South Bunbury ESC values specialist support services for students, with a collaborative case management approach. We acknowledge the expertise of all professionals, whilst developing a mutual understanding of protocols and procedures for sessions taking place during school hours. Providers do not automatically have access to the school and students.
In some circumstances, it may be appropriate for therapy services to be delivered at school to ensure the child receives the best support and can participate fully in school. The services may align with, or complement, the reasonable adjustments being provided by the school to facilitate the student’s access to education. Where the service does not link with the student’s learning needs or enhance access to education, the service may be better delivered outside of school time.
Parents are invited to submit a request via email for their selected therapist to provide a service during school hours. Before a provider can deliver a service to students in the school, the provider must demonstrate that they have the necessary checks, protections and training in place. Schools are not obliged to be the liaison between the student and the provider around cancellations, changes to services or to personnel.
Once a request has been sent by the family, providers may seek to apply for Outside Agency/Therapy Provision to occur on school site. This application is for a designated length of time, usually until the end of Term 2 or Term 4 in the school year.
Upon receiving an application, the school principal will consider the following:
- Student’s educational and wellbeing needs
- Whether therapy supports the needs of the student at school, and therefore, is best placed to occur during school hours
- Ability of the student/family to access the service outside school hours or through existing Department programs
- Impact on school-based outcomes for student (missing certain elements of program)
- Style of therapy to be provided (1:1; small group; building capacity of staff)
- Availability of space for therapy to effectively take place
- Duty of care to staff and students
- Provider’s use of school facilities and resources.
After considering the various aspects, the principal may not approve the application if it does not support the student’s learning needs or their access to education, is likely to have an adverse impact on the school, staff and/or students and is best accessed outside of school hours.
Time slots will be negotiated based on individual needs and availability of a room. Once a practitioner has started therapy at SBESC, it is advisable that a consultation with the client’s teacher is scheduled to discuss the client’s goals, engagement and progress.
