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Generational Change: Improving Hearing in the Early Years

Office of the Chief Minister

The successful Community Hearing Worker program has been expanded to include a Families as First Teachers site in Palmerston.

The Palmerston Child and Family Centre in Farrar is the fourth site to begin operating under the expansion of the program to Palmerston, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs in 2019.

The Territory Labor Government committed $2.4m over four years to the program which is also operating in Ngukurr, Gunbalanya, Galiwin’ku and Maningrida.

The Hearing Health Partnership between the Departments of Health and Education is designed to educate families about how early identification, intervention and management can help reduce potential hearing loss.

The program also plays a critical role in helping families understand the importance of good ear health to learning and childhood development.

Quotes Attributed to Minister for Children and Chief Minister Michael Gunner

“We know how critical good ear health is to the prevention of hearing loss and the development of good language skills.

“Being a parent doesn’t come with an instruction manual so the Hearing Health Partnership is a way that we can support families to improve the lives of the next generation of Territorians.

“Integrating health workers at FaFT sites is an investment in our children’s future.”

Quotes attributed to Minister for Health Natasha Fyles:

“Good ear health is vital to a child’s development – and this Territory government understands this.

“We have allocated $2.4 million over four years for this program because we believe investing in our kids is not only the smart thing to do, it’s the right thing to do.”


Media Contact: Andrea Allen 0401 119 467

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