Dalwood reprieve gives time to plan quality replacement program

Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay has welcomed the short reprieve for the Dalwood Assessment Centre and Palm Avenue School remedial literacy programs and says their replacement should be of the same high quality.
“The Minister’s announcement comes as a great relief to the regional families whose children are making such good progress through Dalwood’s successful formula of outreach and residential programs,” he said.
“Many people from our area have contact me on this issue, very distressed at the Government’s plan to close Dalwood, dismiss its expert team and replace it with something less effective.
“It’s good to see the Minister has responded positively to the very heart felt campaign to keep the Centre open and I will be urging her on behalf of local families to retain the Dalwood programs and expert staff for the long term.”
The Dalwood Centre has been operating at Seaforth since 1972 to provide assessment, outreach and intensive residential programs for regional students with normal to high intelligence but who are unable to read or write.
The Centre works with students with literacy disorders who do not respond to standard remedial programs and have exhausted all resources available locally. It provides services for around 200 students a year and has a waiting list of more than 100 for next year’s program.
“Parents and teachers value the unique blend of expertise at Dalwood that puts students on the path to reading and writing and reaching their true potential,” Mr Torbay said.
“Without this specialised early intervention these young people would be virtually illiterate for life.
“The government’s initial plans to merge this program with those at Westmead have been dismissed by parents and schools as totally unsuitable for the students who achieve such successful results through the Dalwood programs.
“I will continue to work with parents and schools to have the Dalwood staff, programs and its residential component retained, even if the government has plans to sell off the real estate.”