Our Allied Health Team consists of a range of Allied Health Professionals (AHP), i.e. Speech Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, Exercise Physiologist, Nurse and First Aid, Music Therapist, and Allied Health Assistants (AHA) who work under the guidance of the Allied Health Professionals. The Allied Health Team works in collaboration with the well-being & engagement team and are part of the Integrated Services Team.

The Allied Health Team is a resource that provides teachers, assistants and parents with strategies and knowledge about specific student needs, such as:

• Speech, language and communication disorders
• Mealtime and swallowing difficulties
• Sensory processing, engagement and self-regulation difficulties
• Fine motor, visual perception and handwriting difficulties
• Gross motor, mobility, transfer and positioning needs
• Toileting, self-care and independence skills
• Medical support needs
• Specialist equipment and assistive technology needs

The team focuses on ensuring that all students can access the learning opportunities provided by the teachers in the most effective and inclusive way. Allied health support is provided through consultation with teachers, capacity building strategies and by integrating intervention strategies or adaptive equipment into the daily class routines. Our allied health professionals also collaborate with external therapists and agencies to further support implementation of interventions across home and school settings.

A three-tiered response-to-intervention model is used to support students across the school:

• Tier 3 or the individualised, intensive supports (e.g. physiotherapy hydro sessions, specialised assessments, medical advice plans and equipment prescription)
• Tier 2 or targeted, supplemented supports through group programming or adapted timetabling (e.g. sensory gym sessions, gross motor/fitness groups, social skills groups)
• Tier 1 or whole school programming supports, integrated into the curriculum and classroom (e.g. use of AAC strategies, Zones of Regulation, use of visuals, staff training sessions)

All supports are formalised and prioritised by completing a referral. Referrals for allied health support can be made by teachers, parents/carers or students. Parents/carers can contact their child’s teacher, the Allied Health Team Leader or the IST Administration Officer. Students can self-refer by contacting the Allied Health Team. Teachers can complete a referral form on Compass.

A prioritisation system ensures that students with high support and safety needs are more intensely supported during the first weeks in Term 1, reviewed regularly and prioritised throughout the year if required.