Inclusive education: Implementing recommendations of the Disability Royal Commission
Consultation has concluded
This online engagement was hosted on YourSAy from 20 May - 13 June 2025. Below is a record of the engagement.
We are seeking your views on proposed changes to education laws to implement recommendations of the Disability Royal Commission.
What's being decided?
The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability made 15 recommendations to prevent discrimination and promote safe, quality and inclusive education in all Australian schools.
To implement some of those recommendations, we need to amend South Australian education laws.
Draft legislation has now been developed which will support theContinue reading
Consultation has concluded
This online engagement was hosted on YourSAy from 20 May - 13 June 2025. Below is a record of the engagement.
We are seeking your views on proposed changes to education laws to implement recommendations of the Disability Royal Commission.
What's being decided?
The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability made 15 recommendations to prevent discrimination and promote safe, quality and inclusive education in all Australian schools.
To implement some of those recommendations, we need to amend South Australian education laws.
Draft legislation has now been developed which will support the implementation of the following two recommendations:
- Recommendation 7.1 - Provide equal access to mainstream education and enrolment
- Recommendation 7.2 – Prevent the inappropriate use of exclusionary discipline against students with disability
Your feedback on the proposed changes will be important in finalising the amendments that will be put to Parliament.
Background
In 2023 the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (Disability Royal Commission) made 222 recommendations on how to improve laws, policies, structures and practices to ensure a more inclusive society that supports the rights and independence of people with disability. Fifteen of those recommendations related to the education system.
In December 2024, the South Australian Government, Catholic Education South Australia and the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia announced an agreed cross-sectoral approach to implementing key recommendations of the Disability Royal Commission related to inclusive education.
To support the implementation of Disability Royal Commission Recommendation 7.1 (Provide equal access to mainstream education and enrolment) and Recommendation 7.2 (Prevent the inappropriate use of exclusionary discipline against students with disability), amendments to the Education and Children’s Services Act 2019 and the associated regulations have now been developed.
The government will continue to work on the implementation of its response to other inclusive education recommendations made by the Royal Commission.
Get involved
Find out more:
- review the draft Amendment Bill and draft Amendment Regulations
- read our explanatory paper
- take a look at our FAQs
Have your say by:
- completing our survey; or
- sending your written submission to edlawreform@sa.gov.au including your contact details such as name, address, telephone number and email. Please note that written submissions may be published. If you do not wish for your submission to be published, please state this when you send your submission.
What are the next steps?
We will consider your feedback and provide a report to the Minister for Education, Training and Skills before the draft Bill is finalised for consideration in Parliament.
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Consultation has concluded
Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the draft amendments to the Education and Children’s Services Act 2019 (the Act) and the Education and Children's Services Regulations 2020 (the Regulations).
This survey asks for your views about some of the specific changes proposed in the Education and Children's Services (Inclusive Education) Amendment Bill 2025 (the Amendment Bill) and the Education and Children's Services (Exclusionary Discipline) Amendment Regulations 2025 (the Amendment Regulations). We recommend reading the Explanatory Paper, the Amendment Bill and the Amendment Regulations before you answer the questions.
The proposed changes aim to support inclusive education and fairness and reduce discrimination and exclusion for students with disability. The changes endeavour to support greater transparency through data collection and reporting about enrolment and the use of exclusionary discipline for students with disability. The changes also support the provision of accessible information for students with disability and their families in relation to the use of exclusionary discipline.
The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. You can skip a question if you do not want to answer.
All responses will be considered as part of this consultation.
Key Dates
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20 May 2025
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13 June 2025
Lifecycle
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Open
Inclusive education: Implementing recommendations of the Disability Royal Commission has finished this stageThis consultation is open for contributions.
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Under Review
Inclusive education: Implementing recommendations of the Disability Royal Commission has finished this stageContributions to this consultation are closed for evaluation and review. The project team will report back on key outcomes.
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Final report
Inclusive education: Implementing recommendations of the Disability Royal Commission is currently at this stageThe final outcomes of the consultation are documented here.
FAQs
- What is Disability Royal Commission Recommendation 7.1?
- What is Disability Royal Commission Recommendation 7.2?
- What are the main changes that would be made by the Amendment Bill and the Amendment Regulations?
- Why does the Amendment Bill include a definition of 'disability' and where does the definition come from?
- What is meant by 'unjustifiable hardship'?
- How was the wording of the proposed new object of the Act developed regarding the provision of inclusive education and children's services in the State?
- What matters must a principal consider before suspending, excluding, or expelling a child from school?
- Will the information that principals report to the Minister be made public?
- What is happening with the other recommendations of the Royal Commission related to inclusive education?
Who's Listening
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Department for Education
LREmail edlawreform@sa.gov.au