❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding assistance and funding for people with dyslexia within the Attorney General's portfolio. The responses indicate a lack of specific funding or policies, but general support is offered within existing client service practices.
AnsweredQoN 2621Legislative Assembly
Asked
28 August 2007
Member
Portfolio
Attorney General; Minister for Health; Electoral Affairs
QuestionView source ↗
(2) What assistance is available within the Attorney General’s portfolio for people who have left school with low literacy skills due to dyslexia?
(3) What amount of funding is provided within the Attorney General’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 Attorney General’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
Response time
30 days
DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
(1) Clients with low literacy skills are provided appropriate support for them to access services as part of the client services practices.
(2) Clients with dyslexia are afforded support as part of client services practices and staff with dyslexia provided support through staff management practices.
(3) There is no specific funding allocated specifically for policies, programs and research to assist people with dyslexia.
(4) Not applicable.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
(1) and (2) WA Health's hospitals and community services do provide assistance to those patients, clients or consumers who request or are identified as requiring assistance due to low literacy skills. In addition to the nursing, medical and allied health staff, the following staff are available to provide assistance:
- Customer Service Units can provide verbal advice about hospital policies and procedures and liaise with staff throughout the hospital on behalf of patients where required.
- Social Work Departments provide support on an individual basis to patients who have limited literacy by assisting with the completion of forms (eg Centrelink), writing letters and advocating for them where required.
- Welfare Officers and Social Workers are available to provide support to those mental health clients with reading and writing difficulties.
- Interpreters and translators may also be utilised for people from non English speaking backgrounds who have difficulties with comprehending, speaking or writing English.
- For mental health clients who have English as a second language, if their carer or family members are not available to assist, the Council of Official Visitors could be called in to provide support / advocacy services.
- Aboriginal Liaison Officers and Aboriginal Health Workers, particularly within the WA Country Health Service, are available to ensure that patients are assisted in understanding their illness and care needs whilst in hospital and on discharge.
(3) There is no specific funding available for policies, programs and research to assist people with dyslexia.
(4) Not applicable.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS
(1)-(4) The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions provides contact details of the paralegal assigned to each case for victims and witnesses who need any special assistances, including adults with low literacy skills.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
(1) No specific policies in place
(2) No specific policies in place
(3) Nil.
(4) Not applicable.
LAW REFORM COMMISSION
(1) The Commission is sensitive to people's requirements in respect of language and literacy and ensures that relevant specialists and services are utilised whenever necessary to assist people providing information or submissions to the Commission.
(2) See above response.
(3) The Commission has not provided any funding specifically for policies, programs and research to assist people with dyslexia.
(4) Not applicable.
LEGAL AID WA
(1) None.
(2) Legal assistance is provided by Legal Aid, which might include (for example) drafting letters of negotiation or court documentation.
(3) None.
(4) Not Applicable.
OFFICE OF THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER
(1) Nil.
(2) Nil.
(3) Nil.
(4) Not applicable.
OFFICE OF HEALTH REVIEW
(1) Nil.
(2) Nil.
(3) Nil.
(4) Not applicable.
SOLICITOR GENERAL
(1) Nil.
(2) Nil.
(3) Nil.
(4) Not applicable.
W.A. ELECTORAL COMMISSION
(1) Nil.
(2) Nil.
(3) Nil.
(4) Not applicable.
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(1) Clients with low literacy skills are provided appropriate support for them to access services as part of the client services practices.
(2) Clients with dyslexia are afforded support as part of client services practices and staff with dyslexia provided support through staff management practices.
(3) There is no specific funding allocated specifically for policies, programs and research to assist people with dyslexia.
(4) Not applicable.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
(1) and (2) WA Health's hospitals and community services do provide assistance to those patients, clients or consumers who request or are identified as requiring assistance due to low literacy skills. In addition to the nursing, medical and allied health staff, the following staff are available to provide assistance:
- Customer Service Units can provide verbal advice about hospital policies and procedures and liaise with staff throughout the hospital on behalf of patients where required.
- Social Work Departments provide support on an individual basis to patients who have limited literacy by assisting with the completion of forms (eg Centrelink), writing letters and advocating for them where required.
- Welfare Officers and Social Workers are available to provide support to those mental health clients with reading and writing difficulties.
- Interpreters and translators may also be utilised for people from non English speaking backgrounds who have difficulties with comprehending, speaking or writing English.
- For mental health clients who have English as a second language, if their carer or family members are not available to assist, the Council of Official Visitors could be called in to provide support / advocacy services.
- Aboriginal Liaison Officers and Aboriginal Health Workers, particularly within the WA Country Health Service, are available to ensure that patients are assisted in understanding their illness and care needs whilst in hospital and on discharge.
(3) There is no specific funding available for policies, programs and research to assist people with dyslexia.
(4) Not applicable.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS
(1)-(4) The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions provides contact details of the paralegal assigned to each case for victims and witnesses who need any special assistances, including adults with low literacy skills.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
(1) No specific policies in place
(2) No specific policies in place
(3) Nil.
(4) Not applicable.
LAW REFORM COMMISSION
(1) The Commission is sensitive to people's requirements in respect of language and literacy and ensures that relevant specialists and services are utilised whenever necessary to assist people providing information or submissions to the Commission.
(2) See above response.
(3) The Commission has not provided any funding specifically for policies, programs and research to assist people with dyslexia.
(4) Not applicable.
LEGAL AID WA
(1) None.
(2) Legal assistance is provided by Legal Aid, which might include (for example) drafting letters of negotiation or court documentation.
(3) None.
(4) Not Applicable.
OFFICE OF THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER
(1) Nil.
(2) Nil.
(3) Nil.
(4) Not applicable.
OFFICE OF HEALTH REVIEW
(1) Nil.
(2) Nil.
(3) Nil.
(4) Not applicable.
SOLICITOR GENERAL
(1) Nil.
(2) Nil.
(3) Nil.
(4) Not applicable.
W.A. ELECTORAL COMMISSION
(1) Nil.
(2) Nil.
(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
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