NDIS Therapy at Schools

Dear Seaford Park Primary School Families,

We would like to take a moment to address an important matter regarding the fees associated with NDIS therapists working on-site at Seaford Park Primary School. We understand that this topic has raised some concerns, and we appreciate the opportunity to clarify the situation for the entire school community.

Policy Update:

There has been a change in our school processes this year to ensure compliance with the guidelines set out by the Victorian Department of Education’s NDIS Therapists in Schools policy. Under the policy, schools are required to consider several factors when deciding whether to allow NDIS therapists on-site. These include the school’s administrative capacity, availability of physical spaces and the need for a formal agreement between the therapist and the school. If therapists are to work regularly on school grounds, they must enter into a licence agreement with School Council, which includes a provision for a licence fee to cover the costs associated with managing this arrangement.

Impact at Seaford Park PS:

Due to the size of our school, we have limited funding for administrative support and as such, managing the logistics for NDIS therapists incurs additional administrative costs. After carefully assessing the time and resources required, the annual administrative cost per therapist onsite has been estimated to be $400 on average per year. To offset these costs, the School Council has implemented a fee of $100 per therapist/organisation, per term. It’s important to note that according to the Department’s policy, this fee is to be charged to the therapist, not the NDIS participant. These accommodation-related costs are already factored into the rates charged by NDIS therapists.

The School Council has given this matter thoughtful consideration, including holding an extraordinary meeting to discuss the issue in detail. While we recognise that these policies have an impact on some families, we are committed to adhering to the guidelines set by the Department and are taking necessary steps to manage the associated administrative workload.

Next Steps:

As a school, our Principal Team has been working closely with larger allied health organisations which have speech and occupational therapists as part of their team, to explore ways to offer these services on-site. As the licensing fee is charged per therapist, rather than per student, by having a therapist work on-site for the day and support multiple students, we can eliminate the cost barrier for therapists, increasing access to these valuable therapies for more families. We have been in close communication with an organisation who has capacity to take on more clients and hope that we can form a partnership to have their staff working onsite weekly. We will continue to pursue this option and will keep families informed if it becomes a viable solution.

We hope this message provides clarity on the situation. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to Melanie French or Stephania Johnson-Turner. Thank you for your understanding and ongoing support.