JUNE 2013
LISTEN UP! MAGAZINE
EDUCATION P14 DISABILTYCARE AUSTRALIA
UPDATE
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CDA
CELEBRATES
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CDA BOARD Tom Byrne (SA) Melinda Ewin (QLD) Chair Heike Fabig (NSW) Secretary Con Fourkiotis (QLD) Liz Kelly (VIC) Tracey Myles (NT) CDA STAFF Stephanie Gotlib Executive Officer Alan Blackwood Policy Officer Winnie Bridie Membership Officer Sophie Cole Policy Officer Ruth Gardner Office & Executive Assistant Darrell Harding Financial Officer STUDENT Frini Paipailiadis VOLUNTEERS Chetan Chadha Danny Dickson Josh Dickson Rania Hatzopoulos Michelle Lomez Diane McCarthy A. Monge Simmonds Anne Murphy Kashmira Noone Aleko Papailiadis Julia Talbott
Cover photo: Jason South, Fairfax Media
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CDA MEMBERSHIP IS FREE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY AND FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITY
Children with Disability Australia (CDA) is a not for profit national organisation representing children and young people with disability aged 0–25 years. A crucial part of our role is to provide a link between the direct experiences of children and young people with disability and their families to federal government and other key stakeholders. This link is essential for the creation of a true appreciation of the experiences and challenges that make up the lives of children and young people with disability and their families.
Service providers, organisations and other interested persons are also welcome to join and enjoy the benefits of CDA associate membership for an annual fee of $55 (GST inc). For more information visit www.cda.org.au or phone (03) 9482 1130 or 1800 222 660. Children with Disability Australia Suite 3, 173 Queens Parade, Clifton Hill, VIC 3068. PO Box 172, Clifton Hill VIC 3068. Phone (03) 9482 1130 or 1800 222 660 (regional or interstate callers) Fax (03) 9481 7833 Email info@cda.org.au Web www.cda.org.au Facebook www.facebook.com/ CDISAUS Twitter @CDA39 Instagram CDA3068 Listen Up! magazine is published by Children with Disability Australia. The opinions expressed in Listen Up! are not necessarily those of CDA staff or Board. Articles in Listen Up! may be reproduced in other forums but we ask that you include written acknowledgement of the source and obtain permission beforehand. Listen Up! is available in rich text format on request. Website links to more information are noted throughout the magazine but if you don’t have access to the internet, contact the CDA office and we can send you a print copy.
www.cda.org.au
CDA’s vision is that children and young people with disability living in Australia are afforded every opportunity to thrive, achieve their potential and that their rights and interests as individuals, members of a family and their community are met. CDA works to achieve these aims by: Educating national public policy-makers and the broader community about the needs of children and young people with disability. Advocating on behalf of children and young people with disability to ensure the best possible support and services are available from government and the community. Informing children and young people with disability, families and care givers about their rights and entitlements to services and support. Celebrating the successes and achievements of children and young people with disability. CDA membership includes copies of Listen Up! magazine and strengthens the united voice of children and young people with disability and their families. Use the membership form on page 49 of this edition of Listen Up! to join.
A big ger voice for kids
BOARD WELCOME Welcome to the 2013 edition of Listen Up! This year will go down in history as the year that the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) became reality, now known as DisabilityCare. We have witnessed the culmination of years of campaigning by people with disability, families, disability organisations and dedicated politicians to see Australia become a more equitable place for people with disability. That doesn’t mean the work stops. Yes we can pause to take a moment to celebrate, but the work continues. We need to make sure that DisabilityCare works. Continued advocacy is needed to ensure the new service lives up to our expectations and does indeed make a difference for people with disability and their families Australia wide.
The school funding reforms will make a difference to how students with disability experience their schooling life and their education outcomes. We need to continue to campaign and gather support for the changes to education recommended by the ‘Gonski’ Report. Education remains a high priority for CDA in 2013. This year we have also seen changes to the CDA Board. In March, Bruce Young-Smith the representative from the Northern Territory retired from the CDA Board. Bruce has been volunteering his expertise for 13 years through CDA’s different incarnations helping to transform the organisation into what it is today. Bruce’s down to earth style and forthright advocacy about the rights of children and young people with disability, especially in the
Image: Con Fourkiotis & Tracey Myles
education system, is greatly valued by CDA. His expertise and sense of humour will be greatly missed by all at CDA. Tracey Myles joins the CDA Board as the new representative from the Northern Territory. Tracey comes with personal and professional experience in disability. Tracey, we welcome you to the CDA Board and look forward to working with you.
MELINDA EWIN Chairperson
CDA HAS MOVED CDA HAS MOVED TO A BIGGER OFFICE IN THE SAME STREET OUR NEW CONTACT DETAILS ARE: Suite 3, 173 Queens Parade, Clifton Hill, VIC 3068. PO Box 172, Clifton Hill VIC 3068. Phone (03) 9482 1130 or 1800 222 660 (regional or interstate callers) Fax (03) 9481 7833 Email info@cda.org.au Facebook www.facebook.com/CDISAUS Twitter @CDA39 Instagram CDA3068
Listen Up! | June 2013
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EXECUTIVE OFFICER WELCOME Children with Disability Australia (CDA) recently celebrated its third birthday. I don’t think anyone in the crowded Melbourne Town Hall that morning in 2010 would have thought today we would be part of the introduction of DisabilityCare, previously known as the National Disability Insurance Scheme. At the CDA launch we heard Bill Shorten acknowledge how inept the disability service system was. Whilst we now know what a tide turner his continual messaging of this was, I know many of us all also thought when he said it, “yep we know how bad the system is, we live it, now DO something”. Since then it has been an intense and ambitious ride as many have worked, advocated and collaborated through the Productivity Commission inquiry into Disability Care and Support to where we are today. We are now only moments away from launch sites commencing and every state and territory, except Western Australia, has signed up for the full roll out of DisabilityCare. There is bi-partisan support for DisabilityCare at the national level. Although there is much work to do, the vision we have for the future of children and young people with disability is much more optimistic now than it was when we celebrated the beginnings of CDA three years ago. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many people who have contributed to DisabilityCare becoming a reality. Many people have shared very personal experiences to demonstrate the need for DisabilityCare and to inform how support and care should be provided in the future. Your perseverance and continued belief in ensuring children and young people with disability must be afforded equal opportunities has made this reform a reality. On the political front, I would also like to acknowledge the unwavering commitment to the establishment of DisablityCare of Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Minister Jenny Macklin, Senator
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Jan McLucas and Minister Bill Shorten. You listened, learnt and acted. Thank you. Education remains one of the most significant challenges facing children and young people with disability. CDA still hears daily of experiences which demonstrate that the present education system does not adequately meet the needs of students with disability. In this edition of ListenUp! we have included updates on present education reform. I believe the opportunities gained for children and young people with disability through the establishment of DisablityCare will be greatly diminished unless they are accompanied by the occurrence of much needed reform in our education system. At the time of writing this, only New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory had signed up to the National Plan for School Improvement, which makes the proposed national reform quite tenuous. Much needs to happen to ensure students with disability have equal opportunities in education. This includes increased funding, teacher training, greater access to allied health professionals, improved mechanisms for family input and communication and greater accountability processes. There remains a critical need to address the systemic culture of low expectations. Widespread education reform is required to ensure the Australian education system truly recognises the rights of students with disability to an education.
STEPHANIE GOTLIB Executive Officer
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YOUR VIEWS ON THE WORK OF CDA CDA is extremely passionate about providing a bigger voice for children and young people with disability in the Australian community. We provide a link between the direct experiences of our members to federal government and other key stakeholders. This link is viewed as essential for the creation of a true appreciation of the experiences and challenges that make up the lives of children and young people with disability and their families. Input and feedback from our members about the value of our work is crucial. It would be greatly appreciated if you could provide us with your feedback by answering the questions below. Thank you for your assistance.
HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR LEVEL OF SATISFACTION WITH CDA’S: Consultation on key issues? Low
Average
High
Very High
Information provided by CDA? Low
Average
High
Very High
Representation to government of your key issues? Low
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Very High
WHAT COULD CDA DO TO IMPROVE YOUR LEVEL OF SATISFACTION?
Please return your feedback by: Mail Children with Disability Australia PO Box 172, Queens Parade, Clifton Hill, VIC 3068 Fax 03 9481 7833 Email info@cda.org.au
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CDA FUNDING CDA receives its core funding from the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA). CDA currently receives project funding from the Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) to support advocacy work related to education policy. To continue to provide a strong national voice for children and young people with disability CDA is dependent on additional funding obtained through organisational membership fees and donations. All donations, no matter what size, greatly assist and strengthen the work of CDA. In addition, all donations over $2 are tax deductible.
DONATIONS ARE WELCOMED! PAYMENT ACCEPTED BY DIRECT DEPOSIT Children with Disability Australia BSB 633 000 Account 139676928
CREDIT CARD VISA A
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Amount $ Name on Card Credit Card No
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Contact Phone No
CHEQUE Payable to: Children with Disability Australia
PLEASE RETURN TO Children with Disability Australia PO Box 172, Clifton Hill, VIC 3068 Tel 03 9482 1130 Fax 03 9481 7833 Email info@cda.org.au ABN 42 140 529 273
ALL DONATIONS OVER $2.00 ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE
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A big ger voice for kids
OUR VOICE — HARRIET My name is Harriet. I was born in 1993. I have two siblings, a brother and a sister. I can read, write and remember things very well. I can also sew and knit. I am a kind caring and gentle person. I am also lovely and very quiet. I can’t do sports but I can swim and ski. I am extremely shy. Having a disability is really annoying and difficult. I have many friends who have a disability and some that don’t. Some things I can do and some things I can’t do. My disability has a very big impact on me every day. I have learning problems. I can’t do maths, I have anxiety problems and I sometimes don’t like it when people get angry or upset. I also have hand eye coordination problems. It is difficult for me to read, hold cutlery or dribble a basketball. I feel like I am causing the problem. I would say that it is the most terrible thing that has ever happened to me and that it is very annoying. I dislike it and that it makes things very difficult. My fingers have also been a big problem for me since childhood. My handwriting has been greatly impaired for my whole life. I also have not been able to climb a tree because of my balance or climb through ropes. My advice would be that you should not give up when you have a disability. You should always try to do your best and to give everything a shot for at least one go. Also keep smiling even when things seem bleak.
Do you know a child or young person with disability who would be interested in sharing their views in upcoming issues of Listen Up!? Please phone or email CDA for further information. Tel 03 9482 1130 or 1800 222 660 Email info@cda.org.au
For up to date news and views on issues regarding children and young people with disability follow us on Facebook or Twitter! www.facebook.com/CDISAUS Twitter @CDA39
Listen Up! | June 2013
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OUR VOICE — AMBER
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WHAT’S IT LIKE HAVING A DISABILITY? You can be bullied in school because you are different. People don’t always understand that we are all different in many ways. Most people get to understand you and once they know you they want to be friends. I have learnt not to take things for granted. I have become stronger because of my disability.
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CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF?
I ride horses at Riding for the Disabled (RDA). I also volunteer there on Saturdays. I hope to be in the Paralympics one day. I am training with an Olympic coach. My dream is to be like Hannah Dodd, who went to the Paralympics and has spina bifida. She is my idol. I have met Hannah in person and seen all of her ribbons. I’m turning 15 this month. I have a rabbit named Caramel and dog named Sissy. I love animals and I am in the Animal Welfare Club. Our school has the only club like this in New South Wales. I have a sister.
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HOW DOES YOUR DISABILITY AFFECT YOU? I have difficulty with my motor skills and speech. Sometimes it is not easy throwing a ball in
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school sports. I can’t ride a bike when my friends and sister can. I find some of the school work harder and sometimes I struggle with finishing it. My speech can be affected and people cannot always understand me. I have had a lot of speech therapy which has helped. I can have trouble swallowing and can choke on my food. I get sick more often because my food goes down the wrong way. My Mum and Dad complain that I am a fussy eater. I only like certain foods like salty food. I could live on spaghetti if I had to as I love the taste.
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DOES YOUR DISABILITY HAVE A NAME?
Dyspraxia and Dysphagia.
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DOES YOUR DISABILITY AFFECT HOW YOU GO AT SCHOOL?
I have a special aid sometimes depending on the subject. This term I am learning sewing at school and have no assistant. It means that I have to do things by myself which sometimes can make me feel scared. I find it hard to organise myself and remember everything for lessons. I get mixed up on which classes to go to on the timetable. I don’t always remember where the class rooms are. I’m lucky that I get extra help from the teachers. I also have a
mentor who guides me. I had to learn how to catch two buses to school and my Dad followed the school bus for weeks.
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WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE DUE TO YOUR DISABILITY? Being bullied in primary school was hard. My bully pushed me and said mean words because she thought I was different. I found making friends hard and it was very lonely sometimes.
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IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THE AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER ABOUT DISABILITY WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? We should have the same opportunities as anyone else and should not be treated unfairly. The government should give more money to all schools and kids with special needs. The people in government should meet people with disability before deciding on options. They don’t often really hear what we have to say. I have been to parliament house and talked about my disability.
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CDA I N TH E N EWS ABUSE OF DISABLED MUST BE EXAMINED — 22 NOVEMBER, 2012 WITH the announcement of the Royal Commission into the sexual abuse of children, the ongoing issue of abuse of people with disability has been raised again (“Heinous crime against the disabled must be included in child abuse probe”, Comment, 21/11). What is long overdue is a comprehensive inquiry into the abuse of people with disability. It is imperative that this includes examination of incidence, why it occurs and prevention — much more than reviewing policies or assuming it is down to “bad apple” carers. The experiences of children with disability must be a focus of the Commission. International research suggests children with disability are more than three times more likely to be abused than other children. But the issues of abuse of people with disability are wider. They warrant a community and political priority all of their own to ensure a light is shone on an industry that carries a great deal of community expectation.
EQUALS OR ‘OTHERS’? — 4 JANUARY, 2013 IT IS unacceptable to consider sterilising an 11-year-old girl for reasons of menstrual management (The Age, 2/1). I doubt it would be a consideration if she were without disability. And if it were considered, it would probably be because of life or death circumstances. It is unfathomable that sterilisation of children with disability still occurs. The issue is about more than a person’s potential parenting ability. It is about equal access to health service provision, health education, human rights and abuse. It also evokes questions about how we regard people with disability — as equal citizens or as others.
MINISTER NOT LIVING UP TO RESPONSIBILITY — 2 FEBRUARY, 2013 THE delay in delivering on commitments on school bullying is unacceptable (“State accused of lagging on school bullying”, 31/1). The recent report by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, “Held Back — the experience of students with disabilities in Victorian Schools”, found that students with disability were three times more likely to be bullied than the general school population and that two — thirds experienced bullying or harassment. Further, international research highlights the devastating consequence bullying can have on children, including high rates of physical and mental health problems and, in extreme cases, self-harm or suicide. Minister Martin Dixon has more than one reason to make this work a priority. As well as being Education Minister, he has been appointed a “Disability Champion Minister” for COAG’s national disability strategy. In this role he has committed to identifying and advocating opportunities for inclusion of people with disability.
Listen Up! | July 2013
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CDA I N TH E MEDIA CDA ON THE RADIO 3 DECEMBER, 2012
ARTICLES QUOTING CDA “Disability Advocates query Victoria’s school alternative” Daniel Hurst and Henrietta Cook The Age, March 2, 2013 “Tough discipline on the school bus” Jewel Topsfield The Age, April 8, 2013 “Fears disabled ‘left behind’ ” Pia Akerman The Australian, April 16, 2013
Various interviews re International Day of People with Disability. Broadcast nationally on Cruise (Adelaide), 2SM, MIX FM, FM104.7, 4KQ.
4 DECEMBER, 2012 Various interviews re launch of CDA report “Enabling and Protecting — Proactive approaches to addressing the abuse and neglect of children and young people with disability” Broadcast nationally on 2UE, 2CC, Wave FM, Radio National, 702 ABC Sydney, ABC Newcastle, 936 ABC Hobart, Triple J, 720 ABC Perth, 774 ABC Melbourne, 6PR.
5 DECEMBER, 2012 Interview re launch of CDA report “Enabling and Protecting — Proactive approaches to addressing the abuse and neglect of children and young people with disability” Broadcast nationally on ABC North Coast NSW.
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OPEN LETTER CDA Executive Officer Stephanie Gotlib was signatory to an open letter to the Prime Minister and state and territory Premiers urging them to reform school funding arrangements. The letter was published in The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian on 7 February, 2013
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Interview re open letter to the Prime Minister and state and territory First Ministers calling for education reform. Broadcast nationally on ABC, SBS, 2GB, 2UE, 2WS radio.
11 FEBRUARY, 2013 Interview on ABC Statewide Victoria on changes to the Fair Work Act.
30 APRIL, 2013 Interview on 5 RPH (Adelaide) about education reform and students with disability.
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CDA ON TV ABC1, 11 MARCH, 2013 CDA Executive Officer Stephanie Gotlib and CDA volunteer Danny Dickson were members of the audience of ABC1’s Q&A program. The episode focused on education. Danny was given the opportunity to ask a question to panel members, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, Peter Garrett and Shadow Minister for Education and Training Christopher Pyne. Danny’s question was: “…Going to school for a kid with a disability is pretty tough. I have been bullied too much and sometimes I overreact and get into trouble. Many teachers and kids don’t understand much about disability and it is just plain terrible when someone calls you a ‘retard’. Schools just need to get better at meeting the needs of kids with disability. … Both of you, what are you going to do, to make things better for kids with disabilities going to school and can you please make this a priority if you win this year’s election?” The episode can be viewed on the Q&A website at: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/
Image: Danny with Tony Jones
For up to date news and views on issues regarding children and young people with disability follow us on Facebook or Twitter! www.facebook.com/CDISAUS Twitter @CDA39
Listen Up! | April 2012
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OUR VOICE — N ICOLE
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CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF? I am 24 years old. I have 20-year-old twin siblings and a dog named Milo. I have a Bachelor of Behavioural Science and a Graduate Diploma of Humanities & Social Sciences. I am currently employed two days a week as Administrative Assistant at Wild@heART Community Arts. I also contribute to DiVine, Victoria’s largest on-line community for people with disability. I am a very social person and love catching up with friends. I am passionate about writing, reading, music, the arts, AFL and travel. I dream of one day owning my own home with my family, complete with a garden and white picket fence.
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WHAT’S IT LIKE HAVING A DISABILITY? If disability can be measured on a scale, I am at the very lucky end. Yes, it affects my every day life in terms of my mobility and level of independence but I am not in pain and it is not a degenerative condition. Disability is all I have known and I haven’t lost anything. It is not something I am constantly thinking about. I am Nicole before I am “Nicole
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in the wheelchair.” Much of the credit for this goes to my family whose motto is “where there’s a will there’s a way” and make sure that wherever possible I have the same experiences as my peers. In saying that, being in my early twenties, a time when independence and forming your own identity away from your parents is natural, I have been feeling the gap widen between the milestones my friends and I are achieving. For example, many of my friends are moving out of home while I am learning how to transfer independently out of bed. It can be frustrating.
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HOW DOES YOUR DISABILITY IMPACT ON THE THINGS YOU DO EACH DAY? My disability affects my mobility and so whilst it doesn’t prevent me from doing what I wish, it does affect how I do things. I need assistance with dressing and personal care. So for example, I can get out of bed at the desired time but I have to wake up my parents to help me get ready for the day. Everyday tasks take longer and it seems like most things I do are a bigger deal or take more
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planning than if I were able bodied. For example, I need to make sure a restaurant is accessible before I book or I have to try clothes on at home because I can’t change myself or fit in the dressing rooms. I do go out to parties and nightclubs however my parents have to assist me with getting into bed so understandably I can’t be out until all hours.
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DOES YOUR DISABILITY HAVE A NAME?
Cerebral Palsy Spastic Diplegia. My legs are affected more than my arms, although I can weight bear and walk with a frame my fine motor skills are affected.
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HOW HAS YOUR DISABILITY INFLUENCED YOUR SCHOOL AND WORK LIFE?
I went to a mainstream school, the same school as my Mum. I was the first student in a wheelchair to attend the school in its 90-year history. The school was made accessible with the installation of ramps and an integration aide to scribe for me and help with personal care. I was also given extra time to finish tasks. The first year of secondary school was particularly difficult as the teachers often paid me special attention to make sure I was keeping up and to get used
to my needs. This caused some classmates to resent me as they believed the teachers were favoring me. Once I was in a better headspace, people understood my needs and realised I was just Nicole who wanted to fit in and be treated the same as her peers. School became the setting for some of my favourite memories and I made some lifelong friends. I began volunteer work in order to make connections and get experience in the workplace. I am currently involved with an employment agency that is assisting me with job modifications. I am not fully educated yet on the rights of people with a disability in the workforce.
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IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THE AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER ABOUT DISABILITY WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? Please provide more support for people with disability and their parents. Full time caring is an underappreciated role that can feel isolating and affects the whole family. I feel the government support system is unnecessarily complicated and inadequate. It means that many people who have been exposed to a lower level of education, have a
Do you know a child or young person with disability who would be interested in sharing their views in upcoming issues of Listen Up!? Please phone or email CDA for further information.
more severe disability or have difficulties with communication won’t reach their potential. This makes many people with disability feel forgotten. It takes a strong person with initiative and lots of time to navigate the system. Independence is the goal but unless you are involved in the disability field and able to break it down into smaller steps, it is quite a daunting and overwhelming process. Please make it easier. Support the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Providing the right supports for people with disability will also be beneficial to the health system and economy. It is an important investment in the country’s future and shows the youth of Australia that you believe in the value they bring to society.
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EDUCATION & STUDENTS W ITH D I S A B I L IT Y Prime Minister Gillard recently announced an additional funding boost to special schools of $76 million over 6 years, this equates to approximately $30,000 each year per school. Whilst there is no doubt that a funding injection must underpin the breadth of reforms needed, it will do little to fix a system which is badly failing students with disability. Students with disability are being overlooked in Australia. Recently I have been informed of — a child being put in a cage in their classroom for “behaviour management”, a young girl experiencing relentless bullying including being tied up by other students in the playground and of a boy being “king hit”. These examples are unfortunately not unique, and while shocking I am not surprised to know they are occurring in both mainstream and special schools. Many families tell me of an inability to access full time schooling due to inadequacies in school resources and the typical culture of low expectations. If students without disability had these experiences at school it would be headline news. Sadly and shamefully the reporting of these experiences in education is not unusual, it is in fact typical that students
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with disability experience discrimination, exclusion, lack of appropriate funding and even abuse throughout their education. If a student with disability can boast that they can access their education on the same basis as their peers without disability it is like winning the lottery. So why is it that that these children, arguably those most in need, fail to attract the attention, policy and funding that is so badly needed?
Students with disability continue to be largely overlooked, in data, policy and practice. Recently UNICEF released its report The State of the World’s Children 2013 — Children with Disabilities. Despite its common reference to developing countries, it has high relevance to Australia. It stresses that change for children with disability is not possible without attitudinal change. It states “ignorance about the nature and causes of impairments, invisibility of the children themselves, serious underestimation of
their potential and capacities... all conspire to keep children with disabilities silenced and marginalized”. All of these factors are at play for children with disability in Australia. The Gonski Review of Funding for Schooling recognized that students with disability are “disadvantaged” and recommended the establishment of an additional funding loading for these children. There is bi-partisan support for a specific disability loading. The review noted that there is much work that needs to be done to be able to quantify the level of need. The national data collection of students with disability is only now commencing and has been found to be a complex task. This will provide essential information on individual accommodations required
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WHY OUR CURRENT EDUCATION SYSTEM DOESN’T ADEQUATELY MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY LAURA’S EXPERIENCE
which will assist in the development of the loading. It is a telling indictment that a society such as ours cannot articulate accurately what the current level of need is for students with disability. The need is automatically diminished if not measured. It is often suggested that students with disability are best suited to a “special school.” It is assumed that special schools will be better positioned to meet a child’s “special needs”. The practical reality at present also is that most local schools are not well positioned to meet the needs of students with disability due to insufficient funding, expertise and inadequate inclusive education practices and attitudes. Rarely do we prioritize a child’s right to attend their local school or recognize the potential benefits to all involved of this practice. The recently released UNICEF report also stated that “as long as children with disabilities are denied equal access to their local schools… States parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities cannot fulfil their responsibilities.” Australia is a signatory to this Convention. Students with disability continue to be largely overlooked, in data, policy and practice. So while the political wrangling continues about education dollars and we plug a few holes with some quick fix cash injections, it is clear that much more fundamental change is required.
Laura has Down’s syndrome. She is 14 years old this year and started at a special education unit within a mainstream high school. When she was in Grade 2, a young boy in her class at school was very aggressive towards her. After numerous episodes of her coming home with bruises on her arms and legs her mother queried what was happening and was told it was just that Laura was clumsy. The boy at school started running up behind Laura and kicking her. Nothing was done and one day she turned around and he flattened her, knocking her to the ground leaving her almost unconscious. Still nothing was done. During all of these incidents, Laura’s mother repeatedly asked the principal to do something. Two weeks later she was found at lunchtime hanging by a rope, tied under her armpits, from the top of the slide in the playground. Her mother was not rung by the school, was not informed in person by the teacher but read about it in Laura’s communication book. Three hours after it happened, Laura still had red welts on her body. And the principal’s response the next day? The young lad has problems at home and we are working with his parents on a suitable outcome. That outcome involved an apology from the boy. The principal stated to Laura’s mother that if she wanted her daughter in a mainstream school rather than a special school where she belonged, then she had to put up with boys being boys.
STEPHANIE GOTLIB Executive Officer
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EDUCATION REFORM UPDATE The education reform story continues with some new announcements being made in the 2013 Federal Budget. A six year funding program was announced, as well as some key initiatives relevant to students with disability. The major announcement was funding for the National Plan for School Improvement — totalling $9.8 billion over the next 6 years. This funding is to support the education reform that is currently being negotiated by the Australian Government with the States and Territories. Under this model, every student will be allocated a standard
CDA has told the government that the disability loading must do more than simply provide teacher aides and basic equipment. amount of funding for either primary or secondary school, with an additional amount — a loading — for disadvantaged students (including students with disability) and remote schools. The key objectives of National Plan for School Improvement are excellence and
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equity in education as well as improving Australia’s capacity to engage with Asia in the coming decades. CDA has made detailed submissions to the Senate inquiries into Maximising the Investment in Australian Schools and the Australian Education Bill that lay out the reform imperatives for students with disability. These submissions can be viewed on the CDA website at http://www. cda.org.au/cdasubmissions This new funding model is expected to be introduced for the 2014 school year, in those States and Territories that sign on to the reform package. The Government has announced that the loading for students with disability will come in
from 2015, extending to all schools, government and non-government. Until then, the current support programs for students with disability will continue to apply.
Governments are implementing a nationally consistent data collection project on students with disability over 3 years starting in October. The Review of Funding for Schooling (The Gonski Review) recommended that there be
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a loading for students with disability but could not design the loading because of the lack of data and the major inconsistencies in how on students with disability are funded across Australia. This has resulted in all governments agreeing that they need to collect more information about students with disability before the loading can be devised. The Government has said that an interim disability loading will be in place across Australia for 2014 while governments work out the permanent loading for 2015. We are waiting on the details of this but will keep members informed. CDA has told the government that the disability loading must do more than simply provide teacher aides and basic equipment. It needs to enable schools to get the right resources both inside and outside the classroom, and develop the capacity to include students with disabilities fully in all aspects of education. As part of designing the loading, governments are implementing a
WHY OUR CURRENT EDUCATION SYSTEM DOESN’T ADEQUATELY MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY JOHN’S EXPERIENCE John is 12 years old and attends a government school. He receives additional education funding due to his disability. A request for a funding review has been submitted as it is believed that he requires additional supports to access his education. John regularly sees a paediatrician, speech pathologist and psychologist. He is currently experiencing bullying on a daily basis and recently was knocked out by a student in a higher grade. The school did not follow protocol in getting aid to John. They did not call his parents and it was left to John to call them. Prior to the hit John had been accused of “threatening a teacher”. John doesn’t deny that he challenged the teacher. He was upset however that the school withdrew him from class and sat him in a room by himself without explanation or work to do. The following day John’s parents were called and informed of this incident and he was suspended. John’s parents arranged to meet with the school to discuss his suspension and also to find
out more information about the incident in which he was assaulted. At the meeting, John’s parents tried to discuss more appropriate ways to assist and support John. The school were far from engaging. Their only solution was to suggest obtaining more funding and that he seek medication. The school representatives stated that they “cannot engage with him so it’s hard to offer him anything”. When his parents asked what his funding was used for the response was vague and the school said they would look at some programs. No current individual education plan exists. When John’s parents attempted to discuss the assault received by John, the school blamed him for provoking the attack by swearing at the other child. The incident was dismissed and it was stated that “things like this happen to aggressive children.” John is not allowed to return to school until another meeting can be scheduled to discuss the situation further. John’s parents are very concerned for their son’s learning and mental wellbeing. At the time of writing John has not been to school for 8 days. He is not currently under any type of suspension. The school just refuse to have him back. John is keen to return to school and his parents are not sure where to turn.
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nationally consistent data collection project on students with disability over three years starting in October this year. This is being implemented across all school systems and will collect information on the types of adjustments schools make for students with disability, rather than about diagnostic information. The details on the data collection are yet to be formally announced, but CDA will alert members about how and where it is to take place in 2013. Also in the Federal Budget was the announcement of $100 million for a one year extension of the More Support for Students with Disabilities (MSSD) National Partnerships. The MSSD initiatives were two year agreements that funded
CDA will continue to work hard in the remaining months before the election to maintain the reform momentum. teacher and principal training, equipment and technology, specialist resources for students and schools and specific training about the Disability Standards for
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Education. The work funded through the MSSD initiative has been important to strengthen the capacity of schools to fully include students with disability and raise awareness of schools’ obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. In the lead up to 2015 and the introduction of the loading for students with disability there is much to be done by governments, education systems and education advocates to make sure that the reform delivers the education opportunities and the raised
expectations that are so urgently needed. How the 2013 federal election will affect this work is yet to be seen as the election policies of the major parties have not been released. CDA will continue to work hard in the remaining months before the election to maintain the reform momentum. We will keep you updated on the Nationally Consistent Data Collection program as it rolls out, the 2014 program for MSSD and of course the progress of the loading for students with disability.
To see more about the National Plan for School Improvement go to http://www.betterschools.gov.au/ And to check the latest work relating to students with disability, go to https://deewr.gov.au/students-disability
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CDA WORKI NG FOR EDUCATION REFORM Education is vitally important for children and young people with disability. The education reform process promises much for students with disability, but has been a slow and complex process. CDA has actively lobbied governments for practical change and increases in funding to support education of students with disability and awareness of inclusive education. This has meant numerous trips around the country including to parliament in Canberra to share the experiences of students with disability and their families. CDA has prepared submissions to Senate inquiries, presented to parliamentary committees, been an active member of the Australian Government’s Schools Disability Advisory Council and signed an open letter to the Prime Minister and First Ministers with other prominent Australians calling for the implementation of the Gonski reforms. The work is not yet done and it is crucial that CDA and its members keep sharing the experiences
of the education system and continue to demand reform that will make a real difference to the lives of students with disability.
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WHAT’S AH EAD? CDA asked Senator Jacinta Collins, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations and the Hon. Christopher Pyne MP, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training, to provide their vision for education reform for students with disability.
SENATOR JACINTA COLLINS The Gillard Government’s school funding reforms represent a fundamental shift in how we educate and support students with disability in our schools. Along with DisabilityCare we are seeking to provide the same opportunities to children with disability that other children enjoy, whether this be the chance at a rewarding job, adequate resourcing for education or support for carers.
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Over the past year I have been visiting schools and learning about the impact of funding for students with disability in our schools. Along with support and advice from Stephanie Gotlib and her team, I have heard first hand from parents and education providers about the challenges that students and teachers face every day. From talking to parents and teachers we can be proud of how far we’ve come in the last few years. In my view the More Support for Students with Disability Initiative has gone a long way to provide vital supports, particularly to those students with disability that are in mainstream settings. At a recent school visit the Principal was proud to tell me that for the first time the teachers were ‘owning’ their students with disability and actively supporting and integrating students into the classroom. It’s an outcome we can all be proud of. So what’s next? What are we doing in the near future to build on these reforms? A very important piece of work is the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability. Now, I know that might sound a bit dry but just like the Census did in the early 20th century this data collection will enable
us to allocate money where it’s needed most. This data collection will be conducted over the next three years and will collate what adjustments students with disability need. All schools and many parents will be involved. If we can know what adjustments students with disability need at a detailed level we can provide students with the support they require. This work will enable us to implement a disability funding loading in 2015. A disability funding loading will enable us to move away from a deficit model where students are assessed based on the disability they have been diagnosed with. Instead we will ask the question, what educational adjustment does this student need? Most parents would agree that no two children with disability are the same and the level of support they get should acknowledge that. This is a major shift in policy and will revolutionise how we educate and integrate students with disability in our schools. This Government is committed to providing every student with the resources they need to access a great education. Providing access to an equitable education will lead to an increasing involvement of people with disability in the workforce and higher rates
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of education completion. The benefits will ripple throughout the economy. It is for these reasons that we need to continue the work we are doing into the coming years and decades. It’s a long road, but with the support of parents, families and advocacy groups I believe we can build an education system that provides a better life for children with disability.
portable. Simply put, support and assistance is directed at schools and does not follow the student. Funding to meet the particular needs of students with a disability should be regarded as a basic entitlement for that child and should therefore be portable.
support for their replacement funding model. For it to work, a national school funding system needs the support of every State and Territory. The deadline to achieve a national agreement is 30 June, so the Coalition will finalise our position after this date.
Our policy in 2010 was a ground breaking move towards an education card worth up to $20,000 in additional funding for students with a disability, paid directly to schools, irrespective of whether it was a government or nongovernment school.
There is also much more that can be done to support students with a disability. While addressing funding inequities is important, we also need to focus on polices that are known to be linked to student achievement. If elected, we will focus on reforms to improve teacher quality, implementing a robust national curriculum, principal and school autonomy, and encouraging more parental engagement.
We were proud to be the first party at a Federal level to have given this commitment.
For parents of children with a disability, choices are limited. They want what every parent wants for their child — the right to choose an education that will allow their child to reach their full potential.
This is why we support the Gonski Review recommendation that students with a disability should be funded through an additional loading regardless of school sector, based on nationally agreed definitions of disability. We believe the Review’ finding in this areas enshrines the same basic principle that all students with a disability should be treated the same, regardless of where they live and what type of school they attend.
Currently, students with a disability can expect vastly different treatment depending on which State they live in, what type of school they go to, and how their disability is classified. Also, funding is not
At the present time, little is known about Labor’s proposed school funding model. They are unable to even say how many students with a disability are expected to benefit. Labor is a long way from having national
CHRIS PYNE
Driving improvement in the area of teacher quality will be the most effective way to improve student outcomes. Many teachers are graduating with the knowledge, but not necessarily the practical skills they need before they enter the classroom. The Coalition believes that it is time to focus on a number of approaches to help to get the best possible educational outcome for Australian students with a disability.
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DISABI LITYCARE AUSTRALIA A NATIONAL DISABI LITY I NSURANCE SCH EME UPDATE The National Disability Insurance Scheme — NDIS (now called DisabilityCare Australia) has now been passed into law and funding for its future has been agreed via a 0.5% increase to the Medicare levy, contributions by the States and Territories and from the Federal Budget. Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland and the Northern Territory all signed up for the full implementation of DisabilityCare Australia beyond the launch sites in May. They joined New South Wales and the Australian
Northern Territory by July 2019. The Australian Capital Territory will go to the full scheme in 2014, and the other jurisdictions will take people in to the scheme progressively over three years. The Northern Territory has also agreed to host a launch site with 100 Aboriginal people at Tennant Creek and the Barkly Shire after July this year, which means that DisabilityCare Australia can start to tailor the operation of the scheme to the needs of people in remote Aboriginal communities.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme — NDIS (now called DisabilityCare Australia) has now been passed into law... Capital Territory in locking in the long term future of the scheme. This now leaves just Western Australia as the only state yet to fully commit to the scheme. This means that the scheme will be fully implemented across New South Wales, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory by July 2018 and a year later in Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and the
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CDA has worked hard to make sure that DisabilityCare Australia will be responsive to the needs of children and young people with disability, and we will watch the progress of the launch sites closely. How the scheme conducts assessments, involves families and young people in planning and directing their services and the quality of information will be
very important things that will need to be examined. The first two years of DisabilityCare Australia will be independently evaluated. As well as participating in the Senate Inquiry into the NDIS legislation and recommending features for the rules that will govern the operation of the scheme, CDA has been providing specific information to the Australian Government about how DisabilityCare Australia will work alongside other service systems used by children, young people and families, including health, school education and Family Support Programs. This is important because many children and young people with disability use services from a number of different systems as well as requiring support from disability services. Some will be going to school, others may have left school and are looking for work and young children may be receiving clinical health services. It is going to be important that the introduction of DisabilityCare Australia results in better connections between these systems.
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There is a lot of work being done by DisabilityCare Australia in the launch sites to get the scheme up and running by the 1 July launch date, including the employment of planners and local area coordinators and designing the assessment tools and intake system.
This means that the scheme will be fully implemented across New South Wales, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory by July 2018 and a year later in Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and the Northern Territory by July 2019. DisabilityCare Australia have said that they will contact people in the launch sites who are already in the disability services system as well as those people on waiting lists. It will also have an application process for new people. For those outside launch sites, the current service system will continue to apply until the after the launch phase when the scheme is expanded to all parts of their state or territory.
WAYS TO FIND OUT MORE ON DISABILITYCARE AUSTRALIA: Go to www.disabilitycareaustralia.gov.au or call their national information line 1800 800 110.
To read the submissions and reports CDA has written on DisabilityCare Australia go to our website at http://www.cda.org.au/ cdasubmissions Hard copies of submissions and reports can be obtained by contacting CDA on (03) 9482 1130 or 1800 222 660 (regional or interstate callers) or by email at info@cda.org.au
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MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT TH E FEDERAL ELECTION A federal election is an important opportunity for strong advocacy to occur for children and young people with disability. One in five people have disability in Australia. It is estimated that one in eight people in Australia are carers of someone who needs assistance due to disability or health. People with disability, their families and carers make up a very significant part of the voting community. The power of the disability vote is significant. It is imperative that very strong voices are heard which state clearly that disability is a key issue affecting the Australian community and that related actions, attitudes and policies of political candidates inform very strongly our voting behaviour.
SENATOR RACHEL SIEWERT THE AUSTRALIAN GREENS Spokesperson on Disabilities
MINISTER JENNY MACKLIN AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY (ALP) Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
So now is the time. Speak with the candidates in your electorate and share your child and family’s experiences of disability and ask what actions they individually and their party are undertaking to address relevant issues.
Minister for Disability Reform
CDA spoke with representatives of each of the major political parties who are responsible for the disability portfolio.
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA
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SENATOR MITCH FIFIELD
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilties, Carers and the Voluntary Sector
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Q the experiences of children and What have you learnt about
young people with disability and their families?
SENATOR RACHEL SIEWERT (The Australian Greens) Western Australia has had a strong tradition of connecting politicians to people with intellectual disability and their families, through its “Adopt a Politician” scheme, run by the Development Disability Council of Western Australia. Throughout my time in the Senate, I have been privileged to have an opportunity to connect on a one-on-one basis with young people with disability. Above all else, I have learnt that each person’s experience is different and that as decision makers we need to find ways to care for people that respects their individuality and their aspirations, and delivers the service that they want. The other important thing I have learnt is that, in most cases, families are amazingly supportive and aware of the importance of providing choice as well as ongoing support for people with disability. People are committed to supporting family members as they’re working hard picking up the slack where systems are failing. Each state system has some good parts but there’s so much unmet need in the community. Families have great ideas, knowledge and experience that will be an asset as the launch sites for DisabilityCare commence. We need to capitalise on that knowledge and include people with lived experience at every single step of the roll out. MINISTER JENNY MACKLIN (Australian Labor Party — ALP) The stories I have heard as I have travelled the country have all been individual and yet so often they raise the same sad situation.
They are stories about being denied the dignity that comes from being able to make choices over your own life. I have heard about people waiting for years to get services, aids or equipment and of people being sent from service provider to service provider without actually being given the support they need. Distraught parents who have explained how caring for an intellectually disabled child took all of their time and care, mums and dads who have revealed how close to breaking point the system had left them and how worried they were about what that would mean for their child. Sadly, these are stories that have been around for years and years. SENATOR MITCH FIFIELD (Liberal Party of Australia) The parents of children with disability worry about their children like any other parents, but their worries can start sooner and project further into the future. And the siblings of children with disability often grow up faster and think about their own futures in adult terms sooner than their peers. There will always be some extra challenges for young people with disability and their families, but having a handle on the supports that are available helps remove some of the unknowns and some of the stresses.
Q DisabilityCare will impact on the How do you envisage
lives of children and young people with disability?
SENATOR RACHEL SIEWERT (The Australian Greens) I think it is essential that DisabilityCare delivers on its promise to provide children and young people with disability with more choices and options about their support and care as they
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grow up. Families speaking to the Senate Inquiry were clear that they knew their children would enjoy a better quality of life if they and their children had more choices and flexibility about care and, of course, if more resources are available. This is a really positive and exciting step. Parents should also have the security of knowing their child will be guaranteed services for life, rather than constantly battling for support, and I envisage that securing this will be an enormous relief for many parents. MINISTER JENNY MACKLIN (Australian Labor Party — ALP) DisabilityCare Australia will transform the way we support people with disability, their families and their carers. It will give people with disability more choice and control over the care and support they receive and the certainty that they will get the support they need now and into the future. 12 year old Caleb from Adelaide told me that a national disability insurance scheme will mean funding for him so he can choose the kinds of things that will help him do what he wants to do. Caleb wants to play basketball and bocce and he wants a new wheelchair that will help him do this. And I’m delighted that our scheme will help him do this — it will work out how best to support him to do things now and into the future — because it’s a scheme that will provide lifelong support. Once the scheme is fully rolled out, DisabilityCare Australia will provide support for around 460,000 people with significant and permanent disability. Taking a lifelong approach means that DisabilityCare Australia can focus on intensive early intervention therapies or supports, particularly for children and young people, where there is good evidence that it will substantially
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improve functioning or delay or lessen a decline in functioning. The supports each person receives will be tailored to their individual needs and goals. Importantly, the scheme will actively avoid crisis, where families only receive support if they are unable to continue in their caring role and there are no other options. Instead, it will work with families before they reach crisis to make sure that the valuable care they provide can be sustained. SENATOR MITCH FIFIELD (Liberal Party of Australia) A properly implemented NDIS will ensure that effective early intervention and other supports are available to children with disability to help achieve their potential and the greatest possible independence. In later life the NDIS should mean that if supports are still needed they will be there. For parents and siblings there should be the knowledge and confidence that what is reasonable and necessary will be provided for their family member.
Q be done to achieve greater What do you think should
community awareness and true social inclusion of children and young people with disability in the community?
SENATOR RACHEL SIEWERT (The Australian Greens) While schemes like DisabilityCare are very important for securing improved funding arrangements, we also need to maintain the momentum of the Every Australian Counts campaign that made it clear that people with disability deserve choice and control and the ability to learn through their mistakes. True social
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inclusion will mean maintaining that momentum and turning the objectives of the Act, which focus on participation, choice and human rights, into a reality through a service delivery model that is responsive to individual need and where decisions are made locally where ever possible. The amendment that the Greens secured has given DisabilityCare some scope to advocate against systemic problems, which I believe will also facilitate greater community awareness of the issues facing children and their families and help break down some of the barriers to inclusion. It is very important to keep educating people and to get the wider community talking about issues in relation to people with disability. The decision to make part of the scheme funding reliant on a Medicare style levy on all tax payers, I hope has given everyone in the country a sense of ownership over the program and helps bring home the fact that this is something that can affect anyone at any time, for people who might otherwise have never thought about what it means to live with a disability or to care for someone who has a disability. MINISTER JENNY MACKLIN (Australian Labor Party — ALP) Providing assistance for children with disability and their families is a major priority for the Labor Government. The National Disability Strategy 2010–2020 outlines a ten-year national framework to improve the lives of people with disability, including children and young people. In line with the aims of DisabilityCare Australia, early intervention is a particular focus. Improving access to timely, comprehensive and effective early intervention will ensure that children and young people with disability and their families
For up to date news and views on issues regarding children and young people with disability follow us on Facebook or Twitter! www.facebook.com/CDISAUS Twitter @CDA39
have access to a range of supports to help them actively take part in their communities. It gives them the best chance of reaching their full potential. Under this Government’s Better Start for Children with Disability initiative and Helping Children with Autism package, children who are under seven and have been diagnosed with an eligible condition can access up to $12,000 in funding for targeted early intervention support. Support services include speech pathology, occupational therapy, and psychology. Through these programs we also provide funding to Playgroups Australia to deliver community events and playgroups in metropolitan, regional and remote centres across the country. These events and playgroups are open to local communities and are giving children with disability, their parents and carers the opportunity to participate in social activities and improve their support networks. Labor believes in the transformative effect of students with disability accessing education opportunities just like any other student and through our National Plan for School Improvement we are committed to making sure that every student has the same opportunity to get a world-class education.
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And through this we will provide extra funding for students with disability to ensure they receive the support they need. By improving support children with disability get in school, we are giving them the best opportunities to maximise their independence as they grow up. We will also provide an additional $76 million to help more than 350 government and non-government special schools around the country to ensure that children with disability, their parents and teachers receive the support they need. We are also committed to supporting young people with disability move from school into independent, productive lives. This includes supporting them to take part in the workforce through our open employment programs like Disability Employment Services, which help them to participate in the workforce and plan their lives just like other young Australians. SENATOR MITCH FIFIELD (Liberal Party of Australia) A culture of acceptance in a society is ultimately driven by individual attitudes and actions. These can’t be legislated, but policy can make a difference through the supports provided by the NDIS, schools and employment services to enable individuals to participate in life, study and work. Seeing, living, learning and working with children and young people with disability is how awareness will be raised and people with disability included in community life.
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Q for many children and young Significant challenges exist
people with disability obtaining a quality education. Discrimination, inadequate resourcing, bullying and low expectations are typical experiences. What will you do to progress much needed reform?
SENATOR RACHEL SIEWERT (The Australian Greens) While DisabilityCare will help people participate in the community more fully, it’s going to be important to not forget to invest in supporting kids at school to give them the best chance for life and help them develop a good quality of life. We must continue to ensure that mainstream services provide services to people with disability and not leave all support to DisabilityCare. The key things that still need to be done include enforcing current laws and improving laws, improved access to resources, uptake of modern technology, community awareness and training. Adequate resources and support for teachers are also essential, in order to give teachers the capacity to provide quality care for everyone in their class and help them achieve at their full potential. Gonski would bring an element of this — by ensuring that schools are funded to provide those extra supports. The campaign around securing the NDIS has put people with disability front and centre, and I think this is a great approach to tackling bullying and low expectations, by showing how people with disability have been the driving force behind positive change. There are some amazing advocates and role models, who I want to see continuing to work on the issues that affect them and smoothing the path for the next generation.
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Anything that I do to progress further reform, I would want to do in concert with the community campaign, and following the lead of those amazing and talented individuals and organisation. MINISTER JENNY MACKLIN (Australian Labor Party — ALP)
The Commonwealth will also extend the More Support for Students with Disabilities initiative in 2014. This $100 million per year initiative will ensure that this work to support these students continues until the loading is available. This includes building the capacity of schools and teachers to better meet the needs of students with disability.
Reducing barriers and simplifying access to an inclusive high quality education system is a key priority for the Labor Government.
Under the National Disability Strategy the Government has committed to a range of measures including:
Students with disability are an important part of the National Plan for School Improvement and we know it is an area where we need to provide better support and this plan will help us achieve this.
• building an inclusive education framework to ensure national assessment processes meet the needs of students with disability;
Under the Plan there will be extra funding for students who need more support, including students with disability. It will ensure additional support is available for students, teachers and their parents so children with disability get the best out of their education. Students with disability often require additional assistance to access and participate in schooling. There are significant differences in the educational needs of individual students with disability and the level and type of specialist teachers and equipment they need. The National Plan for School Improvement will see students with disability properly funded in every school for the first time and will provide: • additional funding to support an inclusive school culture and improved results for students with disability; • teachers who are trained to ensure they meet the needs of every child with disability so they are able to reach their full potential; and • available funding regardless of the type of school the child attends.
• implementing national quality standards for early childhood education and care and school-age care; • increasing access to more interactive and effective learning opportunities through the National Broadband Network — Enabled Education and Skills Services Program; and • promoting leadership development for people with disability by providing training, support and mentoring through the Leaders for Tomorrow program. These measures are critical in helping children and young people with disability better prepare for, and participate in, school and the community. SENATOR MITCH FIFIELD (Liberal Party of Australia) Creating the best educational environment for students with disability to learn and to reach their full potential is a shared responsibility of parents, teachers and state and federal education and disabilities ministers. Parents need a strong say in the education of their child and governments need to ensure that schools have the autonomy
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to manage their staff and resources so they can find the right solutions for their students. Under the NDIS, the education systems will retain prime responsibility for the education of students with disability. However, if chosen to serve as Minister for Disabilities, my objective would be to make sure that children with disability get the early interventions they need through the NDIS and that the NDIS also provides to students with disability the daily living supports that will put them in the best position to benefit from the opportunities in school. A task for federal and state education ministers is to find a mechanism so that students with a disability are not discriminated against, as is currently the case, should their parents elect to send their child to a school where support funds don’t follow.
Q career, what is the most
During your parliamentary
powerful thing that you have learnt from a child or young person with disability?
contribute if we can give them the support they need to participate fully in community life. Like Harvey, an 11 year old from Warnambool who pointed out that “chair-skating” was just like normal skating — “except it rocks even more because it’s in a wheelchair.” Kids like Harvey — and their drive — drove us as we have worked to build DisabilityCare Australia. We set out to build a scheme that will ensure children and young people with disability can look forward to better lives where they have every opportunity to achieve their potential. It’s like what a young man with disability said to Prime Minister Gillard in Queensland recently; to him, DisabilityCare means freedom. SENATOR MITCH FIFIELD (Liberal Party of Australia) To never underestimate the potential of a child with a disability or to limit them through low expectations.
SENATOR RACHEL SIEWERT (The Australian Greens) I have learnt many things but probably the most powerful is to be valued for your abilities not judged by your disabilities. MINISTER JENNY MACKLIN (Australian Labor Party — ALP) I want all kids grow up safe, healthy and happy. For children and young people with disability this means access to the care and support they need now, and certainty that they’ll get it over their lifetime. As a parliamentarian I’ve met so many wonderful kids with disability, who have so much to
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ENABLI NG AN D PROTECTI NG The abuse and neglect of children with disability have been primary concerns for CDA and our members since we began in 2010. The reports from members to CDA of bullying, neglect, abuse and discrimination are all too frequent and disturbing. CDA decided to complete an issue paper to assist with raising awareness regarding these issues. Dr Sally Robinson from the Centre for Children and Young People at Southern Cross University was commissioned by CDA to write the report Enabling and Protecting — Proactive approaches to addressing the abuse and neglect of children and young people with disability. It was launched in late 2012 by Senator Jan McLucas, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers. Enabling and Protecting examines relevant Australian and international research, raises key concerns about the issues and highlights what is needed to address them in Australia. International research suggests that the prevalence of maltreatment of children with disability is 3.4 times higher than for children without disability. This is not just limited to crimes in the community, but also includes family violence, poor home care services
and poor treatment in children’s service settings such as schools and specialist disability services.
agbling Ena abling bEn ling Enablingdand dand an p pecti prot t g teng nro ti c cgting te ro p
In looking at the abuse and neglect that occurs in service settings, key risks are the lack of recognition and reporting of maltreatment, clustering people with similar vulnerabilities together in isolated settings and a culture of covering up abuse, where young people do not have a voice or are not taken seriously.
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Bullying is a significant form of abuse of children and young people with disability and it has pronounced effects. We are seeing programs to address bullying in schools and workplaces in Australia but more needs to be done to make these programs truly effective and relevant to children and young people with disability. Enabling and Protecting details some necessary actions required to address abuse and neglect. These include greater appreciation of the dignity of children and young people with disability, recognising and responding to risks and properly identifying abuse and putting preventative strategies in place are all necessary.
These responses need to be taken at both the systemic and individual levels. Australia is a signatory to human rights conventions such as the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child and the Rights of People with Disabilities that detail our policy obligations, however the key challenge is converting these into practical action where they can have a real impact. Enabling and Protecting is available for download on the CDA website at http://www. cda.org.au/announcements/ enabling-and-protecting or copies can be obtained by contacting the office on 03 9482 1130 or 1800 222 660 (regional or interstate callers).
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OTH ER AREAS OF CDA ADVOCACY Advocacy is a major component of the work of CDA. Our advocacy work involves developing and providing advice to the Australian Government and other key stakeholders with the aim of positively influencing policy, legislation, service provision and community attitudes for children and young people with disability and their families. CDA’s advocacy regarding DisabilityCare and education is discussed in other sections of ListenUp! Other key areas of advocacy work include:
PLAY Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts. The Touched by Olivia Foundation does great work to progress the realisation of this right in Australia. The vision of the Touched by Olivia Foundation is to provide an inclusive public playground in every community. CDA was delighted to attend the opening of a new and amazing playground in Ryde in February this year. Another playground will be officially opened in St Albans, Victoria in July this year. That is a total of 6 playgrounds which have been
developed due to the dedication of all those involved with this great organisation.
ABUSE CDA continues to do significant advocacy around raising awareness of the increased risk of children with disability to abuse and neglect and ensuring appropriate protections are established to address this occurrence. The CDA report Enabling and Protecting — Proactive approaches to addressing the abuse and neglect of children and young people with disability was launched later last year. The report and launch is further detailed in a separate article. CDA continues its membership with the Coalition of Organisations Committed to the Safety and Wellbeing of Australia’s Children. More information around this work can be obtained from Families Australia at http://www. familiesaustralia.org.au/coalition/index.htm or by phone on 02 6273 4885. Strong advocacy was also provided around the establishment of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and continues to progress the experiences of children with disability so it is adequately represented. CDA is also a member of the Stop the Violence Project Steering Group. The Stop the Violence Project is a national policy reform project aimed at improving services for women and girls with disabilities experiencing or at risk of violence. A long-term objective for the project is to improve the quality of life of women and girls with disabilities in Australia, and to promote and protect their rights to freedom from violence, exploitation and abuse. More info about the project can be obtained at www.stvp.org.au
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CDA YOUTH PORTFOLIO CDA is the national peak for children and young people with disability, and there is a great diversity of issues to cover and high demand for our input. We are active across a range of areas and are highly conscious that there are a unique set of challenges facing young people with disability as they begin considering their options beyond school and their family life. In 2012 and 2013 CDA worked extensively on issues related to education reform in schools and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (DisabilityCare Australia) as well as the establishment of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. During this time we have been working on a number of issues relevant to young people with disability such as the transition from school to work and further education, independent decision making and access to dental health and other community services. In addition CDA has been part of the Children and Family Roundtable with the Minister for Community Services.
CDA is in the process of formally establishing a youth portfolio that will liaise with the national youth peak bodies and directly with our members who are interested in engaging in youth issues. We are extending our connections with mainstream youth organisations so we can exchange information and understandings for the benefit of our members. It’s also important to increase the awareness in the youth sector of the issues affecting young people with disability, and create opportunities to engage with young people with disability. We’d welcome the input of young people from our membership to work with us in this portfolio, as there is much work to be done to achieve positive change in the community beyond school and the family. Interested people can contact the CDA office on (03) 9482 1130 or 1800 222 660 (regional or interstate callers) by email at info@cda.org.au
Image: Opening of Livvi’s Place – Ryde.
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What is the Safe Schools Hub? The Safe Schools Hub is a one-stop shop for information and resources on safe school strategies to assist: teachers and school leaders students parents specialist professionals supporting students, and pre-service teachers.
“
The Safe Schools Hub provides the information and links so all of us can continue to make each and every school in Australia a safe and supportive place for kids to learn, develop relationships, to grow, be happy and to become great citizens of Australia. The Hon Peter Garrett AM MP, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth
”
The Safe Schools Hub is underpinned by the National Safe Schools Framework, which aims to ensure that all Australian schools are safe, supportive and respectful teaching and learning communities that promote student wellbeing. The Hub provides the tools and knowledge that will enable all members of the school community to: nurture student responsibility and resilience build a positive school culture foster respectful relationships support students who are impacted by anti-social behaviour, including bullying and cyber-bullying. The Safe Schools Hub project is funded by the Australian Government, working in partnership with state and territory governments, the non-government school sectors and Education Services Australia.
Launch of the Safe Schools Hub Resources will be made available online in phased releases throughout 2013. The first release was launched by the Hon Peter Garrett AM MP, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth on the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence on 15 March 2013. It includes the Safe Schools Toolkit, which provides support for teachers and school leaders.
Safe Schools Toolkit
What’s next?
The key features of the Safe Schools Toolkit include: video case studies showcasing schools that have implemented effective safe school practices the Safe School Audit Tool, where schools can assess how they are doing on each of the nine elements of the National Safe Schools Framework and use this information to inform their safe school plans resources that unpack in detail each of the nine elements of the National Safe Schools Framework activities that further suggest how to introduce safe school practices in a school setting a resources gallery.
Throughout 2013 additional resources will be available on the website. These include: professional learning modules for teachers and school leaders, specialist professionals in schools and pre-service teachers information and resources for parents and students. Register at www.safeschoolshub.edu.au to receive regular updates on news and resources for safe schools.
Visit the Safe Schools Hub and tell us about your experience A safe school is a smart school. By working together, governments, schools, parents and communities can play a key role in developing safe, supportive and respectful school environments. The Safe Schools Hub has been developed for you. If you need more information, or if you would like to provide feedback on your experience using the Safe Schools Hub, please contact: Education Services Australia Limited Level 5, 440 Collins Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia PO Box 177 Carlton South Victoria 3053 Australia Email: sshub@esa.edu.au Web: www.safeschoolshub.edu.au
The Safe Schools Hub project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
JUST GOTTA PEE ... ME TOO... ON LY IT’S COMPLICATED. WAN NA KNOW WHY? Allison likes sport, music and spending time with her friends. She has what the system refers to as high and complex needs cerebral palsy and needs assistance with toileting. She is 32 years old and has a university education. She reminds us “I also have a life beyond my restrictions.” Allison works in the community services sector. With DisabilityCare on its way to becoming a reality she hopes that it will accompany increases opportunities for participation. However, with the increase in occupational health and safety restrictions and the trend away from mobile hoists, her ability to go to the toilet in “regular” public toilets for people with disability is severely restricted.
it’s not OK for any sort of venue to discriminate against people with disability” Allison has established a petition to request governments to establish more accessible changing places in our community. She is seeking your support! If you’d like to contact Allison to obtain more information email projectflyingfox@hotmail.com or visit https://www.facebook.com/ProjectFlyingFox
Allison’s abilities are variable so that on a “good day” she can use the standard toilet for people with disability. On a “bad day” this is not the case and she is grateful to know where all of the ceiling hoists are in the region. This has taken a significant amount of research to acquire this information. Allison has two concerns. The first is that the hoists that exist get very little publicity. The second concern is simple, there aren’t enough hoists. My able bodied and dear friend summed it up best. “So here’s something that many people take for granted... being able to go to the toilet when away from their own home. Whether it is while shopping, on holidays, at a sporting or entertainment event. There are so many people who can’t just assume that a toilet will be accessible to them. Let’s tell our government that
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CDA 2014 ISSUE PAPER CONNECTION AND DISCONNECTION OF SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY CDA has commissioned the Centre for Children and Young People at Southern Cross University to develop an issue paper on connection and disconnection of children and young people with disability in their school communities. The inclusion of students with disability in their local schools has been promoted for decades through principles, policy and curriculum, with varying success. Some students with disability find their school community a fulfilling and happy place. Yet intractable problems remain for some students with isolation, loneliness, social difficulties and bullying a common feature of their school lives. What factors influence these different experiences for children and young people with disability? Research on connectedness explores the need of children and young people with disability for meaningful connection with others which supports them to feel like they belong in their world. Alongside this, a significant amount of research addresses the bullying and abuse of students, with and without disability. There is
limited evidence that these two sets of research — on the conditions required for belonging, and on bullying and interpersonal harm — have been connected for students with disability. This is important because existing evidence about what works to stop bullying shows that if children are connected, they are less likely to be exposed to harms such as chronic bullying, and more likely to tell someone about harm in their lives.
THE PAPER WILL EXAMINE THE FOLLOWING AREAS: What helps students with disability to feel connected and like they belong in schools? What does disconnection from school life look like from the perspective of students
with disability and their families? What is the place of bullying and abuse in this disconnection? How do students and families feel that schools respond to their experiences? What helps them? What doesn’t? What factors in schools give rise to disconnection? How effective are current approaches to addressing bullying for students with disability who are struggling with connection and belonging? How important are the roles played by families, friends and other community members in supporting connection and belonging? How can we better respond? The paper will be available in August.
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FPDN 10 POI NT PL AN FOR TH E IMPLEMENTATION FOR TH E N DIS I N ABORIGI NAL COMMUN ITI ES INTRODUCTION By any measure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities are amongst some of the most disadvantaged Australians often facing multiple barriers to their meaningful participation within their own communities and the wider community. The prevalence of disability amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is significantly higher than of the general population. Until recently the prevalence of disability in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities has been only anecdotally reported. However a recent report by the Commonwealth Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision made the following conclusions: The proportion of the indigenous population 15 years and over, reporting a disability or long-term health condition was 37 per cent (102 900 people). The proportions were similar in remote and non-remote areas. This measure of disability does
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not specifically include people with a psychological disability.1 The high prevalence of disability, approximately twice that of the non-indigenous population, occurs in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
By any measure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities are amongst some of the most disadvantaged Australians. communities for a range of social reasons, including poor health care, poor nutrition, exposure to violence and psychological trauma (e.g. arising from removal from family and community) and substance abuse, as well as the breakdown of traditional community structures in some areas. Aboriginal people with disability are significantly overrepresented on a population group basis among homeless
people, in the criminal and juvenile justice systems2, and in the care and protection system (both as parents and children).3 The advent of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) presents an opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities to engage for many for the first time with the disability service system in a substantive way. Currently most Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities remain at the periphery of the disability service system. This continues to occur for a range of reasons some of which are well established however one factor that remains little understood is the reluctance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities to identify as people with disability. This preference to not identify presents a fundamental barrier for the successful implementation of the NDIS. The First Peoples Disability Network (Australia) (FPDN) argues that it has a central role in addressing not only this fundamental barrier but also in facilitating the roll
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out of the NDIS more broadly into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands communities. The FPDN argues passionately that for positive change to happen in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities the change must be driven by community itself. It cannot be imposed, implied, intervened or developed with well meaning intention from an external service system that the vast majority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities have little or no experience of in the first place. Throughout many communities across the country Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with disabilities have been supported and accepted as members of their communities. However it is the resources to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with disabilities that many communities lack. Furthermore the service system tends to operate from a “doing for” as opposed to “doing with” approach which only further disenfranchises communities because they simply do not feel that they can self-direct their future. However the NDIS does have the potential to address some of these concerns by giving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities the opportunity to self-direct their funding for instance. The challenge in this area however will be that many
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities have had little or no experience in self-managing funds. It must be remembered that in many ways the social movement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities is starting from an absolute baseline position. This is reflected by the fact that very few Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities have an understanding of the language of the disability service system for example. So it is the view of the FPDN that the application of the NDIS in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities will need to have a different look and approach to what is advocated for with regard the rest of the Australian population. It may be that the application of the NDIS in Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander communities takes a longer process. But the FPDN argues that it is critical to get it right as it is the experience of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that they are usually the first to be blamed when new programs are not taken up by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The FPDN has developed a 10-point plan for the implementation of the NDIS in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities. The development of this 10 point plan is based upon extensive consultation as well as drawing upon the decade long experience of the FPDN in advocating for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people with disabilities. It is our intention to publicly launch our 10-point plan later in the year.
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For up to date news and views on issues regarding children and young people with disability follow us on Facebook or Twitter! www.facebook.com/CDISAUS Twitter @CDA39
TEN POINT PLAN
1
Recognise that the starting point is the vast majority of Aboriginal people with disability do not self-identify as people with disability. This occurs for a range of reasons including the fact that in traditional language there was no comparable word for disability. Also that many Aboriginal people with disability are reluctant to take on the label of disability particularly if they may already experience discrimination based on their Aboriginality. In many ways disability is a new conversation in many communities therefore with regard the NDIS we are starting from an absolute baseline position. And as a consequence change in this area may evolve on a different timeline to that of the main part of the NDIS.
2
Awareness raising via a concerted outreach approach informing Aboriginal people with disabilities, their families and communities about their rights and entitlements. And as well informing Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities
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about the NDIS itself and how to work this new system effectively. There is simply no other way to raise awareness then by direct face-to-face consultation. Brochures and pamphlets will not do the job in this instance as this will be as stated earlier a new conversation in many communities.
3
Establish NDIS Expert Working Group on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People with disability and the NDIS. In recognition of the fact that there is a stand alone building block for the NDIS focused upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities the FPDN views it not only as critical but logical that a new Expert Working Group be established focused upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities. The new working group would operate in the same way the four current working groups do, that is it would be chaired by two members of the National People with Disability and Carers Council. To ensure its effectiveness but also
critically to influence prominent Aboriginal leaders as well as the disability sector, members would be drawn from Aboriginal leadership as well as involving prominent disability leaders. The FPDN believes such an approach is warranted not only because of the degree of unmet need that is well established but also because this has the potential to be a very practical and meaningful partnership between government, the non-government sector and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
4
Build the capacity of the non-Indigenous disability service system to meet the needs of Aboriginal people with disability in a culturally appropriate way. Legislate an additional standard into the Disability Services Act focused upon culturally appropriate service delivery and require disability services to demonstrate their cultural competencies.
5
Research including into the prevalence of disability and into a range other relevant matters. Critically this work must be undertaken in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities to ensure a culturally appropriate methodology. There remains very little reference material about disability in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities this needs to rectified to ensure that we are
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empirical evidence to quantify the number of Aboriginal people with disability in particular with intellectual disability and mental illness in the criminal justice system. The prevalence of
getting a true picture of the lived experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities.
6
Recognise that there already exists a workforce in many Aboriginal communities that continues to do important work often informally. This work needs to valued and recognized with the potential being the creation of employment opportunities in some communities.
7
Recognise that it’s not always about services. Many communities just need more resources so that they can continue to meet the needs of their own people with disabilities. There may be perfectly appropriate ways of supporting people already in place, however what is often lacking is access to current technologies or appropriate technical aids or sufficient training for family and community members to provide the optimum level of support.
8
Recruitment of more Aboriginal people into the disability service sector.
9
Build the capacity of the social movement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with disabilities by
supporting existing networks and building new ones in addition to fostering Aboriginal leaders with disabilities. These networks play a critical role in breaking down stigma that may exist in some communities but are also the conduits for change and will be integral to the successful implementation of the NDIS in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
10
Aboriginal “Launch” sites focused upon remote, very remote, regional and urban settings. It is critical that this major reform be done right. Therefore it is appropriate to effectively trial its implementation. To this end the FPDN can readily identify key communities that would be appropriate as trial sites.
1
Commonwealth Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage Key Indicators 2005 Report. P. 3.6.
intellectual disability for instance in the prison population is often contested with wide variation in percentages. However a report by the Law Reform Commission published in 1996 entitled People with an Intellectual Disability and the Criminal Justice System noted that 12–13% of the prison population were people with an intellectual disability. 3
Overcoming Indigenous
Disadvantage Key Indicators 2005; Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision states ‘The rate of children on care and protection orders (for a combination of all states and territories except NSW) was five times higher for indigenous children (20 per 1000 children in the population aged 0–17 years) than for nonindigenous children (4 per 1000 children). P. 9.5
2
Aboriginal people are 11 times more likely to be imprisoned than other Australians. Source: Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage Key Indicators 2005; Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision. There is no
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DENTAL H EALTH AN D C H I L D R E N W ITH D I S A B I L IT Y Some options are; brushing their teeth during bath time, associating brushing their teeth to music or another activity they enjoy. Children with cerebral palsy can be positioned with the child’s head slightly forward, in flexion, instead of extension to eliminate the gagging reflex.
3 The primary issues associated with oral health problems are dental decay and gum disease. In children with disability, poor oromotor control drooling can also be a significant issue. Dental decay has been shown to cause pain and infection. This leads to children having disrupted sleep patterns, poor dietary habits due to discomfort when eating. This can lead to failure to thrive, irritability and poor school performance. Therefore it is important for children with disability to obtain optimum care to maximise their dental health. A framework of care has preventative, clinical and behavioural components and these would be based on each child’s individual needs.
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The dentist must understand the child, their medical conditional, behavioural support needs, medications and the difficulties these may cause. Within the treatment framework prevention is most important.
Dental decay can be caused by:
1
A diet consisting of a high frequency of carbohydrates, thus meaning a high frequency of sugars. These can be in the form of sweets, biscuits, dried fruits or nocturnal nursing bottle habits.
2
Poor oral hygiene. It is important to brush a child’s teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Doing this with a child that has a disability can be a challenge.
A susceptible tooth. The anatomy of teeth can predispose them to dental decay. The pits and grooves of molars can place a tooth in jeopardy; therefore it is important for regular dental reviews to assess the risk of each tooth for dental disease and to provide preventative care such fluoride treatment and preventive sealing of teeth (fissure sealants). In managing a child’s oral health it is important that the dentist assess the level of compliance for the dental care of each child. They must not assume that each child will behave the same. For example, children with autism who do not like having their haircut are usually very orally defensive. Similarly noise aversion, taste or smell dislikes can affect care. It is important that the dentist and parents work together and think around challenges and not accept them as an impenetrable barrier. A child
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needing orthodontics may not be able to cope with having braces fitted in the dental surgery, but may have the braces placed under a general anaesthetic as long as they accept the limited oral intrusion for adjustments.
How do we develop positive dental behaviour? Dentistry is a profession that requires the patient to accept the professional invading their personal space. It is important that for there to be communication between the dentist, child and their parents to obtain the levels of intrusion that are accepted. To familiarise a child with the dental clinic a nontreatment visit can be arranged to acclimatise the child to the environment. The use of storyboards can be effective in explaining procedures or behaviours. This can be in print format or on an Ipad for example; a series of storyboards (photos) showing the procedures for tooth cleaning, a filling or orthodontic care can prepare a child. Similarly with behaviour a series of pictures indicating that when “Nick goes to the dentist he will open his mouth” or “the dentist will polish his teeth” can create a visualisation before virtualisation. The most important component of treating children with disability is that both the parent and the dentist understand and focus on where the child is at and work together on challenges, strategies and outcomes.
A Associate Professor J James Lucas S Specialist paediatric d dentist and Deputy D Director of the D Department of Dentistry R Royal Children’s Hospital o of Melbourne
GROW UP SMILING Grow up Smiling is a new government dental scheme commencing in 2014. The scheme will provide benefits for basic dental services for children aged 2–17 years. Basic dental services include check-ups, x-rays, fillings and extractions. High end services, such as orthodontics, are not included in the scheme. CDA welcomes the decision to introduce Grow up Smiling. People with disability experience high levels of oral disease and considerably less access to treatment. It is therefore critical that dental care is accessible to children and young people with disability. The total benefit entitlement will be capped at $1,000 per child over a two calendar year period. To be eligible families must be in receipt of Family Tax Benefit Part A or certain other government payments. More information regarding the scheme can be obtained online at the Department of Health and Ageing at http://www.health. gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ growupsmiling or contacting them by phone on 02 6289 1555 or 1800 020 103.
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CDA CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES For the third year running, CDA celebrated International Day of People with Disabilities in the local community of Clifton Hill in Melbourne’s inner north. The event continues to promote and celebrate the contributions that children and young people with disability make to the local community, as well as the many benefits of achieving an inclusive society. Throughout the all-day event, students and staff from Clifton Hill Primary School, local residents as well as local businesses and retailers along the Queens Parade shopping strip celebrated the contribution children and young people with disability make to our community. The event culminated in a community assembly held at Clifton Hill Primary School. The assembly commenced with a personal message from Prime Minister Gillard being delivered by CDA’s most famous volunteer, Danny Dickson. This can be viewed at http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=dTridopDdmI This assembly was addressed by Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Minister for Disability Reform Jenny Macklin, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations Jacinta Collins and Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers Jan McLucas and Executive Officer of CDA, Stephanie Gotlib. It was again a truly memorable event and the pictures of the day say it all.
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N E WS I N B R I E F AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION INQUIRY (AHRC) INTO ACCESS TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY The AHRC is conducting an inquiry into access to criminal justice for people with disability. The Commission is concerned that children, young people and adults with disability, particularly those with communication impairments and complex support needs are not being treated equally in the criminal justice system. The inquiry covers people with disability who are victims of crime, offenders, witnesses, interviewees or prisoners.
Keep up to date with CDA by following us on or
can be obtained at https:// www.humanrights.gov.au/ disability-issues. Alternatively the Australian Human Rights Commission can be contacted by phone on (02) 9284 9600 or by email at publications@ humanrights.gov.au
CHILDREN’S COMMISSIONER Megan Mitchell was appointed as Australia’s first Children’s Commissioner in March. Ms Mitchell was previously the New South Wales Commissioner for Children and Young People. The National Children’s Commissioner will sit within the Australian Human Rights Commission. The Commissioner will promote public discussion and awareness of issues affecting children; conduct research and education programs; consult directly with children and representative organisations; and examine Commonwealth legislation, policies and programs that relate to children’s human rights. For more information please contact (02) 9284 9600 or email communications@ humanrights.gov.au
The AHRC has released an issue paper that outlines a number of key barriers to justice experienced by people with disability. More information
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UNICEF LAUNCHES 2013 STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN REPORT On 31 May UNICEF launched the 2013 State of the World’s Children Report. The report examines the experiences of children from around the world in relation to education, health, abuse and violence and humanitarian crisis. It further highlights that there is significant work to do across the globe to enable true inclusion of children with disability. Anthony Lake, Executive Director of UNICEF, introduces the report by stating “...far too many children with disabilities are among the last in line for resources and services, especially where these are scarce to begin with. Far too regularly, they are the objects simply of pity, or worse, discrimination and abuse... The path forward will be challenging. But children do not accept unnecessary limits. Neither should we.” This report is informative and compelling. It can be found at http://www.unicef.org/ sowc2013/
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H ELP SPREAD TH E WORD GET YOUR OWN CDA T-SH I RT! CDA t-shirts are available for FREE with a $5 payment to cover postage. The t-shirts were used as part of CDA’s celebrations of International Day of People with Disability and come in adults and children’s sizes. Orders can be made using the form below or by contacting CDA directly. Name: Address: Telephone number: Email:
T-SHIRTS REQUIRED: FREE plus $5 postage and handling per shirt. Size
Quantity
SIZING INFORMATION Sizes 2
CHILDREN MENS LADIES
XS
4
6
8
10
12
14
S
M
L
XL
2XL
3XL
S
M
L
XL
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PAYMENT Direct Deposit: Children with Disability Australia. BSB 633 000 Account 139676928 Credit Card:
VISA A
Mastercard Amount $
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PLEASE RETURN TO Children with Disability Australia, PO Box 172, Clifton Hill VIC 3068. Tel 03 9482 1130 or 1800 222 660 (regional or interstate) Fax 03 9481 7833 Email ruthgardner@cda.org.au ABN 42 140 529 273
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MEMBERSH I P I N FORMATION Children with Disability Australia is the national peak body which represents children and young (aged 0–25) people with disability. CDA is a not for profit, community organisation that was officially incorporated as a company limited by guarantee in November 2009. CDA receives its core funding under the Commonwealth Department for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) national secretariat program and project funding from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). CDA’s vision is that children and young people with disability living in Australia are afforded every opportunity to thrive, achieve their potential and that their rights and interests as individuals, members of a family and their community are met. The work of CDA is guided by the following principles: Children first: the rights and interests of children and young people with disability are CDA’s highest priority consistent with Australia’s obligations under the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Right to childhood: children and young people with disability are children first and foremost and have a right to all aspects of childhood that children without disability are afforded.
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Right to participation: children and young people with disability have the right to participate, in whatever capacity, in decisions that impact on their lives. Inclusion: children and young people with all types of disability, from all cultural and religious backgrounds and all geographic locations are supported by the work of CDA. Recognition: for the contributions made by families and care givers to support the rights and interests of children and young people with disability. Partnerships: CDA works collaboratively with relevant government, non-government and private sector agencies to promote the rights and interests of children and young people with disability. Transparency: CDA is accountable, effective and ethical as the national peak body charged with the mandate of advocating for children and young people with disability Our members include an amazing range of people and families. Every new member adds strength to our efforts to advocate for improvements to services and supports for young people with disability and families of children with disability. People wishing to support CDA can apply for full or associate membership. See membership application for further details.
Membership is FREE for all young people with disability (18–25yrs) and for all families of children with disability across Australia.
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS • Full members are entitled to vote at general meetings and can nominate for a CDA Board position. • Receive Listen Up! which includes stories and analysis of policy and advocacy issues. • Strengthen the voice of children and young people with disability in the media and to government policy makers.
DONATIONS The generosity of our members and community supporters in providing donations is a key factor in the strength of our organisation. If you, or others you know, are in a position to make a donation, it will be greatly appreciated. All donations over $2 are tax deductible. Please contact CDA if you wish to make a donation. Phone (03) 9482 1130 or 1800 222 660 (regional and interstate callers) Email info@cda.org.au
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MEMBERSH I P FORM/TAX I NVOICE ABN 42 140 529 273 All donations over $2 are tax deductible Name Address Suburb/town State
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I WISH TO APPLY FOR (PLEASE SELECT A CATEGORY) FULL MEMBERSHIP — FREE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY AND FAMILIES Person with disability between the ages of 18 and 25 Parent/carer of a child aged under 26 years with disability Sibling Grandparent/foster parent
ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP — $55 (GST INC) PER YEAR — FULL FEE $11 (GST INC) PER YEAR — STUDENTS & UN-WAGED Extended family of a child/young person with disability Professional Service organisation Other (please specify) I would like to make a donation of $
Payment enclosed or I would like to pay by:
DIRECT DEPOSIT Acc Name: Children with Disability Australia BSB 633 000 Account 1396 76928 CREDIT CARD D
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CHEQUE Payable to: Children with Disability Australia DECLARATION I hereby apply for membership of CDA. I am over 18 years. If accepted as a member I agree to be bound by the rules of the CDA Constitution*. Signature
Date
Send to CDA, PO Box 172, Clifton Hill VIC 3068 Your personal information is collected only for the use of CDA for the purposes of disseminating support and information to our members.
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THAN K YOU Children with Disability Australia has Deductible Gift Recipient status from the Australian Tax Office. This means that all donations of over two dollars are tax deductible.
We sincerely thank those who have provided donations. If you, or others you know, are in a position to make a donation, it will be greatly appreciated. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.
The generosity of our members and community supporters in providing donations and pro bono support is a key factor in the strength of our organisation.
We sincerely thank the following people and organisations for the support provided to us over the past twelve months: Alactura Collections Angela Basedow Bakers Delight Clifton Hill Birch Living Child Play Clifton Hill Physiotherapy Clifton Hill/North Fitzroy Community Bank Collin Simms Clifton Hill Commonwealth Bank Clifton Hill Parkside 8 Degani Bakery CafĂŠ Clifton Hill Emly Bombardieri Jellis Craig Clifton Hill Jocelyn Geary Kristy Walters Maria Lambderti Sherman Foundation SWAN Committee Tutti I Sapori Zehn da Pty Ltd
E M A I L A D D R E SS DO WE HAVE YOUR CURRENT EMAIL ADDRESS? CDA is currently in the process of updating our records. Could all members please contact us and inform us of your current email address. winniebridie@cda.org.au
50 www.cda.org.au
A big ger voice for kids
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At CDA we work in close co-operation with a range of other national organisations, including disability peak bodies.
Deafness Forum of Australia Phone 02 6262 7808 TTY 02 6262 7809 Web www.deafnessforum.org.au
We encourage better working partnerships between groups and individuals working from a disability rights perspective.
Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA) Phone 02 6154 1983 Web www.dana.org.au
Young people with disability and families are also encouraged to get involved with other organisations and support groups relevant to their circumstance.
First Peoples Disability Network (Australia) Phone 02 9519 5005 Email enquiries@fpdn.org.au
NATIONAL DISABILITY PEAK BODIES Australian Federation of Disability Organisations Phone 03 9662 3324 TTY 03 9662 3724 Web www.afdo.org.au Blind Citizens Australia Phone 03 9654 1400 Freecall 1800 033 660 TTY 03 9639 1728 Web www.bca.org.au Brain Injury Australia Phone 02 9808 9390 Freecall 1800 272 461 Web www.bia.net.au Deaf Australia Inc Phone 07 3357 8266 TTY 07 3357 8277 Web www.deafau.org.au
National Council on Intellectual Disability Phone 02 6296 4400 Web www.ncid.org.au National Disability Services Phone 02 6283 3200 Web www.nds.org.au National Ethnic Disability Alliance Freecall 1300 486 038 Web www.neda.org.au Physical Disability Australia Phone 02 6567 1500 Web www.pda.org.au
OTHER NATIONAL PEAK BODIES Australian Council of Social Service Phone 02 9310 6200 Web www.acoss.org.au Carers Australia Phone 02 6122 9900 Web www.carersaustralia.com.au
CDA MEMBERSHIP IS FREE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY AND FAMILIES! CDA Membership includes free copies of Listen Up! Use the membership form on page 49 of this edition of Listen Up! and post it to us. Alternatively you can fill out an application form on our website www.cda.org.au
Women With Disabilities Australia Phone 03 6244 8288 Web www.wwda.org.au
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BACK COVER
Suite 3, 173 Queens Parade, Clifton Hill, VIC 3068. PO Box 172, Clifton Hill VIC 3068. Phone (03) 9482 1130 or 1800 222 660 (regional or interstate) Fax 03 9481 7833 Email info@cda.org.au Web www.cda.org.au ABN 42 140 529 273