The Chair of General Purpose Standing Committee No.2, Ms Robyn Parker MLC, has announced a new Inquiry into the provision of education to students with a disability or special needs.

“Interacting with the education system can be a frustrating and confusing experience for parents of a child with a disability or special needs, as they attempt to ensure that their child gets adequate support to reach their full potential”, said Ms Parker.

“An area of concern for teachers and parents alike is the adequacy of funding for children with a disability or special needs attending NSW schools. The Inquiry was established in recognition of their concerns”, Ms Parker noted.

The Committee will investigate best practice approaches in determining the allocation of funding to children with a disability or special needs.

“We will take a close look at what can be learned from the provision of education to students with a disability or special needs in Australia and overseas. In particular, we will look at whether a student’s funding allocation should be based on their functioning capacity rather than their disability”, she added.

A number of other important issues are also covered by the terms of reference, including:

·        Level and adequacy of current special education places

·        Adequacy of support services for children with a disability in mainstream school classes

·        Provision of a suitable curriculum for intellectually disabled and conduct disordered students

·        Access to professional support services, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and school counsellors

·        Adequacy of pre-service and post-service teacher training.

The Committee invites written submissions with a closing date of Friday 22 January 2010. Public hearings will be held in March 2010.

Submissions can be provided to:

·        Email  –  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

·        Website  –   www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/gpsc2 

Mail – The Director, General Purpose Standing Committee No. 2, Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney  NSW  2000.