The Department of Education funds and delivers education services for NSW students from preschool to secondary school. The department also regulates the early childhood education and care sector including preschools, long day care centres and family day care and supports their inclusion of children with disability. Through Aboriginal Affairs, the department works with Aboriginal communities to promote social, economic and cultural wellbeing. The department manages one of the most extensive public education systems in the world. It delivers education to more than 780,000 school students each year through its network of over 2,200 public schools, representing around two-thirds of all school students in NSW. In addition, the department provides funding support to over 400,000 students attending non-government schools. Overall, the Department of Education is committed to improving the lives of people with disability, their families and carers through ongoing engagement, consultation and advocacy. The department provides leadership for supporting positive community understanding, attitudes and behaviours and embraces the diverse experiences of persons with disability. Ongoing engagement with people with disability and their families and carers is an essential component of this Plan. This Plan builds on the significant initiatives implemented by the department under its previous Disability Action Plan 2011-2015. Some of these achievements included: implementing Every Student, Every School, an ongoing initiative that continues to strengthen support for students whose learning is impacted by disability through a range of activities including increased professional learning for teachers
Focus Area 1: Developing positive community attitudes and behaviours towards people with disability Outcome Action Targeted Area Timeframe Responsibility 1.1 Key organisational strategies promote and support disability awareness and inclusive practices 1.1.1 Establish an executive disability champion role for employees Senior Executives April 2018 Human Resources Directorate (Strategy & Governance) 1.1 Key organisational strategies promote and support disability awareness and inclusive practices 1.1.2 Promote the Human Rights Commission learning and development resource ‘Upholding the Rights of People with Disability in Policy and Project Work’ to departmental employees who work in policy and project officer roles Departmental employees who work in policy and project officer roles On-going Human Resources Directorate (Talent Management – Corporate Talent) 1.1 Key organisational strategies promote and support disability awareness and inclusive practices 1.1.3 Publish positive stories about Departmental initiatives and employees with disability through the Department’s web content and publications All employees July 2018 Human Resources Directorate (Strategy & Governance) Communications and Engagement 1.2 Increased employee awareness and acceptance of the rights of people with disability, and improved inclusive practices 1.2.1 Promote opportunities for staff to participate in activities and campaigns which foster and celebrate disability inclusion and culture and recognise achievements, through the Don’t Dis my ABILITY campaign and All employees April 2018 Human Resources Directorate (Strategy & Governance) Communications and Engagement
International Day of People with Disability 1.2 Increased employee awareness and acceptance of the rights of people with disability, and improved inclusive practices 1.2.2 Encourage more staff to complete elearning modules on the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and Disability Standards for Education 2005 about their obligations to students with disability and their parents and carers Schools On-going Learning and Wellbeing, Schools Operations and Performance 1.2 Increased employee awareness and acceptance of the rights of people with disability, and improved inclusive practices 1.2.3 Build disability awareness training into the employee induction program for corporate employees All corporate employees June 2019 Resources Directorate (Talent Management – Learning Design & Evaluation) 1.2 Increased employee awareness and acceptance of the rights of people with disability, and improved inclusive practices 1.2.4 Build disability awareness training into the manager induction program for corporate employees All corporate managers June 2018 Human Resources Directorate (Talent Management – Learning Design & Evaluation) 1.3 Identification of additional workforce related actions to support positive changes in 1.3.1 Consult with staff and external disability stakeholders to develop Relevant business and Disability Employee June 2018 Resources Directorate (Strategy & Governance)
community attitudes and behaviour further actions which foster positive community attitudes and behaviour Work Health & Safety Directorate 1.4 Increased student awareness and acceptance of the rights of people with disability 1.4.1 Encourage and support students with disability to participate in Student Representative Councils and in the annual Secretary for a Day program Schools August 2017 Learning and Wellbeing 1.5 and stakeholders are informed and understand the role and purpose of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) 1.5.1 Establish and maintain a website presence that provides information about the NDIS for schools and early childhood education and care providers to support their understanding of the NDIS Schools Early Childhood Education and Care January 2017 Learning and Wellbeing Early Childhood Education and Care Communications and Engagement 1.5 Staff and stakeholders are informed and understand the role and purpose of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) 1.5.2 Deliver professional development sessions to staff across School Operations and Performance to support their engagement with NDIS participants. School Staff July 2018 School Operations and Performance 1.5 Staff and stakeholders are informed and understand the role and purpose of the 1.5.3 Provide information to the early childhood sector about the NDIS and the delivery of NDIS supports in an early childhood setting. Early Childhood education and care sector July 2018 Early Childhood Education and Care Communications and Engagement
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Focus Area 2: Creating more liveable communities for people with disability Outcome Action Targeted Area Timeframe Responsibility 2.1 Improved attraction, retention and career development for people with disability 2.1.1 Develop collaborative partnerships across agencies, non-government organisations and the private sector with a view to strengthening employment outcomes for people with disability Workforce Management Directorate, Family and Community Services, Public Service Commission June 2018 Human Resources Directorate (Strategy & Governance) 2.1 Improved attraction, retention and career development for people with disability 2.1.2 Engage and support Australian Disability Enterprises through procurement activity Workforce Management Directorate, Family and Community Services, Public Service Commission December 2016 Procurement Solutions Directorate
Table Focus Area 3: Achieving a higher rate of meaningful employment participation by people with disability through inclusive employment practices Outcome Action Targeted Area Timeframe Responsibility 3.1 Improved recruitment experience for people with disability 3.1.1 Review existing recruitment processes to ensure information and application processes are accessible Recruitment and Employment June 2018 Human Resources Directorate (Recruitment & Employment) 3.2 Increased opportunities for people with disability to enter the workforce 3.2.1 Consider opportunities for targeted recruitment for people with disability All corporate business units June 2018 Human Resources Directorate (Strategy & Governance) 3.3 Improved engagement and support for people with disability in the workforce 3.3.1 Use the Disability Employee Network as a mechanism for improved engagement with the workforce on issues related to disability in the workplace. All employees Ongoing Human Resources Directorate (Talent Management) 3.3 Improved engagement and support for people with disability in the workforce 3.3.2 Promote leadership development for people with disabilities All corporate business units April 2018 Human Resources Directorate (Strategy & Governance) 3.3 Improved engagement and support for people with disability in the workforce 3.3.3 Support employees requiring reasonable adjustment due to All employees September 2016 Work Health & Safety Directorate
disability, illness or related health conditions 3.4 Improved accessibility of services and systems supporting employees with disability 3.4.1 Increase opportunities for employee feedback and input in relation to accessibility of services and systems All employees December 2016 Information Technology Directorate, Communication & Engagement 3.5 School students with complex needs are supported in planning for post school employment pathways 3.5.1 Review processes for supporting transition of students with disability into post-school employment options in light of supports being provided through the National Disability Insurance Scheme Schools June 2017 Learning and Wellbeing, Schools Operations and Performance Focus Area 4: Achieving more equitable access to mainstream services for people with disability through better systems and processes Outcome Action Targeted Area Timeframe Responsibility
4.1 A new strategic policy that underpins the Department’s commitment to people with disability 4.1.1 Review and update the People with Disability – Statement of Commitment policy to reflect contemporary obligations, expectations and services of people with disability and inclusive practices, including their supporters and representatives Schools, Educational Services and State Office June 2017 Learning and Wellbeing, Schools Operations and Performance 4.2 Improved access to information on Departmental programs and services supporting people with disability 4.2.1 Improve the Department’s website information about support provided in NSW public schools for students whose learning is impacted by disability Schools December 2016 Learning and Wellbeing, Schools Operations and Performance 4.2 Improved access to information on Departmental programs and services supporting people with disability 4.2.2 Review guidance for school website content to see if information on supporting students with disability on these websites can be improved Schools December 2016 Learning and Wellbeing, Schools Operations and Performance 4.2 Improved access to information on Departmental programs and services 4.2.3 Ensure all new Department web content complies with WCAG 2.0 Level AA accessibility standards and develop a plan to make old content accessible All employees December 2020 Communication and Engagement Directorate
supporting people with disability All who update web content 4.2 Improved access to information on Departmental programs and services supporting people with disability 4.2.4 Provide training for responsible for creating web content to ensure it meets WCAG 2.0 Level AA accessibility standards All employees December 2020 Communication and Engagement Directorate 4.3 Improved teacher knowledge and skills in recognising and responding to the individualised learning and support needs of students whose disability impacts their learning 4.3.1 Encourage learning and support teachers to take up professional learning opportunities to help them to improve their knowledge and skills in supporting students with disability. Schools December 2017 Learning and Wellbeing, Schools Operations and Performance 4.3 Improved teacher knowledge and skills in recognising and responding to the individualised learning and support needs of students whose disability impacts their learning 4.3.2 Further develop and promote professional learning options for teachers in personalising learning and support for students whose learning is impacted by disability Schools Ongoing Learning and Wellbeing, Schools Operations and Performance
4.3 Improved teacher knowledge and skills in recognising and responding to the individualised learning and support needs of students whose disability impacts their learning 4.3.3 Work with Australian Government to implement recommendations for school education from the Commonwealth Review of the Disability Standards for Education Schools Schools Learning and Wellbeing, Schools Operations and Performance 4.3 Improved teacher knowledge and skills in recognising and responding to the individualised learning and support needs of students whose disability impacts their learning 4.3.4 Develop materials that support schools to align personalised learning and support with supports being provided by the NDIS Schools December 2017 Learning and Wellbeing, Schools Operations and Performance 4.3 Improved teacher knowledge and skills in recognising and responding to the individualised learning and support needs of students whose disability impacts their learning 4.3.5 Develop additional guidance for school staff in working with students with disability in areas such as use of assistive technology, effective use of learning and support teachers and working with external service providers Schools July 2017 Learning and Wellbeing, School Operations and Performance