“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.”
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 for 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, education support and mental health specialists to work in regional, rural and remote schools by providing them with appropriate placements that include accommodation and transport.
In Western Australia it has become a requirement for families to travel to Perth or utilise telehealth to access 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, as a result children are slipping through the cracks without appropriate diagnosis and intervention to assist them with their learning. Funding is required to incentivise specialists wanting to take on permanent positions in rural centres ensuring continuity for teachers, students and their parents. 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.
