To date, the Disability Royal Commission has heard a lot from academics, researchers, and providers at their public hearings. It’s extremely important that the Royal Commission hears from more people with disability at its hearings.
If you would like to tell the Disability Royal Commission about your experiences trying to access safe and inclusive school education, and the impact it’s had on your life, you have until 4pm this Friday 2nd October, to apply to give evidence at their next hearing.
Applying to give evidence at a hearing is called making an “application for leave to appear”. You can apply to give evidence at the public hearing by emailing DRCsolicitor@royalcommission.gov.au and letting them know that you would like to give evidence at their next hearing. There is an application for leave to appear document which includes more information on what you should include in your email.
The next Disability Royal Commission public hearing will be held from Monday 12th October to Friday 16th October 2020. The purpose of the public hearing will be to inquire into certain issues that relate to the experiences of students with disability, including:
- the impact on students with disability of absences, suspensions, exclusions, and expulsion from school
- the re-engagement of students with disability when they have experienced absences, suspensions, exclusions or expulsion from school
- the provision of adjustments and supports, and the barriers to making reasonable adjustments and supports available, for students with disability
- individualised planning for students with disability
- the use of restrictive practices on students with disability;
- teacher training and qualification requirements for students with disability
- the resulting impacts on the life course and mental health of students with disability who have experienced barriers in education, including the transition to higher education and employment.
You can find out more information on the next public hearing on the Disability Royal Commission website.
There is FREE, independent legal advice available to people with disability and their families who want to give evidence to the Disability Royal Commission. Your Story Disability Legal Support is a FREE national service that provides information and legal advice to people about safely sharing their story with the Disability Royal Commission. You can find more info about Your Story Disability Legal Support on their website.
If you are worried about sharing your story with the Disability Royal Commission, Your Story Disability Legal Support have also released this video below which explains how Your Story Disability Legal Support can
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- provide support to people about their concerns
- give information that works for their circumstances
- identify the safest way to share their story