100 signatures reached
To: Premier Jeremy Rockliff
Don’t Leave Behind Tassie’s Allied Health Professionals in Schools, Child Safety and Youth Justice
The Tasmanian community welcomes Premier Rockliff’s commitment to fixing the recruitment and retention crisis facing Allied Health Professionals in Tasmania’s health system.
But our AHPs in schools and our child protection system – Speechies, Social Workers and Psychologists – are facing the same challenges. Don’t leave them behind.
With chronic vacancies facing Speech Pathologists and social workers in both schools, child safety and youth justice, we need the same incentives to attract the skilled professionals our kids desperately need.
The $25,000 cash bonus for students who stay in the state after graduating, or move to work in Tasmania, should be extended to all Allied Health Professionals in our public sector.
Like you, we want Australia’s best and brightest Allied Health professionals, like Psychologists, Physios and Speech Pathologists right here at home.
Leaving schools and child safety out means kids who need support don’t even get a chance.
Let’s give Tasmania the ability to attract and retain the AHPs our kids need to thrive.
But our AHPs in schools and our child protection system – Speechies, Social Workers and Psychologists – are facing the same challenges. Don’t leave them behind.
With chronic vacancies facing Speech Pathologists and social workers in both schools, child safety and youth justice, we need the same incentives to attract the skilled professionals our kids desperately need.
The $25,000 cash bonus for students who stay in the state after graduating, or move to work in Tasmania, should be extended to all Allied Health Professionals in our public sector.
Like you, we want Australia’s best and brightest Allied Health professionals, like Psychologists, Physios and Speech Pathologists right here at home.
Leaving schools and child safety out means kids who need support don’t even get a chance.
Let’s give Tasmania the ability to attract and retain the AHPs our kids need to thrive.
Why is this important?
“I have a neurodiverse child with multiple diagnoses. He’s been on a waiting list since before Kindy. We’ve only just been able to start seeing a specialist – but not in Tasmania. We’re seeing a private specialist interstate, via Zoom. We desperately need more Allied Health Professionals to support kids who are doing it tough.”
– Thirza, Parent, Secretary (CPSU Tasmania)
Allied Health professionals in schools are essential to give kids with learning and developmental disabilities the best start in life. Getting access to quality care early in life gives kids the best chance to adjust, succeed and flourish.
An estimated 1 in 20 Australian children struggles with an anxiety disorder¹; 15-20% of Australians has a language-based learning disability². Early years are our first and best chance to give kids dignity and support to succeed.
Tasmania also has the third highest rate of children and young people in Out-of-Home Care.
Only a fraction of those we miss will ever seek help later in life. They go on struggling, in silence. Getting access to a Social Worker, Speechie or Psychologist early on can make all the difference in the world.
“1 in 8 Australian primary school students has a communication disorder of some kind. We have 31 speech pathologists to service every public primary school and support school in the state. That makes our ratio 116 to 1, at best. We’re not talking about a little bit of understaffing - we’re talking about chronic, long-term vacancies.”
- Sarah, Advanced Skills Speech & Language Pathologist, Tasmania
Please sign our petition to call on Premier Rockliff to ensure Allied Health Professionals in schools, child safety and youth justice aren’t left behind.
¹ https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/australias-children/contents/health/children-with-mental-illness
² https://dyslexiaassociation.org.au/frequently-asked-questions-2/
– Thirza, Parent, Secretary (CPSU Tasmania)
Allied Health professionals in schools are essential to give kids with learning and developmental disabilities the best start in life. Getting access to quality care early in life gives kids the best chance to adjust, succeed and flourish.
An estimated 1 in 20 Australian children struggles with an anxiety disorder¹; 15-20% of Australians has a language-based learning disability². Early years are our first and best chance to give kids dignity and support to succeed.
Tasmania also has the third highest rate of children and young people in Out-of-Home Care.
Only a fraction of those we miss will ever seek help later in life. They go on struggling, in silence. Getting access to a Social Worker, Speechie or Psychologist early on can make all the difference in the world.
“1 in 8 Australian primary school students has a communication disorder of some kind. We have 31 speech pathologists to service every public primary school and support school in the state. That makes our ratio 116 to 1, at best. We’re not talking about a little bit of understaffing - we’re talking about chronic, long-term vacancies.”
- Sarah, Advanced Skills Speech & Language Pathologist, Tasmania
Please sign our petition to call on Premier Rockliff to ensure Allied Health Professionals in schools, child safety and youth justice aren’t left behind.
¹ https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/australias-children/contents/health/children-with-mental-illness
² https://dyslexiaassociation.org.au/frequently-asked-questions-2/