Calls for Independent Inquiry Grow Over Abuse Allegations at Latrobe Special Developmental School

Premier Ben Carroll has announced that the state government will collaborate with relevant authorities regarding serious allegations of abuse at a specialist school in Victoria's east. However, the Premier stopped short of committing to an independent inquiry into the claims.

An advocacy group composed of parents of former students, Voices for Special Needs (VFSN), has alleged that physical, mental, and sexual abuse took place at the Latrobe Special Developmental School in Traralgon over a span of nearly two decades. Over the weekend, the group sent a detailed timeline of these allegations to the Premier and all state Members of Parliament.

Serious Allegations Spanning Years

The timeline provided by the group outlines 15 alleged incidents of sexual abuse, which include student-on-student abuse as well as inappropriate remarks and sexual assaults of students by staff members. According to the document, the alleged abuse occurred between the years 2008 and 2026.

VFSN is calling on the government to launch an independent investigation into these matters and to make the findings public. Additionally, the group is advocating for the installation of security cameras inside classrooms and on school buses to ensure student safety.

On Wednesday, Mr Carroll confirmed his awareness of the situation. "These are harrowing allegations and my thoughts are with the families and the students," he said. "I am aware of this matter. We take this matter very seriously." He added, "We will respond. It is with authorities."

The Premier said all parents should feel confident that their children were safe at school. "There's nothing more important than the sanctity and safety of our children, particularly our kids with special needs," he said. He also expressed pride in the government's record on disability inclusion, saying, "As a government, I'm proud that we did upgrade every single specialist school,"

Review Completed in 2021

In 2021, the Department of Education conducted a review into the culture of the Latrobe Special Developmental School, which resulted in a 34-action plan. While the department completed the majority of these actions by the end of term four in 2022, three of them remain ongoing.

According to the department, there have been no new claims of misconduct against the school since the 2021 review. Citing privacy reasons, the department did not release a copy of the review. A spokesperson stated that student safety is their priority and noted that security cameras cover all external school grounds at Latrobe Special Developmental School.

Families Describe Feeling Ignored

VFSN spokesperson Leanne Vella stated that government and state authorities have been aware of these allegations since 2020. She expressed frustration with the government's response, noting that families feel neglected.

"For several years now we have repeatedly heard the Labor government proclaim that their commitment to students with disabilities lies within their investment towards school infrastructure; rather than a commitment to an independent investigation that would allow families to tell their stories and their struggles in dealing with special/developmental schools and the state's Department of Education and its systems," Ms Vella said.

Ms Vella said students felt "unsafe, unheard and dismissed" by people in leadership positions who had the capacity to "initiate immense positive change". "Instead we continue to see an institutionalised culture that covers up physical, sexual and mental abuse of students with disabilities," she said.