If you’re a parent or carer of a child with disability, you want to feel confident that the disability services they’re receiving, whether at school, home or in the community, are safe and high quality. This is where the role of the Victorian Disability Worker Commission (VDWC) comes in. The VDWC exists to protect and promote quality for people with disability, including children and young people, by regulating all staff who provide disability services in Victoria.
Within the schooling environment, the VDWC and the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) are each responsible for regulating different staff groups. The VDWC regulates education support staff who work with students with disability, such as integration aides, learning support officers and teachers’ aides, while the VIT regulates teachers registered with the VIT. However, if VIT-registered teachers provide disability services outside of the school setting (for example, as part of private tutoring arrangements) they fall under the regulation of the VDWC.
If you have a child with disability and you are concerned about the quality or safety of support they are receiving at school, you can always call the VDWC on 1800 497 132 to discuss your concerns. Anyone can make a complaint and even if you’re not sure whether your concern is something you can make a complaint about, you can contact the VDWC to discuss. If they’re unable to assist you, they will do their best to help find out who can help with your complaint.
You can also ask your child’s disability worker to register with the VDWC (registration is currently free) so you can rest assured knowing their disability worker has met set standards for safety, skills, experience, and professional development.
