Parents of children with disabilities and complex medical needs at a Northern Territory special school are worried that current staffing levels are putting their children’s lives at risk.
Kali Sachs, a mother from Palmerston, raised concerns about the staffing levels at Forrest Parade School, where her seven-year-old daughter, Apryl, attends. Apryl has Pfeiffer syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects bone growth and requires a tracheostomy tube to help her breathe. The tube must be regularly monitored and suctioned to prevent blockages, which can be life-threatening.
Last year, Sachs used part of Apryl’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding to train school staff on how to properly manage her daughter’s medical needs, including suctioning and changing the tracheostomy tube. However, Sachs said that while two teachers received the training, they are not always present in Apryl’s class.
“Apryl came home and told me there was no one trained in her class multiple times this year,” Sachs explained. “This has caused her a lot of anxiety. I fear that if her trachy isn’t changed on time, she could lose her life.”
Eli, another seven-year-old student at the school, faces similar challenges. Diagnosed with PPP3CA, which causes severe epilepsy and level 5 cerebral palsy, Eli requires regular mouth suctioning to prevent airway blockages. His mother, Alison Cook, also used NDIS funding to provide staff training but expressed concern that if both Eli and Apryl were to experience medical emergencies at the same time, it could be deadly.
“If both he and Apryl go down at the same time, it could block their airways,” Cook said. “You wouldn’t hear anything from him until it’s too late. He could turn blue.”
Cook recalled incidents where Eli’s seizures went unnoticed by staff, including during a school assembly. She said she noticed her son seizing, but when she raised it with the school, they denied it.
Both Sachs and Cook have provided letters from pediatricians outlining their children’s medical needs, emphasizing the necessity of one-on-one care in class. Apryl’s pediatrician recommended “1:1 support with a trained teacher or inclusion officer who can manage her tracheostomy,” while Eli’s doctor stated that he needs “constant airway management.”
Despite these recommendations, Cook was told by the school that “all kids get the same funding” and that Eli didn’t need a dedicated support worker.
The Northern Territory has limited options for special education. With only five special schools and 10 specialist centers in mainstream schools, parents like Cook feel they have no choice but to send their children to Forrest Parade School.
“I have no other option in the NT but to send him there; legally I have to send him to school,” Cook explained.
Another parent, Shelby Lock, shared a concerning incident where her son, Silas, who is non-verbal and has autism, went missing from school grounds. She wasn’t informed until much later that he had been missing for 40 minutes.
“They’re paid to watch him 24/7, and they couldn’t tell me where he was for at least 40 minutes,” Lock said. This experience led her to move Silas to a special unit in a mainstream school, despite fears that he might miss out on essential services.
“It’s a terrible feeling to have to settle for my son, but I have to choose safety over everything else,” she said.
In response to these concerns, the Northern Territory government has pledged to increase staffing at Forrest Parade School. After inquiries from ABC, NT Education Minister Jo Hersey promised to hire an additional nurse to provide Eli with one-on-one supervision. The Education Department also committed to recruiting a second nurse for the school.
“Forrest Parade School is dedicated to providing individualised and inclusive learning for students,” a statement from the Department read. “We are committed to supporting students with disabilities or complex needs, and we comply with the Disability Standards for Education 2005.”
Minister Hersey also highlighted that special schools had received a 5 percent funding increase per student this year to address additional costs, with Forrest Parade School’s budget growing by $470,000 following the NT-Commonwealth education funding agreement.
