While parents would ordinarily be looking towards the start of term one with a sense of relief, rising COVID cases in the state have left some with grave concerns.
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On January 1, vaccination appointments opened for the five to 11 age cohort, allowing primary school-aged children the opportunity to receive their first vaccination from January 10, with the second dose to be scheduled eight weeks later.
However, disability advocate Kristen Desmond said there remained a lack of information about what parents of children with a disability can expect when school returns on February 9.
"The issue is if kids have only had the chance for one vaccination, then for many families there's a lot of concern about sending their vulnerable children back to school," she said.
Ms Desmond said the Department of Education website lacked information on COVID-safe policies for students with a disability, and she implored the government to put in place clear instructions for both schools and parents.
"It's about being able to give people comfort that if they send their child to school, and their child has medical complexities that their child is going to be safe," she said.
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"I want to see better information out there, because that's what we're missing right now."
A Department of Education spokesperson said the department would continue to take an individualised approach to supporting students.
"The department has continued to support a number of students and young people with a disability to continue to learn right throughout the COVID pandemic," they said.
"Students with a disability who are medically vulnerable will continue to be supported on an individual basis, working closely with parents and carers."
As an advocate for inclusive education, Ms Desmond said she feared some families would minimise the risk by choosing to keep their children at home.
"What we're going to end up with is more segregation or kids missing out on education altogether," she said.
"They shouldn't have to make the choice between their child's health and their child's education and at the moment, that's a very real choice that people are going to be making."
Sarah Davison is the Education Reporter at The Examiner, if you have a education-related story please email sarah.davison@examiner.com.au.
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Sarah Davison
Education reporter at The Examiner, with an additional focus on issues affecting the LGBTQIA+ community. With a background in Psychology, Sarah completed her Master's thesis on the Australian media's coverage of familicide. Get in touch: sarah.davison@examiner.com.au or 0448 682 861
Education reporter at The Examiner, with an additional focus on issues affecting the LGBTQIA+ community. With a background in Psychology, Sarah completed her Master's thesis on the Australian media's coverage of familicide. Get in touch: sarah.davison@examiner.com.au or 0448 682 861
