Welcome to Students Need Us, a campaign run by the Public Service Association of NSW, which recognises the important work support staff in schools do.

Support staff in schools include:

• Administrative Managers & Officers
• School Learning Support Officers
• General Assistants
• Aboriginal Education Officers

They help students in the classroom, ensure the school environment is safe, and that all students are enrolled, their records are up to date and parents are kept informed.

All these employees help students at school, but are often overlooked by the Department of Education and Training and the NSW Government. This campaign is aimed at helping students reach their full potential, by raising professional standards for all support staff in schools.

Supporting Parents

Students Need Us also aims to help parents of students who have specific needs. There are more than 30,000 students who have specific needs in mainstream schools, support units and special schools across NSW. These students deserve the best support they can get, but many are falling through the gaps because of lack of funding, staff and resources.

Students Need Us recognises the support these children need, and is calling on the Department of Education and Training and the NSW Government to put these students first and give them the support they deserve at school.

Learning Support Officers

Learning Support Officers help children from kindergarten to Year 12 and ensure those with learning difficulties, disorders and severe and profound disabilities get the most from their educational experience.

However these employees are often overlooked by the Department of Education and Training and the NSW Government.

Students Need Us recognises that there is more they can do to help these employees help students:

• Offer Learning Support Officers permanent positions in schools so they have real job security.
• Put an end to long-term temporary positions in schools, where some Learning Support Officers are employed as casuals for over 20 years.
• Give Learning Support Officers better access to training so they can give children with severe and profound disabilities the support they deserve.
• Make safety a priority for students, teachers and Learning Support Officers, and ensure they have the support and training to be safe at work.
• Ensure government funding is sufficient to cover the needs of all students with specific needs at school.
• Recognise Learning Support Officers for the different work they do and ensure they are properly remunerated for their level of expertise.

To find out more about what Students Need Us is calling for, download our Log Of Claims letter to Department of Education and Training Director General Michael Coutts-Trotter.