Special school sexual abuse allegations with authorities, premier says

Allegations of sexual abuse have been made against Latrobe Special Developmental School in Traralgon, located in the eastern region of the state. Premier Ben Carroll expressed concern over these allegations, which have been presented to him and other state MPs by parents of former students. The timeline of alleged abuse extends back over 20 years, with the most recent incidents reported to have occurred between 2008 and 2026.

The Premier acknowledged the serious nature of the allegations and stated that the government would work with authorities to address the matter. However, he did not commit to an independent investigation into the claims.

Advocacy group Voices for Special Needs (VFSN) has stated that physical, mental, and sexual abuse took place at the school over the specified period. The group has provided the Premier and all state MPs with a detailed timeline of the alleged incidents, which includes instances of student-on-student sexual abuse, inappropriate remarks, and sexual assaults perpetrated by staff members.

VFSN is demanding an independent investigation into these allegations, as well as the installation of security cameras in classrooms and buses used for student transportation to enhance student safety.

Premier Carroll emphasized that the government takes the allegations seriously and that the safety of students is of utmost importance. He expressed pride in the state government's efforts to improve disability inclusion, noting that every specialist school has been upgraded. The Department of Education conducted a review of the school's culture in 2021 and developed a plan with 34 actions, most of which were completed by the end of 2022.

The Department stated that it was not aware of any new misconduct claims against the school since the review was completed.