Therapy Services

Requests for Therapy During School Hours

Approval for offsite therapy or for a funded therapist to work with a student during school hours is at the discretion of the school Principal. There is no obligation for the Principal to approve or deny such requests.

Each request is considered individually, with the child’s best interests as the primary focus. The Principal’s decision will consider the core purpose of schooling—providing access to educational programs—and may consider the following factors:

• The school’s duty of care to students during school hours
• The intended outcomes of the proposed therapy or program
• The benefits of in-school therapy versus potential disruption to learning
• The student’s personal and family circumstances, and the flexibility of their school-based learning program
• The structure and needs of the classroom and other students
• The duration and consistency of the therapy or program
• The quality of consultation and communication between all parties
• Availability of appropriate spaces for therapy sessions (note: John Tonkin College ESC has limited space for therapy outside classrooms)

Parent/Carer Responsibilities

Parents and carers are responsible for maintaining communication with their child’s therapy provider, including notifying them of absences or changes to therapy goals. This includes school excursions or camps.

Provider Responsibilities

Therapy providers must:

• Inform families of any changes to scheduled services, including staff changes or appointment rescheduling
• Immediately notify the school of any concerns related to a student’s welfare or safety
• Provide evidence of appropriate qualifications, checks, and training before delivering services at the school
• Hold the following insurance coverage:
  • Public liability insurance of at least $20 million per occurrence
  • Professional indemnity insurance of at least $5 million

Providers are also expected to review and adhere to the following school policies:

• Code of Conduct
• Child Protection Policy
• Visitors and Intruders on Public School Premises

Additionally, providers must supply evidence of a current Working with Children Check, a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check, or an NDIS Worker Screening Check.

further information can be found on the Department of Education WA website Service providers in schools – Department of Education

Submitting a Therapy Request

All therapy requests, including those involving withdrawal from scheduled learning, must be submitted in writing using the designated form. For further discussion, please contact your child’s teacher or the school Principal.

• 2025Therapy provider parent request form application Download