Government Schools
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD)- Bendigo
7-15 McLaren Street, Bendigo, Victoria 3550
Phone: 03 54403111
Website: www.education.vic.gov.au/
School Psychology Service
The DEECD and the Catholic Education Department have Educational Psychologists to support school aged children. Parents can request that their child has a consultation. Contact your child’s teacher, principal or welfare coordinator.
Bendigo Special Developmental School (SDS)
26-32 Lockwood Road
Kangaroo Flat
Ph: 54473267
http://www.bendigosds.vic.edu.au/
SDS is for school aged children with a moderate to severe intellectual disability.
Kalianna School
Nolan St
North Bendigo
Ph: 54421311
http://www.kalianna.vic.edu.au/
Kalianna is for students aged between 5 -18 years who have a mild to moderate intellectual disability.
Sandhurst Diocese Catholic Schools
Catholic Education Office
120 Hargreaves St (PO Box 477)
Bendigo, 3552
Ph: 03 5443 2377
Email: director@ceosand.catholic.edu.au
Website: www.ceosand.catholic.edu.au/
Free online training
Positive Partnerships is a national project, funded by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training through the Helping Children with Autism package. We are delivered by Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect), with a goal to improve the educational outcomes of school-aged students on the autism spectrum.
We work with schools, communities and families across Australia to deliver evidence-based content through workshops, webinars and online learning through our website. We provide workshops for parents to attend in regional areas.
We aim to foster productive relationships in support of school aged students on the spectrum, with a focus on working respectfully and appropriately with people from many diverse backgrounds.
Go to Positive Partnerships
Transition to School Planning Statement
The Department assists parents and professionals by developing a transition support program for children and young people with an ASD. For more information, see: Transitions
A primary school transition template has been designed to support gathering and sharing of relevant and useful information prior to a child with an ASD starting school. For more information, see: Primary school transition statement (docx – 140.46kb)
Schooling Alternatives
Distance Education
With distance education, parents follow the Department of Education’s curriculum and reproduce school at home. It’s only one form of home schooling. For more information go to: http://www.distance.vic.edu.au
Doxa School Bendigo
This school provides supported education for students 11-14 years of age who are having difficulty remaining in their regular school.
118 Hargreaves Street
Bendigo VIC 3550
Phone: (03) 5442 8140
Email: principal@doxabendigo.catholic.edu.au
Website: https://www3.doxabendigo.catholic
Home Schooling
There are people in Bendigo who have chosen various forms of home schooling. It’s useful to know that you don’t have to follow the Department of Education’s curriculum, if you choose home schooling. For local support go to: Homeschooling Victoria http://www.home-ed.vic.edu.au/
Net School – Bendigo
NETschool aims to re-engage young people (15-20 years) who are experiencing difficulties with mainstream schooling. It’s an annexe of Bendigo Senior Secondary College. Phone: 5441 8504
Transitions
Into Kindergarten
- Preschool Field Officers – These Educators support children with additional needs in preschool programs.
- Inclusion in Kindergarten Services – this initiative is for children with severe disabilities in kindergartens. For more information on either of these services contact: St Luke’s Ph: 5440 1100
Into Primary School
- The Department of Health and Human Services – Specialist Children’s Services offer transition support into primary school. Contact: Phone 5444 9999
Into Secondary School
- The AMAZE Classroom is a website gives practical examples of changes and adaptations that can be made to everyday learning and assessment tasks for teachers in primary, secondary and specialist settings These changes may be applied in a variety of combinations, as appropriate. The website also examines how best to support students with managing transitions, and developing strong partnerships with families.
- http://www.amazeclassroom.org.au/index.html
Managing every day transitions in secondary school for students with an ASD
- This article gives some good advice on everyday issues in secondary schools such as managing daily timetable, getting organised, managing stress and anxiety, working with substitute teachers plus some further references and reading.
- managingtransitions secondary school
Into Post Secondary School
myfuture
Click here for information about career planning and education, and training options for Australian jobs.
School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES)
For more information go to the NDIS website and download School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES)
Disability Employment Services (DES)
Disability Employment Services (DES) supports persons with disability to get ready to look for a job, find a job and keep a job.
The DES also have a program that is available to students in their last year of school called the DES ESL (Eligible School Leaver) program.This program is to assist students with disability to transition from school to post-school open employment.
For a job seeker to access a DES, they must have a future work capacity, with intervention, of at least 8 hours per week.
National Disability Coordination Program (NDCP)
The NDCO Program aims to improve the transition of people with a disability aged 15 to 64 into tertiary education and employment. Your National Disability Coordination Officer can help provide information, coordination and referral for people with a disability.
National Disability Coordination Officer Program (NDCO) Victoria
National Disability Coordination Program (NDCP) QLD This website has a lot of useful resources.
The following Work Book Getting Ready For Study and Work is a useful resource for families to work through to establish interests and strengths.
JobAccess
JobAccess is a free information and advice service about the employment of people with a disability. JobAccess helps people with disability, employers, service providers and the community access information about services, financial assistance and workplace solutions.
Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE)
An Australian Disability Enterprise is a not-for profit organisation with charitable status, which provides meaningful employment for people with significant disability who would otherwise not be able to work. It is a business that makes products, or provides services and is expected to make a profit and pay staff salaries. For more information click here.