Students forced to wait months for counselling
22nd March 2010
From the Parliamentary Library
Author: NATALIE CRAIG
Publisher: Fairfax
Publication: Sunday Age, Page 3 (Sun 21 Mar 2010)
Keywords: Martin (1),Dixon (1)
Edition: First
Section: News
Students forced to wait months for counselling
EDUCATION
VULNERABLE children with depression, behavioural problems and autism are waiting months to see psychologists and speech therapists following the state government's overhaul of school support systems.
Principals' groups will meet the Education Department tomorrow to discuss complaints from scores of schools, including some that have waited more than a year for mental health and speech services.
It adds to pressure on Education Minister Bronwyn Pike to deal with student safety, following concerns raised this month about students carrying knives and revelations of chronic bullying at a state school leading to a $300,000 payout.
Under the changes introduced last year, schools that were previously visited weekly by a dedicated psychologist now rely on regional offices to make referrals. This is supposed to target care - for instance, an anxious child could be seen by an anxiety specialist.
But principals said support was often belated and inconsistent, with students sometimes seen by different psychologists for the same problem
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Martin Dixon MP
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Email: martin.dixon@parliament.vic.gov.au