“That ICPA (Aust) advocates to the Federal Ministers for Education and the National Disability Insurance Scheme, the Commissioner for Regional Education and other relevant ministers and commissioners to include an amendment into the 2025 review of the “Disability Standards for Education 2005” that encompasses the needs of students with a disability who reside in a boarding facility for secondary education due to not being able access a local school due to isolation.”
The needs of students with a disability in boarding house facilities across Australia should be recognised so that they have the opportunity for appropriate and inclusive education on the same basis as all other students. The “Disability Standards for Education 2005” must reflect the needs of students who reside in an educational facility residential accommodation setting for students from rural and remote areas, who have no choice but to go to boarding school. The standards need to reflect the needs of students outside of regular school hours.
The Disability Standards for Education 2005 are Commonwealth Government legislation, they are administered by the Attorney-General’s Department and sit alongside the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.
The Act seeks to eliminate, as far as possible, discrimination against people with disabilities. Under section 22 of the Act, it is unlawful for an educational authority to discriminate against a person on the ground of the person’s disability or a disability of any associates of that person. Section 31 of the Act enables the Attorney-General to formulate disability standards in relation to a range of areas, including the education of persons with a disability. The supportive environment of a boarding house needs to work in with conjunction of the day school for a successful education journey, and supportive measure put in place within the day school must carry over to the boarding house for a comprehensive education.
The standards are reviewed every 5 years.
The standards reflect enrolment, participation, curriculum development, accreditation and delivery, student support services and elimination of harassment and victimisation. Each area includes statements and guidance notes to assist in delivery for educational institutions.
Our boarding students do not have access to a local school for education, they are enrolled into schools that offer boarding due to the need for education. As families we need the standards that represent educational inclusion across Australia to also be inclusive of the residential boarding setting and specify the needs of students with a disability to be included for the 24 hours a day that they are educated and cared for.
For geographically isolated families, residential boarding is an important continuation of our children’s education. Students with a disability require extra support in their daily lives to reach their full potential. Boarding houses have a duty of care, responsibility and accountability for the increased needs of a student with a disability. This is inclusive wellbeing, medical, social, homework time, nutrition and extracurricular school activities. Appropriate legislation needs to be implemented to encompass our boarders living with a disability so that they too can have equal rights to an appropriate and inclusive education. Disability does not turn its self-off, at the end of the school day when the bell rings.
