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Preparing for a Disability Inclusion Profile meeting – roles and responsibilities
Facilitators
Prior to the meeting, the facilitator will familiarise themselves with the core pieces of supporting information they have about the student and the school, to build a preliminary understanding of the student’s functional needs and adjustments required to enable participation in their education. The facilitator will use their professional judgement to identify any other documents that could be reviewed ahead of the profile meeting.
Students
Student voice is an important part of the Disability Inclusion Profile process. It is important that the student plays an active role in the profile process and contributes directly or indirectly to the discussion, either in person or via a trusted adult.
Students may require support to participate in the profile meeting. Schools should consider the appropriate method and person to support students in this context. This may involve:
- collaborating with staff and the student to plan how best to prepare the student to contribute to the meeting
- helping the student learn about what a profile meeting is, using mediums and communication strategies that are accessible and engaging for them. This could be through using visuals that explain the meeting, role-playing what happens in a meeting, or using augmentative and alternative communication techniques and aids where students present with speech and/or language impairments
- giving the student options for their contribution to the meeting. This could include:
- partial or full attendance
- communicating with a trusted adult (such as a parent or teacher) who will speak for them in the meeting
- drawing pictures or taking photos about their strengths and learning aspirations and the support that helps meet their learning goals
- writing about themselves
- completing a student voice tool template
- engaging with the inclusive student voice toolkit for guidance on a variety of multi-modal approaches to capture student voice
- ensuring the student’s contribution is ready for the meeting.
Students may contribute prior to the profile meeting through communication with their teacher, family or another trusted adult, who then presents this information at the profile meeting. This should be done in a way that is most appropriate to the student.
If student voice cannot be captured in the process, the student’s parents/carers or teacher can provide their perspective in the process.
Resources to support student voice:
- Positive Partnerships: Individual education plans – student – an example of including autistic students in individual education plan (IEP) meetings
- Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS): Communicating with young people with
- Student voice practice
- Student voice tool
- Inclusive student voice toolkit
- Disability Inclusion Profile social script
- Disability Inclusion Profile – Easy English
Parents/carers
Preparation for the profile meeting is encouraged but not mandatory for the student’s parents/carers.
Parents/carers already know so much about their child that enables them to meaningfully contribute to the discussion. However, families may spend time before the meeting thinking about their child’s strengths, aspirations, and functional needs.
Prior to the meeting parents/carers can also nominate an advocate to support and/or represent them and their child, if required. All additional attendees must be agreed upon by the school and the parents/carers.
The parent voice tool is available to support parents/carers to prepare for, attend and participate meaningfully in the profile meeting. Easy English resources are also available to support parents/carers understand the profile process and the profile meeting . For more information, refer to Parents/carers role in the Disability Inclusion Profile .
School staff
The school principal or principal’s nominee, teachers, and other participating school staff are required to prepare for the profile meeting.
School staff are encouraged to use the optional Disability Inclusion Profile – Teacher Identification of Personalised Strategies (Profile TIPS) . Profile TIPS includes prompts to help teachers identify and reflect on individualised strategies to support a student, and to prepare for the profile meeting. For more information, contact your Regional Implementation Team or Disability Coordinator .
The principal or principal’s nominee should work with the student’s family to:
- ensure they understand the purpose and structure of the profile meeting
- support them to prepare for (if relevant) and be able to participate in the meeting
- address any concerns they may have.
Refer to the school communication packs for primary, secondary, and specialist schools available under the Communication and engagement tools section of the Disability Inclusion resources.
Schools can refer to Disability Inclusion – Inclusive education in for case studies of good practice in schools to help build their own inclusive practices.
Support for culturally and/or linguistically diverse students and families
Schools must ensure that the profile meeting is culturally inclusive and safe.
Schools must offer interpreting and translation services to parents and carers who have limited or no English language skills to communicate key information about their child’s education. Refer to the department's Interpreting and Translation Services policy.
Information about the Disability Inclusion reform and profile are available in 33 community .
Cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
The cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and those from culturally and linguistically diverse communities during the profile meeting is essential. Facilitators have been trained to ensure the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people throughout the profile process.
The Koorie Engagement Workforce can be consulted to support schools to build their capability in creating culturally inclusive schools and may be available to attend profile meetings if necessary. Refer to the Koorie Education policy.
LGBTIQA+ student support
The department’s LGBTIQA+ Student Support policy may support your school in preparing for and participating in a profile meeting for LGBTIQA+ students.
Please contact Safe Schools on 03 9637 3699 or safe.schools@education.vic.gov.au for more information and advice.
Reviewed 23 January 2026