Page 2851 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 14 August 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Recommendations from the 2013 learning difficulties task force have guided the government’s response to support these students. This has led to the development of extensive resources and professional learning for school staff to build capacity in supporting students with learning needs, including dyslexia.
Funding was also provided in the 2016-17 ACT budget for the recruitment of an additional 26 full-time staff to support long-term educational outcomes for these students and all students in ACT public schools. This has also led to an increase in the number of school psychologists and strengthening the network student engagement team, NSET, through the addition of allied health workers, including speech language pathologists.
This has meant an expansion in universal supports available to schools through professional learning packages that are designed for schools and teachers. NSET allied health workers also respond to school requests for support for individual students and are involved in consultations, observations, assessments and providing support for schools and students’ needs. NSET also includes two dedicated inclusion officers in each of the four networks.
Madam Assistant Speaker, the public education system has access to multidisciplinary support from professionals including psychologists, social workers, speech pathologists, occupational therapists and specialist educators. Student welfare teams including social workers, youth workers and student health nurses, based in schools, also provide various wellbeing and health support to students.
The ACT government, through the future of education strategy, continues to maintain a focus on meeting the wellbeing and learning needs of all students. This includes a focus on meeting the needs of students with learning difficulties, including dyslexia, through ongoing professional development for schools, access to specialist expertise and evidence-based literacy instruction.
Students in need of additional support also have individualised educational programs which are tailored to fit their specific needs. Individualised plans strengthen learning and mitigate the likelihood of incidents, ensuring both the safety of the individual student and the safety of their peers. These plans are regularly reviewed and modified. In the 2019 budget, the ACT government directed $41 million over four years in additional resources to meet the needs of students with a disability, building on similar investments in prior budgets.
Madam Assistant Speaker, there are a number of supports in schools. These include multidisciplinary support through the Education Directorate and professionals, including psychologists, social workers, speech pathologists, occupational therapists and specialist educators. Students in need of additional support also have individual education programs which are tailored to fit their needs.
The future of education strategy is about ensuring that every child, regardless of how they learn, their background or how they come to our schools, gets the same equal
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video