St Paul’s students need your help

16 December 2019

16 Dec 2019

St Paul’s College in Balwyn is a purpose-built school for children with complex needs from Prep to Year 12. Throughout their time at St Paul’s, students receive Allied Health and Personal Care services, which are necessary for them to be able to attend school.

The program represents the very innovation the Government asks organisations to provide so that all children have access to the best education.

Unfortunately, the State Government has decided to discontinue its historic funding of the school which threatens the continuity of services. This funding ensures the children have Allied Health and Personal Support in the classroom. Without people to support the children, they cannot participate fully in the programs designed to assist them to experience the best education.

We understand the situation has occurred because of confusion over responsibility for funding between the State and Commonwealth Governments following the establishment of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

The State believes funding responsibility transferred to the NDIS upon its establishment, while the NDIS claims such responsibility remains with the State. This argument has been going on for almost two years.

In a compassionate society, it is unacceptable that bureaucracies can indulge in a clinical argument between themselves about funding criteria while seemingly being ignorant of the impact their intransigence is having on the community they exist to serve.

Every child has a right to an education, and I implore you to help us to stand up for these children, their families and help resolve the matter in the interests of fairness and equity.

The funding will cease at the end of 2019. If you’d like to support current and future students of St Paul’s College, we have provided a letter to send to your local member.

Click here to download our letter template.

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We here at VMCH respectfully acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which we gather, and we would like to take a moment to honour the fact that we live on the lands of the oldest civilisation in the world. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and wisdom of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging.