We're back for the afternoon session of the #DisabilityRC. The advocacy panel featuring @QldAdvocacy, @FamAdvocacyNSW and @CydaAu continues.

More classroom placements for children with disability leads to less contact with each teacher - resulting in less time to develop understanding of individual children and implement accommodations. #DisabilityRC

Focus now moving to the importance of community and social attitudes for inclusive education. @maryjsayers now being asked about "othering" as a broader issue. #DisabilityRC

Students often receive 'messages' that their needs are problematic and difficult. These attitudes treat children and young people with disability as burdens on non-disabled students and lead to segregation #DisabilityRC

Culture of inclusion starts before school - even in early childhood education. Parents often face battles in advocating for the inclusion of their child, including in the transition to school process. #DisabilityRC

@FamAdvocacyNSW speaking: Families often tell us they are told their child is "not suited" to attend a school. "Your child is better off somewhere else - we can't solve all the world's problems". Strong flow-on effect of these attitudes into the school grounds #DisabilityRC

Ms Elder: "This is what families face and students face every day" #DisabilityRC

@QldAdvocacy is now speaking: "Children experience the culture of the school and they can feel the rejection" #DisabilityRC

Following on about culture: Ms Parker makes the point that culture can be positive or negative and changes to school leadership and cultures can have major effects for children and young people with disability. #DisabilityRC

Discussion on role models: "Lack of valuing people with disability contributes to the ignorance of the lives of people with disability" #DisabilityRC

Ms O'Flynn now speaking. Principals often do not see the positive impacts students with disability have on culture and focus on 'selling' a school - a lack of collaboration #DisabilityRC

Ms Elder now explaining the ways rightful exclusion occurs: students can be denied access to excursions, extracurriculars and other activities. In the same classroom, they may still be segregated or learning a different curriculum #DisabilityRC

Ms Elder is asked to elaborate on partial enrolment. "Many families rejoice at finally gaining enrolment only to find it is not full-time. Commonly this is not negotiable". Partial enrolment can go on for years #DisabilityRC

"Many caveats" around students actually attending school full time for many students across NSW #DisabilityRC

Ms Elder describes a parent needing to wait in their car for a 'school pick-up' at 9:30 - less than an hour of teaching time allocated to their child. They eventually withdrew their child in favour of home-schooling. Many similar situations reported #DisabilityRC

Students should be benefiting both from their education and from the other experiences that school attendance allows them to have. This is severely impacted by partial enrolments but also suspensions. #DisabilityRC

Ms Elder asked to clarify suspensions vs. micro-exclusions. Micro-exclusions: students being excluded from typical experiences such as excursions, camps, etc. Suspensions: student formally asked not to attend school for a period of time. #DisabilityRC

Students with disability are overrepresented in school suspensions. "Students are often having to wear the consequence of inadequate supports and inconsistencies across schools" #DisabilityRC

Ms Elder also raises the point that reputation often follows students after suspension occurs - a real fear as to the likelihood of suspensions occurring again, which it often does #DisabilityRC

@maryjsayers now discussing CYDA education survey results - parents feel they have no choice but to exit school pathway and homeschool or pursue distance learning - they feel the system has failed them. #DisabilityRC

Ms Parker makes the point that multiple suspensions is something students with disabilities and families have to endure - no surprise at the overrepresentation of students with disability in suspension data. #DisabilityRC

Incident reports have "total focus" on the behaviour of the child but don't record anything about others' actions or behaviour at the time. Escalating and advocacy makes a big difference in outcome for students and families #DisabilityRC

New Student Behaviour Strategy has just been released - Family Advocacy reports very little opportunity to feed into this process / consult with famillies. Consideration needs to be an unrushed consultation #DisabilityRC

Families often feel their child is not safe at school or their child is not actually doing anything - which then means families face a difficult decision to potentially withdraw and learn from home. #DisabilityRC

QAI asked what is heard from parents of students about complaints mechanisms. Ms Parker: "The department assumes that school principals and school staff have acted appropriately". Lack of objectivity, lack of accountability, lack of transparency, lack of integrity #DisabilityRC

Complaints take "a long time" - Ms Parker discusses contacting a regional office numerous times over a period of two months requesting assistance, receiving virtually no response and "certainly nothing resembling resolution" #DisabilityRC

Issue raised of students who are "technically enrolled" in school but non-attending while engaged in this process. Difficulty in providing evidence and a culture of compliance - complaints process builds on existing incident stress #DisabilityRC

Ms Elder agrees that the NSW experience is consistent with QLD. Describes the complaints process as "hit and miss" #DisabilityRC

"The NSW system investigates itself and there is no independent oversight" #DisabilityRC

Families talk about "not pushing too hard" as they don't want to see their children further disadvantaged. Feedback is often not given to families - power imbalance can be significant in pursuing resolution #DisabilityRC

Ms Sayers asked about CYDA's national experience. Across states and territories, very few independent mechanisms for complaint resolution/investigation available - especially with allegations of abuse such as restrictive practices. #DisabilityRC

Ombudsman exists, but often cannot be used until complaints mechanisms are exhausted within the department. Some states have family advocacy available but very few jurisdictions with specific education advocacy - a real challenge #DisabilityRC

Ms Sayers discussing 2015 post school transition report and 2019 survey - it was found that schools did not provide appropriate supports and resources for post school transitions #DisabilityRC

Ms Elder asked to talk about post school transition. Ms Elder says families often report work experience opportunities are not offered to their young person - there seems to be a real disconnect for students with disabilities. #DisabilityRC

Some positive experiences do occur with work experience but usually through family advocacy and schools working with the student to allow flexibility and supports. #DisabilityRC

Ms O'Flynn - "very little as far as tertiary education goes" and it is mainly aimed at students who are high achieving traditionally. Some TAFE and other courses exist as a way to "fill in their time" #DisabilityRC

Discussion on what these issues mean for the overall life journey. There are lifelong consequences for students who face exclusion. Significant impacts on participation in higher ed and on wellbeing in general #DisabilityRC

Ms Parker also references wellbeing and mental harm. Rejection, suspension and exclusion in the early years can lead to significant trauma including PTSD. #DisabilityRC

"I think that if we are applying restrictive practices on children, we see what happens to them by the time they become adults" - these roots begin in the education system. #DisabilityRC

"Really important we consider the context of what separateness means" #DisabilityRC

Different sets of expectations and life journey apply to students who have experienced typical education and expectations and those who have experienced segregation. "More than likely" for students to flow into an ADE or a day service #DisabilityRC

A second video of Alice is now playing - Alice discusses the "one size fits all" nature of education and the deep need to dismantle this approach. Also acknowledges the struggle that is faced pre-school in enrolment and rejections faced early on #DisabilityRC

"It's time to lift the veil. It is not enough to treat us as people. It's time to treat us as individuals." Final statement from Alice. #DisabilityRC

The Commission thanks the advocacy panel and Alice in particular. There is now a short adjournment. #DisabilityRC