PlayAbility will no longer be able to operate its mobile toy library and parent resource service after June 30.
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But the facility's centres in Eden and Bega will remain open.
Marcelle Van Gasselt, service manager of PlayAbility, told the Eden Magnet yesterday that the board of management and staff were proud to announce that PlayAbility had found a way to maintain the viability of our centres in Eden and Bega.
"But we are sad to say that from July 1, PlayAbility is not able to continue to provide supported playgroups and the mobile toy and parenting resource service," Ms Van Gasselt said.
"The mobile toy truck and supported playgroups are a gateway to our services and other support services in the Bega Valley Shire,” Ms Van Gasselt said.
PlayAbility, an Eden-based early intervention service, has had its funding application for these services denied.
Operated as a not-for-profit charity, PlayAbility has been providing supported playgroups across the Bega shire for more than 30 years.
PlayAbility also runs early intervention for children with developmental delays and disabilities, indigenous parenting support as well as the mobile toy and supported playgroups.
The focus of their outreach is to strengthen family units, helping empower families with skills and knowledge to solve problems before they turn into a crisis.
This support is vital for many parents, connecting otherwise isolated families throughout our rural area.
Parents engaged with PlayAbility might be unanimous about the importance of PlayAbility, but the Department of Social Services (DSS) doesn’t agree.
In February, the department deemed the Bega Valley Shire not “a priority area”, and scheduled to cease funding in June.
PlayAbility has lobbied MPs including the federal member for Eden-Monaro, Dr Peter Hendy, and state member for Bega, Andrew Constance, but without success.
Mr Constance said the matter was currently before Dr Hendy.
“This is all with Peter Hendy," Mr Constance said.
"I spoke with him on the weekend (Sunday, May 17), and he said funding for PlayAbility was still being reviewed by (Liberal Minister for Social Services) Scott Morrison.
"My strong view is that PlayAbility should be maintained via the Commonwealth.
"It’s a vital service for Eden.
"It’s a long established service providing vital support and - calling a spade a spade - bureaucrats in Canberra don’t appreciate our need.
"Priorities across a lot of sectors of community are not dissimilar, but I’m hoping the right outcome can be achieved.
"It’s a federal, not a state issue,” he said.
Dr Hendy said he had been in regular contact with the minister’s office concerning the funding of PlayAbility, including within the last few days.
"No decisions have yet been made on the review that is currently underway on possible funding decisions beyond the end of June," Dr Hendy said.
"The social services funding is only part of the funding provided to PlayAbility.
"The Australian Government has already announced that PlayAbility is recommended for funding under the Indigenous Advancement Strategy, and I look forward to them continuing to play an important role in the local community," he said.
In response to comments by Dr Hendy, regarding the Indigenous Advancement Strategy funding, Ms Van Gasselt said that funding did not in any way compensate for the loss of funding from DSS.
"By the sheer fact that we won’t be able to run the mobile toy truck which is the first access point for many families to all our other services," Ms Van Gasselt said.
"The families affected are some of the most vulnerable and socially isolated within our shire.”
For more information about our services and our current funding crisis, people can visit the website at playability.com.au