Free hearing and speech tests promised to solve next generation’s youth crime

A Townsville early learning centre owner said an LNP promise to offer free vision, hearing and speech development tests to Queensland children would be “amazing”.

A Cranbrook childcare centre owner said an LNP promise to give free vision, hearing and speech development tests to kindergarten children was an “amazing opportunity” that could prevent behavioural issues later in life.

Townsville Montessori early learning centre owner-operator Mikaela Murray said it recently appointed its own occupational therapist to assess the children across 10 weeks, and to identify those that needed more support.

She said North Queensland children could experience ‘sticky ear’, a fluid build-up in the middle ear, and even this problem could cause long-term development effects if not identified early on.

“To think this (program) will be now available across the board for every Queenslander child is fantastic, children who can’t speak, especially can’t hear, and can’t see, can’t access learning, and it’s the learning that they need to be successful in life,” she said.

Ms Murray said she was a former police officer in the 2000s who realised that there were vulnerable children who were struggling in their development but their problems were not identified early.

A Cranbrook early learning centre owner-operator Mikaela Murray advocates the LNP’s promise to offer free hearing and speech testing for kindy students, as Mundingburra candidate Janelle Poole and Thuringowa candidate Natalie Marr listen in. Picture: Liam Kidston

“I actually went into the education system as a special-education teacher thinking that help was needed to provide the skills for these children, and soon realised that it was early intervention,” she said.

“So it was the zero to five space is the crucial space for this intervention.”

LNP leader David Crisafulli announced the $27.5m program at Townsville Montessori and said it would have enormous benefits to health, education, and address youth crime long-term.

“It’s about giving kids the best opportunity when they’re young to be at their best and to learn at their best,” Mr Crisafulli said.

LNP leader David Crisafulli speaks of the benefits of free testing of hearing, speech and vision and how it could help health, education and even youth crime in the long-term. The three Townsville based LNP candidates Janelle Poole, Adam Baillie and Natalie Marr listen in. Picture: Liam Kidston

“Every kid will receive vision, hearing and speech development checks in kindy – every kid – and it’s important where there are development learning issues that child be given the opportunity to have that kind of care to turn their life around.

“It’s clear if a child can’t see, if a child can’t hear and a child can’t speak they’re going to be disengaged in the education system and that will lead to outcome outcomes that aren’t best for the child long-term, but increases the likelihood of them falling through the cracks in life, and we can’t accept that.”

Mundingburra LNP candidate Janelle Poole, who is currently a long-term Townsville based police officer who had worked in schools for three years, said early intervention health checks would help these children to “continue on the right path.”

She believed such programs would have been valuable to today’s 18-year-old voters who had to overcome their own struggles in the youth justice system on their own.

Originally published as Free hearing and speech tests promised to solve next generation’s youth crime