On March 15, 2024, a poignant protest will take place outside the Western Australian Parliament, where letters from over 500 parents, students, and teachers will be delivered. These letters express deep concerns about how children with complex needs are being “let down” by the education system in WA. The protest will feature more than 500 school bags adorned with these letters, symbolizing a call to action for the State Government to introduce urgent reforms aimed at making schools more inclusive for students with disabilities.
Among the letters is a heart-wrenching account from a high school student struggling with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, functional neurological disorder, and Ehlers Danlos syndrome. Lacking an autism diagnosis, this student does not qualify for crucial classroom support. After being out of school for months, they have been waiting for three years for an autism assessment through the Child Development Service, which currently has a waitlist of nearly 12,000 children. “I became severely depressed and didn’t want to be alive… I was often scared to leave the house,” the student wrote, highlighting the emotional toll of their situation.
The protest is organized by advocacy groups Square Peg Round Hole WA and Accountability for Children and Education in WA. Symone Wheatley, a spokeswoman for Square Peg Round Hole WA, described the letters as “heartbreaking” and indicative of a system approaching crisis. She emphasized the interconnectedness of the wellbeing of young people and educators, stating, “When we leave one to fester, it’s a matter of time before it starts poisoning other aspects of a community.”
Among the concerned parents is Kat Elmer-Gray, whose two sons, aged 11 and 12, are on the autism spectrum and have complex needs. Due to their local public school lacking an education support unit, they have not attended school since 2020. The nearest school equipped to support their needs is at capacity and, as the family lives out of catchment, they cannot enroll there. Elmer-Gray expressed her frustration: “Throwing a complex, high support needs child into a mainstream class without robust, fully funded and accessible services is a nightmare.”
In a letter, her son Brax Elmer-Gray, who also has ADHD and developmental delay, expressed his desire to attend school, stating he “wanted to go to school and make friends but there is no spots.” This sentiment underscores a systemic issue that many families face, as they grapple with a lack of accessible educational options.
The protest aims to urge the State Government to implement 15 reforms recommended in a recent review of WA’s education act, released last month. These reforms are intended to remove barriers and strengthen access and inclusion for students with disabilities. Notably, WA is the only jurisdiction where laws limit school enrollment based on the availability of “appropriate” educational programs, allowing principals to refuse admission to students with disabilities.
Shadow Education Minister Liam Staltari, who will attend the protest, has called for the Government to provide a timeline for these much-needed reforms. “Many of these families have waited through a significant period of their child’s schooling for answers, and they deserve clarity on when they might see change,” he said.
In response to the review, Education Minister Sabine Winton announced plans to establish a dedicated “disability reform unit” aimed at improving access and services in public schools. On the eve of the protest, she stated that reform efforts are already underway, emphasizing that “legislative reform is complex” and that the focus is on ensuring changes lead to real, timely, and lasting benefits for students and families.
Winton further indicated that public schools would receive clearer guidance on their obligations to enroll students with disabilities by the end of the year, along with new resources to assist families in navigating complaints processes. The upcoming protest serves as a critical moment for families advocating for the inclusion and support that children with complex needs deserve within the WA education system.
