Students with Disabilities

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Supplementary Programs

Schoolcare Program

The Schoolcare Program is a service provided by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development in partnership with the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH), RCH@Home, which provides Victorian government school staff with the skills to support students who have complex medical needs.

The Schoolcare Program enables students with ongoing complex medical needs to have their health care requirements met safely at school.  This is done by providing training to the school staff that care for them.  This service provides specialist training to staff who deliver interventional medical care to students whilst they are attending school.

This program is available where the student would not be able to attend school without the procedure being performed and where training is required to perform the procedure.

In order for RCH@Home staff to deliver relevant and appropriate training, the Schoolcare Program Referral Form must be submitted each year to ensure an accurate profile of a student’s current medical needs is obtained.  

For existing students on the Schoolcare Program, it is recommended that the referral form be submitted by 1 November in the preceding year to assist the RCH@Home staff with program delivery planning.

Is is recommended that new referrals are submitted as early as possible prior to the commencement of the school year to assist the RCH@Home staff with program delivery planning.

Schools seeking to make a referral to the Schoolcare Program are referred to the guidelines and referral form below:

Medical Intervention Support

Medical Intervention Support is payable to schools to enable trained Educational Support staff to assist students who require regular, complex medical support at school.  

This funding is provided where the Education Support staff member has undergone specific training to support the student's medical needs.  This training may be provided through local health service providers, disability support organisations or the Schoolcare Program.

Schools seeking to submit an application for Medical Intervention Support are referred to the guidelines and application form below:

Applications for 2012 must be submitted by 29 February 2012.

Equipment Grants for Students with Vision Impairments

Equipment Grants are available to assist Victorian government schools to purchase major items of essential, specialised equipment for students with vision impairments who do not meet the eligibility requirements for the Program for Students with Disabilities. 

Schools seeking to submit an application for an Equipment Grant are referred to the guidelines and application form below:

Applications for 2012 must be submitted by 29 February 2012.

Accessible Buildings Program

The Department undertakes an annual program to provide facilities that will enable students, parents and teachers with injuries or disabilities to access mainstream schools. It provides funding for projects to:

  • meet the needs of new students at a school
  • meet the needs resulting from deterioration of a student’s condition
  • expand existing facilities to cater for the curriculum requirements of the student.

Applications for this program may be submitted at anytime throughout the year.

Priority will be provided in situations where:

  • the student with disabilities is a new enrolment;
  • if the school is unable to provide sufficient access to school facilities essential to the curriculum or toileting needs of the student.

This program is not a reimbursement program and is not intended to subsidise other works.

This program is not intended to provide maintenance funding for ‘wear and tear’ of existing compliant facilities and/or works.

This program is coordinated by the Department with the support of regional facilities personnel. Schools seeking support in completing applications are encouraged to contact their regional representative. Current program contact information is located on the last page of the Accessible Buildings Program Guidelines.

Applications for works that require completion prior to Term 1 are requested to be submitted to regional offices by the 2nd week of August of the preceding year.