Recommendation 7.6 – Student and parental communication and relationships

What has been achieved to date

All governments share a vision for more accessible and inclusive schooling for students with disability.

The Australian Government has released resources for students with disability and their caregivers to help them understand and exercise their rights under the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (the Standards). The resources provide practical advice on how to communicate with schools to set up reasonable adjustments and how to raise, escalate and resolve concerns.

State and territory governments, which are responsible for the day-to-day operations of schools, are progressing work to implement this recommendation based on their local needs.

Further implementation of this recommendation will be informed by the ongoing modernisation of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the 2025 review of the Standards.

Some examples of state and territory progress to implement the intent of this recommendation include, but are not limited to:

• The Northern Territory Department of Education has published parent information web pages, with information on funding, schooling and support for students with disability. In addition, the department funds and supports an independent Student Advocacy Service in Darwin and Palmerston, and is planning to expand this service into Central Australia.
• As of January 2025, the new strength-based Disability Inclusion Profile (profile) has been rolled out to all Victorian government schools state-wide, with over 16,000 profiles completed. The profile helps schools and families come together to identify the strengths, functional needs, and educational adjustments schools make to assist students with disability and additional learning needs. Student and parent/carer voice has been integrated into the profile process, with the majority of profile meetings so far having included student voice.
• Queensland is working to strengthen engagement and collaboration with students with disability and their families, including prior to the first day of school.

What the Disability Royal Commission said in the final report

a) State and territory educational authorities should update their policies and guidance for schools to support the implementation and continuous improvement of requirements for student and parental communication and relationships. These should:

• include clear, accessible material for students with disability and their families on their rights and school obligations
• target decision-making for individual students and at the whole-of-school-level
• cover applications to attend a local school and address how students and parents should expect to be involved in decision making, adjustments and complaints handling and informal resolution processes
• indicate types of decisions that require formal parental agreement, such as approaches to behaviour management
• be co-designed with people with disability and their families.

b) State and territory educational authorities should develop material similar to that outlined in a) specifically for First Nations students with disability in consultation with First Nations students with disability, parents and kinship carers. The cultural diversity and understanding of disability in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures should be considered in this process.

c) School principals should work with their governing bodies and school communities to establish local school policies, procedures and practices to enable students with disability and their parents, carers and advocates to fully and effectively take part in the school community and decisions that affect a student’s educational experience.

d) In undertaking c), school principals should consult with First Nations parents and kinship carers and consider the cultural diversity and understanding of disability in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

e) The Australian Government through the responsible minister, should consider updating the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Cth) to:

• ensure students with disability can participate as fully as possible in an age-appropriate manner in decision making concerning their educational programs and the adjustments they require
• entitle parents, supporters and carers of students with disability to be assisted by schools or principals on decisions relating to school-wide adjustments to facilities and classroom practices of particular significance to students with disability.

Joint Government Response July 2024

The Australian Government and state and territory governments support the Disability Royal Commission’s vision for more accessible and inclusive education for school students with disability.

Education Ministers commit to work in partnership with people with disability to set out how this vision will be achieved over time.

More recommendations

View progress on other recommendations made by the Royal Commission.