❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding assistance and funding for people with dyslexia across various portfolios. Responses indicate limited specific support, but some departments are addressing low literacy more broadly.
AnsweredQoN 2622Legislative Assembly
Asked
28 August 2007
Member
Portfolio
Employment Protection; Housing and Works; Indigenous Affairs; Heritage; Land Information
QuestionView source ↗
(2) What assistance is available within the Minister's portfolio for people who have left school with low literacy skills due to dyslexia?
(3) What amount of funding is provided within the Minister's portfolio for policies, programs and research to assist people with dyslexia; and
(4) Who is responsible for these policies, programs and research?
(3) What amount of funding is provided within the Minister's portfolio for policies, programs and research to assist people with dyslexia; and
(4) Who is responsible for these policies, programs and research?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
27 September 2007
Responded by
Minister for Employment Protection; Housing and Works; Indigenous Affairs; Heritage; Land Information
Response time
30 days
The Employment Protection arm of the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection (DOCEP) advises:
(1) - (3) None.
(4) Not applicable.
Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission advises:
(1) - (3) None.
(4) Not applicable.
WorkCover advises:
WorkCover WA has a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) that outlines the way in which the agency ensures people with disabilities have equal access to facilities and services. The policy does not specifically address adults who are unable to read and write or have low literacy skills due to dyslexia. A Customer Assistance Unit exists to assist customers with filling out forms when difficulties are being experienced by the customer.
Interpreter services are provided at no cost for clients with cultural or linguistic backgrounds who may difficulty communicating in the English language.
(1) - (3) None.
(4)Not applicable.
Construction Industry Long Service Leave Payments Board:
(1) - (3) None.
(4)Not applicable.
Department of Housing and Works:
(1) The Department is developing a new communications and service delivery system for low literacy clients and clients with learning disabilities. This ties in with a "Substantive Equality" focus on better dealing with clients with an Indigenous background where English is not their first language, or who come from a culturally and linguistically diverse overseas background. Three procedures are currently undergoing change as part of this:
· the Department has rewritten a number of letters to all clients and applicants into Plain English;
· the Department is examining the feasibility of providing DVDs to instruct clients who have low literacy, learning disability, or who come from a background where English is not their first language; and
· a new system of flagging low literacy clients and clients with learning disabilities will be introduced into the Department's computer system. This will enable clients who have low literacy or a learning disability to be channelled into communication and service delivery appropriate to their needs and ability.
(2) The Department has commenced initiatives focused on assessing the various layers of need and disadvantage housing applicants and clients have. A major review of the management of rental housing services will assess low literacy and learning disabilities such as dyslexia in the needs assessment process.
(3) The Department does not have funding specifically directed at people with dyslexia, however, a component of the Housing Management Services general operations budget is targeted toward improving and developing policies and procedures to assist clients and applicants with low literacy and learning difficulties such as dyslexia.
(4) The Manager of Communications and Marketing and the State Manager of Rental Operations manage these policies, programs and research. A new role to oversee this work is currently under consideration.
The Department of Indigenous Affairs advises:
(1) -(2) The Department of Indigenous Affairs (DIA) has a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP). The DAIP does not refer specifically to dyslexia, but rather seeks to ensure the department can provide information and services to all parts of the community, including alternative formats to those people who may have either a physical or learning disability.
(3) There is no specific funding allocation, as policies or initiatives are funded form operating or project budgets across the business areas.
(4) The DAIP is implemented and monitored through the Workforce Management branch of DIA.
Heritage Council of WA advises:
(1) None
(2)-(4) Not applicable
National Trust of Australia (WA) advises:
(1)-(4) The National Trust of Australia (WA) Strategic Plan envisions the delivery and support of lifelong education experiences to instil a commitment to valuing heritage. The Strategic Plan includes policies and procedures which include references to literacy. In operations, this means the development, delivery and maintenance of quality education and learning programs for all ages and abilities throughout Western Australia.
As part of a commitment to enhancing the standards and practice of heritage interpretation, the National Trust in partnership with Museums Australia (WA) through funding from Lotterywest, has recently released
Sharing Our Stories - Guidelines for Heritage Interpretation 2007
. This free publication is available for downloading from
http://esvc001307.wic020u.server-web.com/sharingourstories/index.htm
. It provides practical advice for interpretive options to facilitate the broadest community access to heritage experiences including those with low literacy skills and dyslexia.
Landgate advises:
(1) Landgate has a performance management policy and process (Perfect Balance) which includes discussion of individual development needs, including reading and writing skills if required.
(2)-(3) Nil
(4) Not applicable
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
(1) - (3) None.
(4) Not applicable.
Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission advises:
(1) - (3) None.
(4) Not applicable.
WorkCover advises:
WorkCover WA has a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) that outlines the way in which the agency ensures people with disabilities have equal access to facilities and services. The policy does not specifically address adults who are unable to read and write or have low literacy skills due to dyslexia. A Customer Assistance Unit exists to assist customers with filling out forms when difficulties are being experienced by the customer.
Interpreter services are provided at no cost for clients with cultural or linguistic backgrounds who may difficulty communicating in the English language.
(1) - (3) None.
(4)Not applicable.
Construction Industry Long Service Leave Payments Board:
(1) - (3) None.
(4)Not applicable.
Department of Housing and Works:
(1) The Department is developing a new communications and service delivery system for low literacy clients and clients with learning disabilities. This ties in with a "Substantive Equality" focus on better dealing with clients with an Indigenous background where English is not their first language, or who come from a culturally and linguistically diverse overseas background. Three procedures are currently undergoing change as part of this:
· the Department has rewritten a number of letters to all clients and applicants into Plain English;
· the Department is examining the feasibility of providing DVDs to instruct clients who have low literacy, learning disability, or who come from a background where English is not their first language; and
· a new system of flagging low literacy clients and clients with learning disabilities will be introduced into the Department's computer system. This will enable clients who have low literacy or a learning disability to be channelled into communication and service delivery appropriate to their needs and ability.
(2) The Department has commenced initiatives focused on assessing the various layers of need and disadvantage housing applicants and clients have. A major review of the management of rental housing services will assess low literacy and learning disabilities such as dyslexia in the needs assessment process.
(3) The Department does not have funding specifically directed at people with dyslexia, however, a component of the Housing Management Services general operations budget is targeted toward improving and developing policies and procedures to assist clients and applicants with low literacy and learning difficulties such as dyslexia.
(4) The Manager of Communications and Marketing and the State Manager of Rental Operations manage these policies, programs and research. A new role to oversee this work is currently under consideration.
The Department of Indigenous Affairs advises:
(1) -(2) The Department of Indigenous Affairs (DIA) has a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP). The DAIP does not refer specifically to dyslexia, but rather seeks to ensure the department can provide information and services to all parts of the community, including alternative formats to those people who may have either a physical or learning disability.
(3) There is no specific funding allocation, as policies or initiatives are funded form operating or project budgets across the business areas.
(4) The DAIP is implemented and monitored through the Workforce Management branch of DIA.
Heritage Council of WA advises:
(1) None
(2)-(4) Not applicable
National Trust of Australia (WA) advises:
(1)-(4) The National Trust of Australia (WA) Strategic Plan envisions the delivery and support of lifelong education experiences to instil a commitment to valuing heritage. The Strategic Plan includes policies and procedures which include references to literacy. In operations, this means the development, delivery and maintenance of quality education and learning programs for all ages and abilities throughout Western Australia.
As part of a commitment to enhancing the standards and practice of heritage interpretation, the National Trust in partnership with Museums Australia (WA) through funding from Lotterywest, has recently released
Sharing Our Stories - Guidelines for Heritage Interpretation 2007
. This free publication is available for downloading from
http://esvc001307.wic020u.server-web.com/sharingourstories/index.htm
. It provides practical advice for interpretive options to facilitate the broadest community access to heritage experiences including those with low literacy skills and dyslexia.
Landgate advises:
(1) Landgate has a performance management policy and process (Perfect Balance) which includes discussion of individual development needs, including reading and writing skills if required.
(2)-(3) Nil
(4) Not applicable
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.