed all funding questions to the NIAA.

As part of their election strategy, the Labor Party has committed to expanding the number of FaFT sites

The latest department annual report said there were three FaFT sites in the Darwin region, 13 in the Top End, nine in East Arnhem, 13 in Big Rivers, eight in the Barkly, and nine in Central Australia.