Jackson School Policy Advisory Library

Personal Care in Schools

What is Personal Care in Schools?

Personal Care in Schools broadly refers to one to one assistance provided to students with disability to support their activities of daily living. 

 

Your child may need personal care assistance at school to support their activities of daily living. This may include help with:

  • toileting
  • eating and drinking
  • dressing
  • mobility
  • complex health or medical support

These supports are usually provided by school Education Support (ES) staff.

How is Personal Care in Schools funded under the NDIS?

Personal Care in Schools is in scope of the NDIS. Personal Care in Schools will be provided by state governments as an in-kind service. In Victoria, this means the State will continue to fund and provide personal care supports through the Student Resource Package, Program for Students with Disabilities and Medical Intervention Service payment. 

 

Personal care is currently provided by school staff. This arrangement will continue until the end of the 2024 school year. The department will continue to work with the Commonwealth to agree future arrangements.

 

If your child is an NDIS participant and gets personal care it will be in their NDIS plan. When you see ‘personal care in school’ support in your child’s NDIS plan, it’s only there to show that you get the service. You do not need to use your NDIS funds to pay for this service, and you can’t manage it yourself.

 

You do not need to pay anyone for your child's personal care at school and you cannot use the money in your child's plan for a different personal carer.

Can NDIS participants choose their own personal carer(s) at school?

For the period of transition, until July 2019, Personal Care in Schools is in-kind. This means schools will continue to employ and allocate staff with responsibilities for providing personal care. 

 

Students and their parents should continue to be consulted regarding personal care supports through the Student Support Group. Parents may also recommend applicants for teacher aide positions to be considered for employment under merit and equity principles.

What will happen to Personal Care in Schools in the longer term?

The in-kind arrangements for Personal Care in Schools will stay in place in Victoria during the transition years. It is currently not determined how personal care will be delivered under the NDIS at full scheme. Victoria is currently leading a national project to determine operational arrangements at full scheme. Schools will be informed of any developments in this work.

FAQs

 

If a student is receiving NDIS funded therapy, can they still access the Visiting Teacher Service and Student Support Services? 

Yes. Schools remain responsible for personalising learning and support for students with disabilities that primarily relate to their educational attainment. This includes providing access to DET funded Visiting Teacher Service and Student Support Services.

 

Does NDIS eligibility affect a student’s Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) funding? 

No. The Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) funding is not affected by a student’s eligibility for supports under the NDIS. PSD funding provides support for eligible students with disabilities in Victorian Government schools to access a school’s school-based educational programs. 

 

Why do some students receive more NDIS funding compared to other students?

As the NDIS aims to give people with disability better access to personalised, high quality and innovative supports and services, the NDIS will pay for different supports for different people. The type of support participants could receive depends on what their goals are and the areas of their life they need help with. Funded supports may include:

  • help with household tasks and personal care 
  • vehicle and home modifications 
  • mobility equipment and assistive technology
  • transport to be involved in community, social and employment activities
  • therapies related to the disability
  • Support coordination of NDIS supports

The NDIS funds reasonable and necessary supports that help a participant to reach their goals and aspirations and to undertake activities to enable the participant’s social and economic participation. A participant’s reasonable and necessary supports take into account any informal supports already available to the individual (informal arrangements that are part of family life or natural connections with friends and community services) as well as other formal supports, such as health and education.

 

How can schools help students access the NDIS?

 

Schools can play a significant role helping students to access the scheme.  Some important actions schools can take to assist families include:

  • providing information about the NDIS to parents of students with disabilities either directly or via the school newsletter 
  • providing families with copies of student records and reports to assist them in submitting access documentation to the NDIA. Relevant information that schools hold may include:
  • copies of previous or current Program for Students with Disabilities applications 
  • Individual Learning Plans
  • Student Support Service reports or allied health reports.

Although the provision of these existing school documents is recommended, please note that schools are not required to arrange new assessments or provide evidence of disability to support a student’s access to the NDIS.