Page 1038 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 21 March 2012
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Post-school supports are provided in addition to the respite, specialist behavioural support services and home and community care services. Each graduate is also eligible for the taxi subsidy scheme and for a mobility allowance. As of 31 January this year Disability ACT had received 46 referrals for young people expecting to complete school at the end of this year, and more referrals are expected. Families of December 2013 school leavers will receive information regarding the school leaver process during term 1 of this year, which is two years before their graduation.
In addition to all the more formal services, the ACT government funds an annual quality of life grant process which provides small amounts of direct funding to individuals and families. These grants are available to people to purchase a range of services, equipment and experiences which may broaden their opportunities to engage in the economic, social and cultural life of Canberra.
The ACT government does value the feedback it gets on all its services, and to ensure that the school leaver process delivers its intended outcomes annual reviews have been established to enable Disability ACT to gather quality information to assess our trends over time. One year after graduation there is a review that provides an opportunity to meet again with school leavers and their families, to assess progress against their goals and aspirations and provide further information and support where required. This review has been conducted over the last three years and I think it goes to one of the points that you are seeking through your motion, Ms Hunter. I am pleased to say that feedback has been positive, with some individuals assisted to access additional support while others have developed different types of support since graduation.
Disability ACT is also instituting a program to measure personal outcomes using the quality leadership methodology. Measuring personal outcomes enables the impact of services to be charted and evaluated against an individual’s goals and aspirations. I think that is a key point around individual aspirations for the young person and their family.
Over future years Disability ACT is expected to gather significant information about outcomes for school leavers, to inform how our future service is developed and delivered.
In 2012 Disability ACT anticipates a large graduating cohort as the alignment of the school leaving age for students attending special schools is concluded. This will bring the school leaver age to 18 years for students with a disability, which is consistent with students in mainstream schools.
Good communication between Disability ACT and the Education and Training Directorate is ongoing, with plans in place to ensure a smooth process for the graduating class of 2012.
Ms Hunter’s motion makes reference to the Victorian model, I believe, and the Victorian government are evolving their service towards a more streamlined service model. In the ACT we continue to evolve our services. The concept of “tell your story
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