Special Educational Needs

[Guest Jacky L]

Hiya all, I am fairly new to this site and have been trawling through to look for info regarding Special Educational Needs Schools/educational settings in NSW.

 

We have submitted out 175 PR last month and now have the task to find our 5 year old with a "Statement" who has speech and language difficulties a secure setting in New South Wales. I have seen posts from Quoll and they have been very interesting and really helpful and wondered if our son would be refused entry due to the burden he would put on the Oz educational system? He is not on the autistic scale, is not diagnosed with ADH/ADHD and is not prescribed drugs but he has got learning difficulties and would be classed with "global delay" but his schooling at a Special School has done wonders for him over the last year, obviously we would like him to have the same schooling should we be successful with our visa.

:notworthy:

 

p.s I did notice that JAMES & DAWN had posted something back in April of this year and wondered if they are still on the forum?

[Quoll]

It is really hard to say - if they see "special school" then they will probably require more information. In Australia, there has been a huge push for integration and kids who are in segregated special schools here are generally kids with very high needs. If a child is likely to have that sort of need then I think you could well have more difficulty getting a visa unfortunately. The best thing is to be very prepared so gather all the reports that you can - IQ for starters (usually a WPPSI for a child that age) and also an assessment of adaptive behaviour (a questionnaire usually completed by his current teacher). You may find that he wouldnt be eligible for a segregated special school in NSW even if there was one in the area you intend to settle. Most kids are in units within mainstream schools - IM classes for kids with mild intellectual disabilities and IO/IS classes for kids with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities (IQs below 50 I think in NSW). Many kids are supported to some degree through an integration support program. In some ways you are in a bit of a catch 22 situation - if you say you intend trying for a segregated special school environment then you are more likely to have difficulties with your visa than if you were aiming for, or expecting, an integrated mainstream setting.

 

Hope you can sort it all out! Where were you hoping to settle?

[Guest Jacky L]

Hi Quoll, thanks for your quick reply.

We have friends who live in Cromer and we are looking at settling there - ish initially and then moving into the suburbs later on - Hornsby-ish area wherever my OH is posted as an Electrician or Newcastle as I hear it is up and coming???

Thank you for the information regarding "Special Schooling", our son would be classed as IM - classes for kids with mild intellectual disabilities I would say and that having spoken to quite a few people that integratation is the thing there - which I would prefer him being in an integrated mainstream setting with other children and having the extra help - albeit making sure he has the extra help to help him!!

Yes I am in the process of gathering all school info for the next stage of the visa process, it is Parents Evening next week so I will take my list with me! Even his Paedriatrician has now signed him off and is preparing an assessment for us which will go a long way to ensure that Samuel's health is like any normal 5 year old's but like you said I am obviously v worried in that whey they see the words "Special School" they will say NO from the start!!

Alos Quoll, will we have to provide this information to the panel doctor when we have our medical in January or just wait until we have our Case Officer assigned?? (We lodged our application the beginning of last month). Also we are using an agent but they have not have any experience of this so am basically doing their job - great eh!

Your help is very very much appreciated!!

Thank you in anticipation.

Jacky x