❓ A parliamentary question seeks information on speech pathologist access in WA primary schools and proposes a ratio of one pathologist per 500 children. The Minister acknowledges potential benefits but cites data limitations and funding needs.
AnsweredQoN 448Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
PRIMARY SCHOOLS - ACCESS TO SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS
(1) How many primary schools in Western Australia have access to a speech pathologist to work alongside teachers and parents? (2) Will the minister consider providing at least one speech pathologist per 500 children in Western Australian primary schools? Hon SUE ELLERY
(1) How many primary schools in Western Australia have access to a speech pathologist to work alongside teachers and parents? (2) Will the minister consider providing at least one speech pathologist per 500 children in Western Australian primary schools? Hon SUE ELLERY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Generally, school health services are staffed by community nurses but also include a small allied health staff team. These teams often, but not always, include speech pathologists. It is not possible to provide the information to answer this question in the time available. (2) Increased access to speech pathology in schools may be a sound investment for improving short-term and long-term literacy outcomes for students at risk; however, benchmarks for student speech pathology ratios would need to be determined and new funding made available to support such an investment.
(2) Will the minister consider providing at least one speech pathologist per 500 children in Western Australian primary schools? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Generally, school health services are staffed by community nurses but also include a small allied health staff team. These teams often, but not always, include speech pathologists. It is not possible to provide the information to answer this question in the time available. (2) Increased access to speech pathology in schools may be a sound investment for improving short-term and long-term literacy outcomes for students at risk; however, benchmarks for student speech pathology ratios would need to be determined and new funding made available to support such an investment.
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Generally, school health services are staffed by community nurses but also include a small allied health staff team. These teams often, but not always, include speech pathologists. It is not possible to provide the information to answer this question in the time available. (2) Increased access to speech pathology in schools may be a sound investment for improving short-term and long-term literacy outcomes for students at risk; however, benchmarks for student speech pathology ratios would need to be determined and new funding made available to support such an investment.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Generally, school health services are staffed by community nurses but also include a small allied health staff team. These teams often, but not always, include speech pathologists. It is not possible to provide the information to answer this question in the time available. (2) Increased access to speech pathology in schools may be a sound investment for improving short-term and long-term literacy outcomes for students at risk; however, benchmarks for student speech pathology ratios would need to be determined and new funding made available to support such an investment.
(1) Generally, school health services are staffed by community nurses but also include a small allied health staff team. These teams often, but not always, include speech pathologists. It is not possible to provide the information to answer this question in the time available. (2) Increased access to speech pathology in schools may be a sound investment for improving short-term and long-term literacy outcomes for students at risk; however, benchmarks for student speech pathology ratios would need to be determined and new funding made available to support such an investment.
(2) Increased access to speech pathology in schools may be a sound investment for improving short-term and long-term literacy outcomes for students at risk; however, benchmarks for student speech pathology ratios would need to be determined and new funding made available to support such an investment.
(2) Will the minister consider providing at least one speech pathologist per 500 children in Western Australian primary schools? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Generally, school health services are staffed by community nurses but also include a small allied health staff team. These teams often, but not always, include speech pathologists. It is not possible to provide the information to answer this question in the time available. (2) Increased access to speech pathology in schools may be a sound investment for improving short-term and long-term literacy outcomes for students at risk; however, benchmarks for student speech pathology ratios would need to be determined and new funding made available to support such an investment.
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Generally, school health services are staffed by community nurses but also include a small allied health staff team. These teams often, but not always, include speech pathologists. It is not possible to provide the information to answer this question in the time available. (2) Increased access to speech pathology in schools may be a sound investment for improving short-term and long-term literacy outcomes for students at risk; however, benchmarks for student speech pathology ratios would need to be determined and new funding made available to support such an investment.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Generally, school health services are staffed by community nurses but also include a small allied health staff team. These teams often, but not always, include speech pathologists. It is not possible to provide the information to answer this question in the time available. (2) Increased access to speech pathology in schools may be a sound investment for improving short-term and long-term literacy outcomes for students at risk; however, benchmarks for student speech pathology ratios would need to be determined and new funding made available to support such an investment.
(1) Generally, school health services are staffed by community nurses but also include a small allied health staff team. These teams often, but not always, include speech pathologists. It is not possible to provide the information to answer this question in the time available. (2) Increased access to speech pathology in schools may be a sound investment for improving short-term and long-term literacy outcomes for students at risk; however, benchmarks for student speech pathology ratios would need to be determined and new funding made available to support such an investment.
(2) Increased access to speech pathology in schools may be a sound investment for improving short-term and long-term literacy outcomes for students at risk; however, benchmarks for student speech pathology ratios would need to be determined and new funding made available to support such an investment.
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