A 35: Goldfields Eyre Branch (WA)

Specific Education Needs
Motion:

That ICPA (Aust) lobbies the Federal Government and relevant bodies for increased federal funding to improve rural and remote school’s access to specialists who can diagnose students with learning disabilities and offer ongoing education and support to students and their teachers.

Explanation:

Despite the funding that is currently available many small rural schools find it difficult to access professional support for students with intellectual disabilities and learning difficulties. We are asking that the Minister of Education and the Ministers for Health and Aged Care and for Regional Development, local government and territories work together to actively support professionals such as speech therapists and education and mental health specialists to work in regional, rural and remote schools by providing them with appropriate placements that include accommodation and transport. Funding should be used to incentivise specialists wanting to take on permanent positions in rural centres ensuring continuity for teachers, students and their parents.

In Western Australia it has become a requirement for families to travel to Perth or utilise telehealth to access these specialists, when previously the specialists have travelled to the regions. We believe this “footprint reduction” strategy deployed by the Health Department is affecting remote children whose families do not have the capacity to travel to seek diagnosis and treatment and children are slipping through the cracks without appropriate diagnosis and intervention to assist them with their learning. Even when students are referred to these services the weight time to see a specialist can be months or even a year which can have negative long-term effects academically especially when dealing with children under 5. This is also affecting rural and remote teachers and other students who are often dealing with these issues in the classroom without assistance. If the specialists were readily available in regional centres, it would be easier for families to travel to them and more likely that the same specialist would remain in the position giving children continuity of treatment.

CARRIED