Katie and Davis

Katie is a teenager with ‘significant’ cognitive disability. She is non-verbal, requires medical intervention every few hours and has epilepsy and cerebral palsy. ‘But she is an active 12-year-old,’ says her father, Davis. ‘She loves and laughs like any other child and is a blessing and miracle.’

Davis told the Royal Commission that Katie’s experience in a specialist school has been overwhelmingly positive.

Katie’s early education commenced in a mainstream early learning centre followed by a local state school. In both instances she had an aide. Katie was very happy and her parents found the flexibility and assistance from teaching staff ‘outstanding’.

‘However’, says Davis, ‘towards the end of prep it became more and more obvious that her disabilities may make it more difficult for her to work within a mainstream school … her cognitive skills, although increasing, were increasing at a very reduced level. Her development was more and more behind the other children in the class’.

Katie has now been at a local specialist school for a while. Davis says the specialist school has done ‘very well’ at managing Katie’s behaviour, at tailoring a curriculum that took into account her cognitive ability, and providing an independent learning plan. The plan, which was developed by Katie’s parents and teachers together, ‘ensures her goals are realistically achievable but also important for her future’.

The school also has in-house therapists and a nurse who can provide the sort of medical and allied health services that assist Katie in her learning.

The school’s focus is to develop skills that its students will use as adults, whether in employment, in managing their homes or participating in their community.

Davis explained why this is so important. ‘Katie will always need carers but with the added support of the Specialist School she is better equipped as she enters adulthood.’

‘By way of example, my daughter regularly goes on field trips to the local supermarket, instead of being scared and anxious of such an outing as she was on her first visit, she is now relaxed and actually understands the concept of going to a supermarket and buying things.’

From a behaviour perspective, the school uses the School Wide Positive Behaviour program, tailored to the needs of students. The program helps students self-regulate their behaviour and learn appropriates responses to emotions with tools that they can continue to use as adults.

Davis is concerned that there is a presumption that ‘the use of specialist schools is segregation’. ‘In fact,’ he says, ‘I would argue that it is exactly the opposite’.

‘Students that a specialist school assists most are better prepared, in my opinion, to be a part of society in general. They are not excluded in any way … In practice these skills help her understand about being a part of society and overall promote a more inclusive society …

‘It is my view that the added benefits of a specialist school mean that this option should remain a viable alternative ... My experience has certainly been that it is in [Katie’s] best interests and she has benefited greatly.’