Tuesday, 27 May 2025

Inclusive education

Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO (Northern Metropolitan) (12:14): (918) My question is to the Minister for Disability. Minister, neurodivergent students deserve classrooms that are inclusive and responsive to their needs, yet teacher training on neurodivergence remains optional. While some neurodivergent-inclusive learning content is being added to master of education programs, this is not enough. School zoning often forces neurodivergent students into environments that do not meet their needs. Minister, will you commit to system-wide neurodivergent training for all teachers and school staff, not just new graduates, to ensure classrooms are inclusive, informed and neuro-affirming?

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:15): I thank Ms Gray-Barberio for her question. The question that she raises is a matter for the Minister for Education. I am more than happy to forward her question to the Minister for Education for an answer, but what I would say as Minister for Disability and as a minister working across the country on the implementation of the national disability insurance scheme and its review, which is currently underway, and of course taking into account the recommendations of the disability royal commission, is that there is much that we can continue to do to support neurodivergent children. Indeed Victoria leads the way with our plan for neurodivergent people more broadly, including students, and certainly our autism plan and our disability plan both speak to that. But of course there is always more that we can do to better support neurodivergent children and young people in our classrooms. That is something that we do think about and work towards continually with our community service partners. But the specifics of your question, insofar as they are the responsibility of the Minister for Education, I will happily forward to him.

The PRESIDENT: Ms Gray-Barberio, are you happy for the question to be put to the Minister for Education under the standing orders, so you get a written response?

Anasina Gray-Barberio: Yes, that is fine.

The PRESIDENT: For this supplementary, if you could address it to the Minister for Education, that would be good.

Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO (Northern Metropolitan) (12:16): Thank you to the minister for passing that along to the Minister for Education. I appreciate you acknowledging there is always room for improvement for our students with disability. My question to the Minister for Education is: will he commit to school zoning exemptions for children with disabilities and their families to ensure access to schools that meet their needs, as some school zoning policies do limit access to schools for neurodivergent students?

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:17): I thank Ms Gray-Barberio for the question. I will also refer that to the Minister for Education.