This site is primarily Victorian, however given the importance of identifying schools that use traumatic and harmful practices against students with disabilities, where reports of violence are public, the schools are listed below. Contact us to contribute to this list.
NEW SOUTH WALES
Dungog Public school
In 2016, Acting Principal Donna Stackman, advised the parent of a child with continence pants due to disability, the student would not be able to attend until the brand and type of continence pants had the endorsement of the school. The parent instead took the advice of a Continence Nurse and as a result the child was constructively expelled from the school.
After the parents lodged a discrimination complaint in the Australian Human Rights Commission, employees of the school and the Department of Education and Training lodged complaints about the family with Family and Community Services (formerly DOCS) making numerous and varied allegations. The family was cleared of every allegation. Discrimination complaint settled.
Raymond Terrace Public School Restrictive Practices Reported
Restrictive Practices
Students report staff member sitting on students.
Physical handling of students with disabilities, photographs of bruising.
Incident Reports withheld from parents. Discrimination complaint made against school.
QUEENSLAND
Harvey Bay Special School Restrictive Practices Reported
Restrictive Practices
Observations of Mechanical Restraint
Observations of physical restraint.
Helensvale High School
Serious and significant bullying issues.
Innisfail State School Restrictive Practices
This school does not use evidence-based behavioural approaches, and instead relies on detention, suspension and restraint to deal with behaviours of concern, even with the youngest of children with disabilities.
Kawungun State School Restrictive Practices Reported – Constitutes Significant Danger
Restrictive Practices
Seclusion room, closed down by Department of Education in 2015.
Respond to behaviours of concern with physical restraint over periods of up to 2 hours. Children at times vomiting as a result.
Urangan State School Positive Report
Hervey Bay
Students with disabilities who escaped from Kawungun State School and were regularly secluded and disciplined for behaviours of concern, have experienced a welcoming school which, through its caring approach, caused an immediate and significant improvement in these children.