Transcript Supporting children and young people in out

Great Expectations
Supporting children and
young people in out-of
home care to achieve at
school
Resource overview
The resource
• Is designed to meet the needs of principals,
assistant principals, coordinators and teachers
• Helps schools to support students in out-ofhome care by:
– explaining how and why students are in out-of-home
care
– outlining key research about educational outcomes
and concerns
– providing information and advice about teaching and
learning and participation
– suggesting key contacts and resources
• Is available in print and digital formats
Professional learning
• These symbols are used
throughout the resource
to indicate opportunities
for informal or formal
professional learning
• Symbols may be used
concurrently
• The professional learning
activities are optional
 Locate, gather and
interpret resources
 Locate resources on the
Internet
 Use reflective learning
techniques
Collegiate learning
Who is in out-of-home care?
• In Australia, 24,000 children and young people spend
time in out-of-home care each year
• In Victoria, over 5,000 children and young people live
in out-of-home care at any one time
– This is an average of two students per Government, Catholic
or Independent school
– Some schools may have more students in out-of-home care
than the average
• A student may be in out-of-home care for days,
weeks, months, years, or until they turn 18 years old
Types of out-of-home care
Source: Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare 2007
Relevant Victorian legislation
• The Child Wellbeing
and Safety Act 2005
– The overarching
framework for
promoting positive
outcomes for all
children
• The Children, Youth
and Families Act 2005
– Builds on the Child
Wellbeing and Safety
Act
– Guides the actions of
all parties in the best
interests of vulnerable
children and young
people
Australian and International Research
• The majority of students in out-of-home
care
– achieve lower learning outcomes, particularly
in literacy and numeracy
– suffer from educational deficit
– have specific issues relating to development
at key stages of schooling
– exhibit a range of problematic behaviours
Case study – multiple transitions
‘By the time I was in Grade 3 I’d been to 14
schools. I had days off all the time, because Mum
and I were always moving. Then I went in to care.
Then I went with Mum again. Then I went back into
care. I finally had two years at one Primary School,
but I’d missed so much I didn’t really understand
any of it.’
DeeJay, 16
Strategies for improvement of educational
outcomes
Greater stability
so that children and young More help from home to
people in care do not have
support school work
to move home or school so
giving carers better training
often
in children’s education
Help with schoolwork
more individual support
tailored to the child or
young person backed by
more training for teachers
and social workers
Less time out of school –
longer in education
Improved health and wellbeing
help with school admissions,
better access to education
with more support to help
young children and young
people attend school more
regularly and stay on after
school leaving age
with teachers, staff from
across government
departments, non-government
service providers and carers
all working together in the
interests of the child
Source: CREATE Foundation 2006
The early years
(Prep-Year 4)
• Children in out-of-home care are significantly
below the state norm in reading and numeracy
at all levels except Year 3 reading
• Abuse, neglect and multiple transitions may be
factors in development
• Focus on engagement
• Support social development and management of
emotions
• Use assessment for learning rather than
assessment of learning
Case study – the early years
‘By the time Jeff came in to care he was 7 years
old. He had no regular sleeping pattern, and could
stay awake for 30 or 40 hours at a stretch, then curl
up and sleep wherever he happened to be at the
time, for 14 or 16 hours. He couldn’t sit at a table to
eat, and would horde food in his bedroom to snack
on whenever he felt hungry. He rarely spoke, never
in sentences, and had a vocabulary of less than 25
words.’
Margaret, carer
The middle years
(Years 5-8)
• Children in out-of-home care are behind
the state norm in reading and numeracy
• Development of skills to form and maintain
relationships is a critical challenge
• Transition may exacerbate existing
problems
• They need to be encouraged/engaged
with an appropriate and challenging
curriculum
Learning and older students
(Years 9-10)
• Children in out-of-home care fall further
behind the state norm in reading and
numeracy
• They have lower secondary school
completion rates and are less likely to
progress to higher education
• May have issues relating to attendance
• May need ongoing support to achieve
academically
The Partnering Agreement, 2003
• Developed by the Departments of
Education and Human Services in
2003
• It aims to ensure coordinated
support for children and young
people in out-of-home care
• It identifies appropriate polices
and processes
• It requires that schools establish a
Student Support Group for each
student in out-of-home care
Student Support Groups (SSGs)
• A separate SSG for each student in out-of-home
care
• Members – representatives of the school and
the student’s care team
• Chaired by the principal or his or her nominee
• Role of an SSG
– Support attendance and participation
– Establish shared educational and social goals
– Monitor each student’s progress
Case study – Student Support Groups
‘The Student Support Group only meets a couple of
times a year, but it’s made a world of difference to
feel that we’re all working together to assist Jade in
this way. It’s made all the other interactions we have
with the school throughout the year so much easier
too – I know who I need to talk to and when, and
the school knows that they can always call me.’
Jemma, carer
Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
• Planning document
– Contains information, planning advice,
resources and proformas
• Each student in out-of-home care must
have an IEP
– Used to document and monitor capability,
aptitude, academic progress, social skills and
relationships, attendance, and engagement
Inclusive curriculum practices
• Teachers need to identify inclusive learning
issues and opportunities in the VELS relating to
students in out-of-home care
• Advice is provided about these in:
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Health and Physical Education
Interpersonal Development
Personal Learning
Civics and Citizenship
English
Humanities – History
Science
Recommendations for schools
• Develop Individual Education Plans that identify, record
and monitor individual learning strengths and
weaknesses
• Ensure students receive appropriate teaching and
support that enables them to achieve national literacy
and numeracy benchmarks at all stages of schooling
• provide inclusive and relevant curriculum activities
• focus on building positive relationships with adults and
peers in the school and focus on building social skills
• provide non-judgemental familiarisation with classroom
values and practices.
Online support
A digital copy of the
resource can be
accessed from the
publications and media
section of the Office of
the Child Safety
Commissioner website
www.ocsc.vic.gov.au/publications/ocsc_pubs.htm