Children with disabilities will continue receiving essential therapy through the Inspire Foundation after the government agreed to fork out €750,000 over three years, a Family Ministry spokesman said.

I’m concerned the agreement is only for three years. Our children need more than that

The ministry and Inspire, an NGO that works with people who have disabilities, will soon sign a three-year agreement where the government will give Inspire €250,000 a year. The agreement will be backdated to last January.

The money will help fund essential therapy services, such as physiotherapy, occupational and speech therapy, that help disabled children acquire skills.

The agreement is a relief for the parents of the 250 children who benefited from therapy at Inspire and feared it might stop due to lack of funds.

“I’m very grateful to both sides for reaching this agreement,” said a father of a five-year-old who has Down’s Syndrome. However, he could not help but look beyond the three-year period and worry about his daughter’s future.

“I have to say I’m concerned the agreement is only for three years. Our children need more than that. As parents, we don’t want to have to face the same uncertain situation in three years’ time. We’d prefer something more long term,” he said.

Inspire CEO Nathan Farrugia welcomed the government’s efforts to work together with the accredited NGO. Inspire would strive to offer a good service to the children and be held accountable.

He said the plan was to raise the remaining €200,000 needed so parents who paid for educational services could still benefit from free therapy. He did not wish to elaborate until the contract was signed.

The ministry spokesman said as part of the agreement, Inspire will be obliged not to raise the cost of therapy. Government funding dropped in 2010 when it was decided direct therapy expenses should be funded by the Health Department, not Education.

This year, the ministry gave €800,000 to cover the 250 children’s educational expenses. But the Health Department did not fund therapeutic services.

Inspire told parents it might have to reduce services and relatives shared their concerns in the media.

Several meetings, led by Family Minister Chris Said, were called and the agreement was drawn up.