Dalwood Parents Action Group

Dalwood revival

Education22 Mar 11 @ 04:52pm by Brenton Cherry

FOR nearly 18 months parents of children with severe learning difficulties in rural and remote NSW have fought to revive the Dalwood education model.

Today their pleas were heard with the Coalition announcing it would restore the assessment centre and four-week residential program at Royal Far West at Manly should it win Saturday’s election.

The announcement follows the State Government’s 2009 axing of the Dalwood school at Seaforth, which hosted assessment and residential programs run by a multi-disciplin- ary team of teachers and health professionals.

The State Government split the team up, sending assessment and outreach to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and housing a greatly reduced live-in program at Royal Far West.

The Coalition announcement will see all services once again be in one place.

Michelle Bolte, whose daughter Kate attended Dalwood, has fought to have the model reinstated since late 2009.

“It’s a huge relief,” she said. “My daughter went through the four-week residential program. In that time, and the 16-week course after, her reading level improved two years.

“It is most important for other rural kids to get the same chance as my daughter because we now have a girl who can’t keep her nose out of a book.”

Shadow Education spokesman Adrian Piccoli said he was petitioned by hundreds of parents to reinstate a “great program” with “great outcomes”.

COMMENTS

Debbie Baylsis writes:Posted on 23 Mar 11 at 10:40am      Michelle Bolte has fought long and hard for this well after many like myself gave up. I wholeheartedly admire her tenacious spirit in fighting for all rural kids including my own.

Cathy writes:Posted on 22 Mar 11 at 08:57pm      Thank heaven someone has finally listened to the people of the bush, we have been crying out for this service to be reinstated for too long, our children need this service.

Angela writes:Posted on 22 Mar 11 at 07:53pm       As a country parent who has used this wonderful service (with it's fabulous staff), I am thrilled that finally we are being listened to. The service was not broken and did not need fixing, if anything it just needed expanding so that more children could receive the help our child did. Well done Coalition.

Doug writes:Posted on 22 Mar 11 at 07:20pm       This decission is the right decission for the students and parents of NSW. It was a ONE STOP Centre of excellence that SHOULD never have been closed. Shame on the health and Dept. of Ed officials who could sort out their differences. This is the perfect example of people power demonstrating that Government Service entities need to be open and functioning! Go Michelle and supporters

Fi writes:Posted on 22 Mar 11 at 07:12pm        About time they saw what needed to be done. Dalwood is a fantastic program - it's only problem is that it can't help more kids.