Medical and Accessibility Support

Schoolcare Program

This program is provided by the Department in partnership with the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) to give Victorian government school staff 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 while they are attending school.

Please note that schools are not mandated to access specialist medical training from the Schoolcare Program. In many instances training can be sourced either from local health service providers, or from appropriately qualified nurses in specialist schools.

It is recommended that referrals to the Schoolcare Program are submitted as early as possible prior to the commencement of the school year to help the Hospital staff with program delivery planning.

Schools seeking to make a referral to the Schoolcare Program, see:

Medical Intervention Support

Payable to schools to enable trained educational support staff to assist students who require regular, complex medical support at schoo​l.  

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 by an appropriate healthcare professional from a local health service or the Schoolcare Program.

Schools seeking to submit an application for medical intervention support, see:

Applications for 2018 are due by 28 February 2018.

Special provision for VCE exams

For information about how students who become ill or experience personal hardship during VCE exam periods can get help, see: Special Provision

Equipment Grants for students with vision impairments

​​​Equipment Grants are available to help Victorian government schools 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, see:

Applications for 2018 are due by 28 February 2018. 

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. 

For more information, see: ​Accessible buildings program guidelines (docx - 899.39kb)

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 second week of August of the preceding year.​​