Achieving inclusion through effective system design

Across Australia, jurisdictions are grappling with the complementary goals and mechanisms of a variety of policy reforms, ranging from the adoption of recommendations from the royal commission to the implementation of Thriving Kids within school contexts. More than ever, reforms within education systems are needed to build capability and provide resources to enable ongoing and improved support for students with disability.  

Between 2018 and 2025, the Victorian Department of Education developed and implemented a needs-based funding model and package of complementary supports known as the Disability Inclusion reforms. The reforms seek to improve the way student need is assessed, resourced and supported throughout Victorian schools, and contribute to workforce development and an inclusive culture. The implementation of the reforms has been supported through an ongoing evaluation, which has focused on understanding how key mechanisms - such as the Disability Inclusion Profile, new funding streams, workforce capability initiatives and regional support structures - are driving change in schools and shaping more inclusive practice. 

This presentation details how the design of the reforms can support the realisation of inclusive education goals, and highlights the lessons systems can learn from its design and evaluation.  

First, the presentation will introduce the theory of change motivating DI, and unpack the link between the design of the reforms and the intermediate and ultimate outcomes it aims to achieve.  

Then, the presentation will explore how schools and regions are responding to the new policy settings, and how the reforms have established drivers of inclusive practice. Outcomes observed through the evaluation, including changes in practice, confidence, collaboration and the targeting of supports, will be presented to highlight where DI is making a difference.  

Finally, the presentation will draw out insights into the future of inclusive education systems in Australia - including implications for any future national resourcing framework. Possible lessons of the DI experience include the structure of a functional needs-based approach, the importance of a systemic approach to reform, and the role of an evaluation and accountability framework in promoting success. 

Sam is a Director in Deloitte Access Economics’ education practice and leads their work in inclusive education. He is a national expert in inclusive education policy, and has advised on system design and strategy across the schooling, early childhood and tertiary education sectors.
 
He specialises in supporting governments to set goals to progressively realise inclusive education and develop structures to achieve them. Sam’s work has led to improvements in system design, service delivery and financing at the federal level and across all states and territories in Australia.
 
Sam has been connected to the Inclusion and Disability Conference since 2022 and is delighted to continue to be a key speaker. This year, he will draw on his experience evaluating system-wide inclusion reforms. His session will outline how system architecture, capability development and monitoring structures can be designed to support meaningful and sustained progress towards key inclusion goals.