Disability Inclusion Profile

Participating in the Disability Inclusion Profile meeting – roles and responsibilities

Overview of profile process

The Disability Inclusion Profile (profile) will be completed in a specially convened meeting of the student’s student support group (SSG).

In the profile meeting, all participants will be asked to contribute information about the student to understand their strengths, aspirations and functional needs and the adjustments required to enable them to participate in their education on the same basis as a student without disability.

Facilitator role in the profile meeting

The facilitator will support participants to discuss and agree on the level of adjustment being provided or required for the student to participate in each of 31 education-related activities in the Functional Needs domain section of the profile. This will include:

• adjustments currently in place to support the student:
  • adjustments that are being provided, as well as the frequency, the intensity, and personalisation of those adjustments to enable the student’s participation and learning
  • the individual education plan (IEP) learning goals that have been identified for the student and the specific adjustments that the school has in place
• the specific adjustments that may be required to enable the student to reach their individual learning goals.

If the participants are unable to agree on the level of adjustment the student requires, the facilitator will record the different levels of adjustment discussed in the meeting.

The facilitator will determine the final level of adjustment based on the information provided in the profile meeting and the supporting information.

The discussion should not focus on the student’s disability or impairment, or how challenging it is for the school to enable the student’s participation.

The facilitator will assist the SSG to understand each of the profile sections and may ask the meeting participants questions to ensure detail of the student’s strengths, needs, and adjustments are discussed and well understood by all participants.

The Levels of Adjustment resource (PDF) and Functional Needs Domain Table (PDF) is available to support profile meeting participants.

In finalising the profile, facilitators will consider the information discussed in the meeting as well as relevant supporting information provided prior to the meeting. Schools should share all relevant information in the meeting, as only information shared with the full student support group will inform level of adjustments. At times facilitators may request additional supporting information to confirm what was discussed in the meeting. In this case, only the documents requested by the facilitator should be uploaded. Any additional documents that were not discussed in the meeting or requested by the facilitator after the meeting cannot be considered. For example, a facilitator cannot consider the adjustments outlined in a Behaviour Support Plan if this document was not discussed in the meeting and explicitly requested after the meeting. Refer to: Finalising the Disability Inclusion Profile.

The facilitator will also identify a consensus-agreed date for a subsequent profile meeting. Refer to: Finalising the Disability Inclusion Profile.

Facilitators are unable to tour a school, visit classrooms or observe a student.

For more information about student support groups, refer to the Student Support Groups Policy.

Student’s role in the Disability Inclusion Profile meeting

It is important that students play an active and age-appropriate role in the profile process and contribute to the discussion and decision-making process, either in person or via a trusted adult. For more information, refer to: Preparing for the Disability Inclusion Profile meeting – roles and responsibilities.

The Student voice tool (DOCX) and the Inclusive student voice toolkit (DOCX) are available to support student participation in the process. A social script (DOCX) is also available. It explains the Disability Inclusion Profile meeting for primary school students, using easy English and photos. A version for secondary school students will be available shortly.

An easy English guide (PDF) is also available to explain the profile to students.

Parent/carer(s) role in the Disability Inclusion Profile meeting

At the meeting, parent/carer(s) will be responsible for:

• providing information about the student’s aspirations, learning, participation, social engagement, and experiences at home, that are relevant to the student’s learning
• providing information on past adjustments and their effectiveness and any experiences from home that are relevant to the student’s learning both at home and at school
• supporting or providing student voice in the process if the student does not attend the profile meeting.

The Parent voice tool (DOCX) is available to support parent/carer(s). Easy English resources are also available to support parent/carer(s) understand the profile process (PDF) and the profile meeting (PDF).

Teacher role in the Disability Inclusion Profile meeting

At the meeting, teachers will be responsible for:

• providing information about the student’s learning, social engagement, and participation
• discussing current and potential adjustments
• providing student voice in the process, where appropriate
• providing information on student’s progress.

It is best practice for the teacher that attends the profile meeting to gather information from the student’s other teachers so that they have a comprehensive understanding of the student’s functional needs. A profile preparation tool (DOCX) is available to support schools in collecting information about the student from multiple teachers and other relevant staff. This tool has been developed specifically for secondary schools but can be used by all schools as needed.

The teacher attending the meeting should be the teacher with the best knowledge of the student and the adjustments in place to support them. For more information, refer to 'Teacher attendance' in Scheduling a Disability Inclusion Profile meeting.

Preschool/kindergarten teacher role in the Disability Inclusion Profile meeting

For incoming prep-students, preschool/kindergarten teachers may be invited to participate in a Disability Inclusion Profile meeting.

At the meeting, preschool/kindergarten teachers will be responsible for:

• providing information about the student’s learning, social engagement, and participation
• discussing adjustments in place at the kindergarten
• providing student voice in the process, where appropriate
• providing information on the student’s progress.

In addition, early childhood settings can support the profile process by providing high quality, strengths-based transition learning and development statements, including Section 1.2, which supports enhanced transitions for children with disability or developmental delay, and by completing other assessments such as early ABLES. As per current practice, schools may also ask kindergarten teachers to complete a Vineland assessment.

Principal (or nominee) role in the Disability Inclusion Profile meeting

The principal or principal’s nominee is required to ensure that the profile meeting is coordinated, and all attendees can attend.

In the meeting, the principal or principal’s nominee is responsible for:

• providing information about the school environment and school wide adjustments (refer to School-wide adjustments – optional form – guidance and examples)
• providing information about the student’s learning and social engagement
• helping make sure the voice of all the student’s teachers is provided, where required, such as in secondary schools
• helping ensure the profile meeting is collaborative and constructive.

Principals or principal’s nominee, while typically responsible for running SSG meetings, are not required to lead the discussion or set the profile meeting’s agenda. The principal or principal’s nominee may wish to record key information or actions from the meeting. Schools can use the profile notes tool for this purpose.

Principal or principal’s nominee role when a student attends 2 schools (dual enrolments)

For students who are enrolled at both a mainstream and specialist school and split their school week between the 2 locations, a principal or principal’s nominee from both settings should attend the profile meeting.

The principal or principal’s nominee of the school the student attends the most is responsible for ensuring that the profile meeting is organised. Where there is a 50/50 split, school leaders can decide which school organises the profile meeting.

Principal or principal’s nominee role when a student attends a re-engagement program

If a student is attending a re-engagement program, these settings may not be sufficiently familiar with the profile or surrounding process to take responsibility for organising the profile meeting. The principal or principal’s nominee of the school in which the student is enrolled should consult the leaders of the re-engagement program and decide who will organise the profile meeting.

If the school in which the student is enrolled takes responsibility for organising the meeting, they should work closely throughout the process with the re-engagement program as they may be best placed to contribute to supporting information, support the student’s voice to be represented, support parent/carer(s) attendance, and contribute to the meeting itself.

Advocate’s role in the Disability Inclusion Profile meeting

It is the right of parent/carer(s) to have an advocate. This can help with:

• sharing the parent/carer(s)’ knowledge about the student
• discussing any difficulties the parent/carer(s) may have in the profile meeting
• developing a cooperative relationship between the parent/carer(s) and the school
• assisting parent/carer(s) to understand the department’s procedures
• linking parent/carer(s) with relevant services
• debriefing with parent/carer(s) after the meeting and filling in gaps in their understanding of the outcomes of the meeting.

Advocates must not be paid for their help. As per the SSG guidance, the role of the parent/carer(s)’ advocate in the meeting is a constructive, supportive and enabling one. Refer to: Student Support Groups.

If required, parent/carer(s) should work with the school to support the advocate to attend.

Interpreter’s role in the Disability Inclusion Profile meeting

Where required, an interpreter (or interpreters), including AUSLAN and deaf interpreters, should be present at the meeting to help with communication in line with the department’s Interpreting and Translation Services policy.

For more information about accessing interpreting and translation services, refer to: Interpreting and Translation Services.

Other attendees’ role in the Disability Inclusion Profile meeting

Other people who work with the student, such as an allied health/social worker, medical professional, education support staff, or person who is involved with the student through the NDIS, can also attend and support the discussion of adjustments by providing information about the student related to their specific expertise and their work with the student.

The role of other attendees is to provide additional information to support the school and parent/carer(s) to discuss and complete the sections of the profile.

All additional attendees must be agreed upon by the school and the parent/carer(s).