Submission No 59
INQUIRY INTO FOUNDATIONAL AND DISABILITY SUPPORTS AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN NEW SOUTH WALES
Organisation: Catholic Schools NSW Date Received: 30 April 2025
GPO Box 34 Sydney NSW 2000 (+61 2) 9287 1555 csnsw@csnsw.catholic.edu.au ABN: 33 266 477 369
30 April 2025
Select Committee on Foundational and Disability Supports Available for Children and Young People in New South Wales Legislative Council NSW Parliament House 6 Macquarie Street Sydney NSW 2000 Via email: disabilitysupports@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Dear Committee Members,
I welcome the opportunity to make a submission to the Inquiry into Foundational and Disability Supports Available for Children and Young People in New South Wales.
Catholic Schools NSW (CSNSW) is the peak representative body for the 593 Catholic schools in NSW. Under the Australian Education Act 2013 (Cth), CSNSW is the approved authority for Catholic systemic schools and is the Non-Government Representative Body supporting the implementation of national policy initiatives and state-specific reforms in accordance with the National School Reform Agreement (now the Better Fairer Schools Agreement) in all NSW Catholic schools. Under the Education Act 1990 (NSW), CSNSW is the approved registration system authority for Catholic systemic schools. However, day- to-day operational responsibility for Catholic schools lies with each of the eleven diocesan schools offices for Catholic systemic schools and with each individual school for Catholic schools that are governed by a Religious Institute or a Ministerial Public Juridic Person.
Catholic schools have been an integral part of Australia’s education landscape for more than 200 years, predating government school provision, and see themselves as partners with families, government and the broader community in delivering a high-quality education across NSW. Today, Catholic schools educate more than one in five children in NSW.
While I note the Terms of Reference are wide ranging and do not immediately relate to educational settings, the material supplied as part of the ‘Response to Research Request’ (page 33) refers to the issue of the poor integration between education supports and the NDIS. CSNSW is pleased to provide some reflections in relation to this specific matter.
CSNSW would welcome some clarity for school proprietors and families on whether education supports should be provided by the school or the NDIS. CSNSW is aware that the NDIS funds some supports – like personal care and transport – which need to be delivered in educational as well as other settings. To avoid confusion and ensure there are clear lines of responsibility, CSNSW would welcome guidance from the NSW Government on this matter.
Moreover, this guidance should provide clarity and consistency around how NDIS providers work in school grounds, how schools manage the challenge of multiple therapists in school grounds, and how therapists work with the child and with educational professionals to build capacity.
Integrating education supports and the NDIS raises some challenges for schools, including:
- providing classrooms, break-out rooms or withdrawal spaces for therapists to work individually with students
- the increased workload for diverse learning teachers, classroom teachers and support teachers in timetabling student sessions around the school day
- schools providing best practice policies when working with external stakeholders and the expectation of consultation and collaboration leading to an increase of teacher time and workload
- schools providing supervision for external operators on site and managing associated privacy obligations in relation to all students and staff on site.
CSNSW thanks the Select Committee for the opportunity to provide input and looks forward to the outcomes of the Committee’s deliberations.
Yours faithfully
Marita Winters Deputy Chief Executive Officer Catholic Schools NSW