Monday 23 January 2012

FOR most Victorian students, getting to school for the first day of class in 2012 will be easy.

For many of the children who attend Villa Maria’s St Paul’s College, it will be a familiar physical and financial struggle.

St Paul’s College in Kew is a specialist school for children aged 5 to 18 with intellectual, physical or profound disabilities run by not-for-profit aged and disability services provider Villa Maria.

For more than ten years, St Paul’s has supported families by maintaining three, chaperoned bus runs before and after school; a huge help to parents who are unable to transport their children to school.

While the Department of Education provides free student transport to their specialist schools, St Paul’s College doesn’t receive any financial assistance as it’s classified as an independent school. This places additional emotional and financial stress on families. 

And as a new school year begins, so too does the pressure on Villa Maria to maintain this vital service, which costs around $200,000 each year.

Lower Templestowe resident Angela Bonato, whose son Anthony catches the bus three times each week, described the service as a “lifesaver”.  She said it spares her the “dangerous” alternative of transporting Anthony, who has developmental disorder Smith–Magenis Syndrome, in the family car.

“One day I was driving down the Eastern Freeway and Anthony un-restrained himself and opened the door.  In desperation I went to the school and said ‘I can’t do it anymore’.  We’ve been lucky enough to have Anthony picked up from our front door since then,” Ms Bonato said.

“Without the bus runs I would have to invest in a taxi or pay someone privately to take him.  Parents of children without disabilities pick them up from school every day without even thinking about it.  For me, the two days Anthony attends mainstream school and I have to transport him are a real struggle.”

Craig Coulson’s 16-year-old daughter Tayla, who has cerebral palsy, scoliosis and is blind, catches the bus to and from her home each day.  

“If we did not have it, Tayla could not go to school,” Mr Coulson, of Blackburn, said.  “We have two children with complex disabilities.  One is picked up by the school bus and we don’t pay anything (because it is a government school), the other (Tayla) is picked up by the school bus and we have to pay.  I don’t understand how we can be disadvantaged because we chose the best school to cope with Tayla’s extensive and complex disabilities.”

St Paul’s College principal Cheril Dewhirst said presently just 35 per cent of students (16 children) could be accommodated on the buses, leaving many more families struggling on waiting lists. 

In 2010, St Paul’s was also forced to ask parents to make a financial contribution to bus runs.  Not an ideal situation for those already struggling to meet the costs of caring for a child who has a disability.

Ms Dewhirst said the impact of maintaining the buses was also felt by dedicated staff members, who spent additional unpaid work hours each week chaperoning and driving the buses.

“Whilst staff have been supportive and given their own time willingly, it has become quite burdensome and unwieldy, making for a very long school day and impacting on their preparation time and professional development.”

Ms Dewhirst said Villa Maria now needed community support to ensure more students had access to the service and to relieve pressure on staff members.

“We are hopeful of starting off the new school year in 2012 with a much-needed boost to this important service to help families now and well into the future.”

An ongoing donation of $50 to $200 per term will help secure a child’s seat on the bus for a whole school term.  A single donation will enable a student to attend a weekly community-based activity, like a horse riding or sailing lesson to promote their life skills and confidence.

If you would like to make a donation visit: www.villamaria.com.au or call 9855 7600.