Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive at school. For many students with additional needs, accessing vital allied health services—such as Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy—is the key to unlocking their educational potential.

The Victorian Department of Education explicitly has an NDIS Funded Therapy in Schools Policy. This policy allows principals to work collaboratively with families to permit external therapists onto school grounds, ensuring therapy directly supports a child's learning environment while easing the immense logistical strain on working parents.

Unfortunately, Ocean Grove Primary School in Victoria is currently refusing to engage with families or establish pathways to allow these essential allied health professionals on campus during school hours. Despite parents following formal channels and seeking collaborative solutions, requests for meetings and policy reviews have been repeatedly ignored by both school leadership and the Department of Education.

A blanket refusal to allow or even discuss on-site therapy goes against the spirit of inclusive education. It forces parents to pull their children out of class for mid-day appointments, causing students to miss vital instruction time and social connections with their peers. Zoning restrictions mean that  families are unable to exercise choice and control in their child’s education, which is a key consideration of the department’s policy to allow these crucial, educationally targeted therapeutic supports, to take place within the school environment. 

We are calling on Principal Scott McCumber and the Ocean Grove Primary School Council, along with the broader Department of Education to:

• Stop the blanket exclusion: Open formal communication with parents requesting allied health access for their children.
• Review requests fairly: Adhere to the Department of Education's guidelines by assessing external provider requests on an individual, case-by-case basis.
• Implement a safety and compliance framework: Work with families to adopt standard Tripartite Agreements, ensuring all visiting therapists hold valid Working with Children Checks (WWCC) and independent insurance, as required by state policy. 

Our children shouldn't have to choose between their education and their healthcare. Please sign this petition to show school leadership, the Barwon South West Regional Office and the Department of Education that the community stands behind inclusive, accessible education for all students.