To inform the Australian Government’s 2020 review of the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (DSE), ACECQA coordinated stakeholder consultation on behalf of all governments with providers, peak bodies and other sector professionals about levels of knowledge, understanding and application of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA). This summary report contains stakeholder engagement findings.

Key findings include:

• that barriers exist to the effective access and participation of children with disability in children’s education and care, with more needing to be done to raise awareness of the DDA and promote inclusive access and participation for children with disability. There is a need for greater clarity and guidance for service providers about what constitutes a ‘reasonable adjustment’ and ‘unjustifiable hardship’ in early childhood education and care and school age education and care
• a majority view that the National Quality Framework (NQF) has helped increase awareness and understanding of what constitutes effective inclusive practice in a way that caters for need – and builds on strengths – at the individual child level.

The Australian Government’s 2020 DSE Review has now been finalised and the recommendations offer a great opportunity to build upon our collective efforts to support children with disability to access and participate in children’s education and care.