Disability Inclusion Profile

Scheduling a Disability Inclusion Profile meeting

Organise a Disability Inclusion Profile meeting date and time with the Disability Inclusion Facilitator Service

The Disability Inclusion Facilitator Service (DIFS or facilitator service) will work with schools to book a profile meeting at an agreed date and time.

The profile meeting is a specially convened meeting of the student support group (SSG). The meeting will last for around 90 minutes.

Profile meetings will be held during school hours or just outside of school hours.

Organise participants to attend a Disability Inclusion Profile meeting

Once a profile meeting has been booked, schools are responsible for coordinating the attendance of profile meeting participants for the full 90 minutes.

When organising profile meetings, participants, including families, should be aware that as schools and facilitators build familiarity with the profile and the process initial meetings are sometimes running longer than 90 minutes.

Undertaking a profile practice session prior to requesting a profile meeting is strongly encouraged to build fluency and efficiency in the process. Schools are also encouraged to discuss individual students with their area teams (regional disability coordinator, health and wellbeing or student support services key contact) prior to lodging a profile request with the facilitator service.

Schools are also encouraged to complete the Disability Inclusion eLearning modules. These can be found by searching ‘Disability Inclusion' in LearnED, available from eduPay.

Required profile meeting attendees

The profile meeting must include the following people:

• the facilitator
• the student, in person where possible and appropriate, and if not, their views should be captured and represented (refer to below)
• the student’s parent/carer(s) and/or Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) worker (refer to below)
• the teacher or teachers who have the best knowledge of the student (refer to below)
• the school principal or principal’s nominee.

For students in OOHC, the school should also invite the student’s Learning Mentor.

For Koorie students, schools, in consultation with parent/carer(s) and family, may wish to include representatives from the department’s Koorie Education Workforce.

When organising participants to attend, schools should be mindful of only inviting people that will be able to meaningfully contribute information about the student’s learning and the adjustments required to enable their participation at school. Should the student attend the meeting, in full or in part, schools should also be mindful of inviting participants that the student would be comfortable communicating about their disability in front of, or, if not attending the meeting, be comfortable to have speaking on their behalf.

Refer to: Preparing for a Disability Inclusion Profile meeting – roles and responsibilities.

If the school principal does not attend the meeting, a nominee must attend in their place. The principal’s nominee must be a member of the school’s senior leadership team, such as the assistant principal, and have decision making authority around the planning and implementation of adjustments. Ultimately, the responsibility for implementation of reasonable adjustments lies with the principal. For example, in schools where an education support staff member typically administered/managed the PSD and is now leading the Disability Inclusion Profile, this person may attend the meeting, however, another member of the senior leadership team would also be required to attend. In limited circumstances, it may be appropriate for a leading teacher outside of the school’s senior leadership team to attend the profile meeting as the principal’s nominee, however this person must have decision making authority.

A department nominee (as per previous Program for Students with Disability requirements) is not required, as the facilitator will ensure the profile meeting is conducted according to department guidelines and all the required and available information is considered. However, a principal or the principal’s nominee may wish to record key information or actions from the meeting, including any additional supporting information that may be required. The school notes tool (DOCX) is available to record this information.

School leaders will need to manage any complex family, court, custody or guardianship requirements in accordance with the department’s Decision Making Responsibilities for Students policy. Schools may contact the department’s Legal Division on 03 9637 3146 or email: legal.services@education.vic.gov.au

School leaders are also responsible for organising interpreters, including AUSLAN and deaf interpreters. Refer to the department's Interpreting and Translation Services policy for guidance on accessing these services.

Student participation and voice in the profile process

It is important that the student plays an active role in the profile process and contributes, where possible, directly or indirectly to the discussion, either in person or via a trusted adult. Student voice acknowledges that students have unique perspectives on learning, teaching, and schooling, and should have the opportunity to actively shape their own education. Decisions on how to include student voice in the process should be made on a student-by-student basis. Schools are encouraged to work with families and the student to determine the appropriate level and method of student participation.

Student participation could include:

• attendance in the entire meeting
• attendance in parts of the meeting (for example, the discussion around the student’s strengths and aspirations at the beginning of the meeting)
• participation prior to the meeting (for example, with discussions with the student’s teacher, parent/carer(s), or other trusted adult)
• other participation (for example, the student providing samples of their work or a video of them communicating their thoughts about their strengths, aspirations and needs). Refer to: student voice and Amplify.

Enabling student voice

The following resources are available to support and enable student voice in the profile process:

• Student voice tool (DOCX) – helps to discuss the student’s strengths, aspirations, functional needs and what adjustments they would like to meet their needs
• Inclusive student voice toolkit (DOCX) – provides accessible and multi-modal tools to support the voice, agency and leadership of students with disability, and can be adapted to suit each student’s age, interests, communication and participation needs
• Disability Inclusion Easy English guide (PDF) – explains the profile process for students
• Disability Inclusion social script (DOCX) – 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)
• Disability Inclusion Profile in secondary schools factsheet (DOCX) – supports secondary schools to understand and implement the profile process, including how to appropriately include student voice.

Parent/carer attendance

A student’s parent/carer(s) are essential members of the SSG and thus the entire profile meeting (an exception may be made if the student is deemed to be a mature minor for the purposes of the meeting). Schools are responsible for ensuring that all reasonable efforts are made to facilitate a parent/carer(s) attendance at the profile meeting and that supports are offered where a parent/carer(s) may have difficulty attending the profile meeting.

Reasonable efforts to facilitate parent/carer(s) attendance include consulting with them as soon as possible about potential dates for the profile meeting, discussing what supports or adjustments they may require to attend and participate, and providing a reminder as the date of the profile meeting approaches. Parent/carer attendance at only part of the meeting may be appropriate in exceptional circumstances.

It is recommended that schools:

• document the reasonable efforts taken
• ensure that the parent/carer(s) have been provided with information about the profile process in an easy to understand format. Resources to consider using include:
  • Disability Inclusion presentation for families (PPTX) (staff login required)
  • Easy English resources about both the Disability Inclusion Profile (PDF) and the profile meeting itself (PDF)
  • Disability Inclusion Profile Parent Voice Tool (DOCX)
  • if interpretation/translation services are required, refer to the department's Interpreting and Translation Services policy for guidance on accessing them
  • ensure that information about the profile process is presented to Koorie parents and carers in a culturally safe manner (consider using the Communicating with parents and carers of Koorie students about Disability Inclusion (DOCX) resource)
  • ensure that the parent/carer(s) have a designated contact person whom they can reach out to at any time for clarification or assistance with information.

A profile meeting cannot proceed without the student’s parent/carer, DFFH worker and key school staff.

In exceptional circumstances and following discussion with the parent/carer(s), the parent/carer(s) can nominate, preferably in writing, someone else to attend the meeting in their place. This may include, for example, another relative or friend that knows the student well outside of school.

A parent/carer(s) may attend the meeting virtually or by telephone if that would support their attendance. Refer to: Disability Inclusion Profile – conducting a meeting by video/teleconferencing (DOCX). Reasonable attempts must be made to support the attendance and participation of parent/carer(s) of international students. This may include virtual/telephone attendance and the provision of an interpreter.

An exception can also be made if the student is deemed to be a mature minor for the purposes of this meeting and the decisions to be made therein and it would not be appropriate for the student’s parents/carer to be in attendance. Refer to the Mature Minors and Decision Making policy.

Attendance of all parties should be re-confirmed by the school prior to the scheduled profile meeting. If a profile meeting is cancelled due to key SSG members not being in attendance, there may be delays in arranging a new meeting. However, schools should endeavour to schedule the meeting as soon as reasonably practicable. Schools must contact the facilitator service if a meeting needs to be rescheduled or cancelled. They can be contacted on:

• phone: 1800 951 430 (9 am to 5 pm business days)
• email: contact@difs.com.au

If after following the above guidance a parent/carer and/or nominated party refuses to attend or there are other extenuating circumstances, advice should be sought through the school’s regional office and/or the department’s Legal Division:

• phone: 03 9637 3146
• email: legal.services@education.vic.gov.au

If on the day of the meeting, the parent/carer does not attend, the school may contact their Disability Inclusion regional disability coordinator to discuss whether it is appropriate and in the best interests of the student for the profile meeting to continue.

The facilitator, in partnership with their team leader, will be able to support the school in deciding whether the meeting should go ahead. They should consider the best interests of the student, the reasonable efforts made by the school ahead of the meeting to support parent/carer attendance, and the delay that may be caused by cancelling the meeting.

Teacher attendance

A teacher familiar with the student and who can talk to the adjustments in place to support the student must attend the profile meeting.

Prep students completing the profile prior to commencement at school

For prep students completing the profile prior to commencement at school, the profile meeting should include preschool teacher/s, preschool field officers or early intervention worker/s.

If possible, the student’s planned prep teacher should also attend.

Primary school students

For students in primary school, the student’s regular classroom teacher must attend the meeting.

Secondary school students

For students in secondary school, the teacher with the most interaction with and knowledge of the student should attend the profile meeting. This may be the student’s home group teacher, head of year-level, their English or Math teacher, or another teacher that works closely with the student, such as a teacher that delivers specialist/targeted interventions and adjustments. Secondary schools will need to ensure that input is received from all the student’s teachers ahead of the meeting if they are unable to attend the meeting.

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, for example speaking to physical education teachers about mobility. A profile preparation tool (DOCX) is available to support schools in collecting information about the student from multiple teachers, and other relevant staff including careers and wellbeing.

The Disability Inclusion Profile in secondary schools factsheet (DOCX) has more specific information to support secondary schools understand and participate in the process.

Specialist school students

For students in specialist schools, the student’s regular teacher or their most frequent teacher must attend.

Dual enrolments

Where students attend 2 schools, for example, a mainstream setting and a specialist setting, teachers from both schools should attend.

Other considerations

In all settings, where appropriate and agreed by the family, additional teachers, beyond the student’s current teacher(s) may also attend.

For example, if the profile meeting is held toward the end of a school year, the student’s teacher for the next year may attend to help better understand the needs of the student. Conversely, if a profile meeting is occurring early in the school year, the student’s teacher from the previous year may also attend to contribute information about the student.

Note: All schools can use tier 2 school-level funding for casual relief teaching (CRT) coverage for staff to prepare for and participate in the profile meeting.

Refer to: Preparing for a Disability Inclusion Profile meeting – roles and responsibilities.

Additional participants

Additional participants must be agreed to by the school and the parent/carer(s). These may include, but are not limited to:

• any other people who work with the student, such as social worker, disability support worker/NDIS worker, treating professional, allied health, medical professional, or Education Support Staff
• an advocate (if the parent chooses to have one). An advocate cannot be paid to attend a profile meeting and would be expected to play a similar role as set out in the department's Student Support Groups policy.

Where required, schools should use the department’s provider, the Victorian Interpreting and Translating Service (VITS) LanguageLoop, as per the Interpreting and Translation Services policy. Refer to the Interpreting and Translation Services policy.

Information about the Disability Inclusion reform and profile are available in 33 community languages.

Schools should consult with the student’s parent/carer(s) about whether an interpreter would be appropriate and ensure that the family understands that no information will be passed back to the community through the interpreter. Particularly, sensitivity is required for refugee families where the interpreter may belong to the ethnic, political, or religious group that have been in conflict with the ethnic, political, or religious group of the student or their family/friends.

To ensure a productive meeting, schools should only invite people that can meaningfully contribute information about the students learning and the adjustments required to enable their participation at school.

Conflict of interest

When participating in the profile meeting, school participants should be mindful of any conflict-of-interest. Particular care is required when members of the SSG are required to take multiple roles (for example, a parent may also be a teacher or principal). In such cases, the school should put in place and document clear roles and responsibilities and risk mitigation strategies to manage this. Refer to: Conflict of Interest.

Advance information to assist facilitator preparation for Disability Inclusion Profile meeting

Schools are encouraged to flag any issues that may require additional preparation prior to the profile meeting with the facilitator service (either at the meeting request stage or by advising DIFS when the profile meeting is scheduled). Schools may wish to inform DIFS of issues such as:

• a meeting participant requiring an interpreter or additional support to understand key concepts
• complex family dynamics or historical context that the facilitator should be mindful of.

In flagging any such issues, schools must be mindful of confidentiality and privacy.

Requests to delay the scheduling of a Disability Inclusion Profile meeting

At times, schools may be unable to schedule or need to delay the scheduling of a profile meeting. If this occurs, schools should either withdraw the profile request or contact the facilitator service to advise that they wish to put the profile request 'on hold'.