Content note: References to bullying, violence, abuse, and suicidal ideation.
Disillusion and Delay summarises the findings of two surveys of nearly 400 children and young people with disability, and parents or caregivers, which CYDA conducted in 2024 and early 2025.
Taken together, these surveys give a comprehensive view into the experiences and challenges faced by students with disability, families, and caregivers as they navigate Australia’s education system.
They speak of ongoing systemic issues, including:
- Widespread bullying and exclusion
- Ineffective school support planning
- Lack of teacher training
- Non-inclusive school cultures
The report comes almost two years after the Disability Royal Commission presented its findings and recommended measures to create truly inclusive schooling for every student.
Download Disillusion and Delay by clicking the buttons at the top of this page.
Additional survey reports
CYDA partnered with researchers from the Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne and Public Service Research Group, UNSW Canberra to analyse the survey data, forming the basis of Disillusion and Delay.
This detailed analysis can be accessed below: