Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697642947954.pdf (Australia)
Submission for "Current levels of access and attainment for students with a Disability in the school system, and the impact on students and families associated with inadequate levels of support" SUMMARY I am the Mother of a 10 year old girl, she has a Disability her main Diagnosis is Autism, and she was diagnosed at the age of 3 and a half.

Her CARS score was 45 (moderate to severe Autism), her Speech Assessment core score was 71 showing a severe delay in her Receptive language & Expressive Language.
We Live in Victoria and she did attend 2 different mainstream schools, The first for Prep to half way through Year 1 (Grade 1) and then the second mainstream school for the second half of year 1 (Grade 1) until early in Term 1 of Year 3 (Grade 3), we have been Home Schooling since March 2014.

ISSUES EXPERIENCED 1.


Lack of Information and disclosure as to what information and reports would be required for an Application for Programs for students with Disabilities by the school and the Victorian Education Department.
Enquiries were made early to the first mainstream school in June 2010 to make sure the best transition for My Daughter to school for 2011, I attended a meeting with the Principal and referral coordinator from the Department of Education it was at this meeting I was informed that a Vineland would need to be completed by My Daughters Kindergarten Teacher and a Speech Assessment by a Speech Pathologist from the Department of Education to see whether my Daughter was eligible for funding for Program for students with Disabilities under the Category Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The first application was put together by a social worker from the Department of Education, the school's Principal and my Daughter's teacher from her first mainstream school.

During Prep she did not meet the funding requirements for funding for an aide, in a letter to the Principal from PSD Policy and Programs unit Manager it stated "the documentation provided with the application does not meet the eligibility requirements for the Program for Students with Disabilities".
Reports used for the first application showed my Daughters IQ as 73, Her Speech Assessment core score was 78 (Receptive Language score of 70 severe difficulty and Expressive Language score of 78 mild difficulty) and a Sensory Assessment.
For the Second application for Programs for Students with Disabilities I requested a more senior person from the Education Department help with the application, my Advocate emailed my daughter's teacher examples of Pragmatics of Language so that her teacher would know what to look for and record my Daughter's responses to requests and instructions.
As I knew what information was required and what it would need to be broken down into Mobility, Fine motor skills, receptive communication, Expressive communication, Challenging (excess) behaviour, Safety, Hearing, Vision, Self-care (toileting, eating, dressing), Medical and cognitive skills I was able to get my Daughter's Occupational therapist to do a new Sensory Assessment and then she wrote up a separate report covering the specific areas.
Reports used for the Second application showed my Daughters IQ as 73, her Speech Assessment core score was again 78 (Receptive Language score of 70 severe difficulty, Expressive Language score of 78 mild difficulty and this time it included a Pragmatic Language Assessment).
The second application was successful in obtaining level 2 funding which would begin in Year 1 (Grade 1) Current levels of access and attainment for students with disability in the school system, and the impact on studentsand families associated with inadequate levels of supportSubmission 121 2.

Lack of support and understanding of my Daughter's Diagnosis, needs and rights to an Education.

3.

Lack of support school to include my Daughter in getting an Education.

4.
4.

Lack of acknowledgement that my Daughter had as much rights as any other child to have an Education.

5.

Lack of reasonable adjustments made to school program to allow my Daughter to participate in class and complete work.

6.

My Daughter was exposed to Bullying at both schools this was not just name calling, it included socially isolating my Daughter in the playground, sexual harassment and even her aide covering up bullying.
Impact on Education My daughter does not learn in the typical way, she requires visuals, extra time to complete activities and support to achieve this, she failed the first half year of Prep and with her Education supplemented with a home program I put together myself she passed the second half of Prep against my wishes she was pushed up into Year 1 (Grade1).
Each year she was pushed up into the next year and by the beginning of year 3 was not at Year 1 (Grade1) standards for Maths could not count to 100 by twos, fives and tens.

Sensory Difficulties play a significant role in My Daughters ability to concentrate, she was overwhelmed and was constantly leaving the classroom which was seen as her being naughty and not listening.

Impact on My Daughter and our family.


My Daughter was significantly left behind her peers enough for them to notice and begin bullying her about it asking her what Grade she was in, was she in the baby class.

The older students seen an opportunity to take advantage of my Daughter sexually harassing her asking her to kiss and cuddle them etc.

By Year 3 (Grade 3) during the first 8 weeks each day I dropped her off her aide and teacher penned her off so I could leave I could hear her screaming Mummy, Mummy.
In March of 2014 My Daughter 8 years old at the time held a knife to her throat and said she wished she was dead, that she wished someone would kill her and make it all stop.

Recommendations: 1.

That all students be given the funding and support they need to be able to attend and participate in class.

2.

That the Education Department should not perform any of the tests required as it is a conflict of interest.

3.

Full disclosure of exactly what information is needed in reports.

4.
4.

That all reports that are required for assessment of funding and needs be paid for by the Education Departments.

4.

That all staff at every school undertake training in all aspects of Disabilities.

5.

That all aides undertake training in all aspects of Disabilities.
Rebecca Hartland, Victoria Current levels of access and attainment for students with disability in the school system, and the impact on studentsand families associated with inadequate levels of supportSubmission 121 Current levels of access and attainment for students with disability in the school system, and the impact on studentsand families associated with inadequate levels of supportSubmission 121