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Maximising Educational Potential

Maximising Educational Potential. Education month – February 2013. Key Messages - Education. National Standards for children in out-of-home care - education Research on the importance of education Universal access to kindergarten programs Education Support Plans (ESPs)

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Maximising Educational Potential

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  1. Maximising Educational Potential Education month – February 2013

  2. Key Messages - Education • National Standards for children in out-of-home care - education • Research on the importance of education • Universal access to kindergarten programs • Education Support Plans (ESPs) • MOU: Education Outcomes – regional reporting processes

  3. National Framework • In April 2009, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) endorsed the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020 (‘National Framework’) • The National Framework is a long term approach to ensuring the safety and well being of Australian children. • The National Framework priorities are being addressed through a series of three year action plans. • One of the major achievements in the First Action Plan is the development and implementation of the National Standards for Children in out-of-home care (‘National Standards’).     

  4. National Standards • The National Standards are designed to deliver consistency and drive improvements in the quality of out-of-home care provided to children and young people. • There are 13 national standards focusing on key factors for children in out-of-home care such as education, health, participation in decisions, connection to family/community, Indigenous Child Placement Principle and leaving care. • Measures for the National Standards include evidence that education planning is developed in consultation with the child and their support network and that these documents reflect the needs of children, by being reviewed regularly.

  5. Research shows • A child’s capacity to learn is greatest during early childhood • By the time a child is four years old, the sensing and language pathways that underpin vision, hearing, touch and language abilities are largely developed • There are strong links between high-quality early childhood education and care programs and higher scores on measures of cognitive growth, social development and school readiness • Quality early childhood education programs can continue to influence maths and literacy performance at 12 years of age.

  6. Research shows… Research shows that children in out-of-home care: • may not reach their academic potential • may be over-represented in special education • may perform below their grade level • may experience cognitive and language delays, difficulties with memory and sleep disturbance as a result of past neglect and trauma which impacts upon academic performance • may have behavioural difficulties which can lead to higher risk for outcomes such as drop-out, truancy, repeating grades, suspensions and exclusions

  7. Research shows… Research shows that children in out-of-home care: • can miss out on academic concepts due to instability, placement changes and the associated disruption • can be disadvantaged by 4 to 6 months from each school change due to the lack of coordination between child safety and education systems • are less likely to progress to tertiary or other post secondary education • may not have the support, resources and attainment to progress to tertiary education.

  8. What Kids Say • I was having trouble at home and everything, and I just didn’t want to learn, and I just gave up basically. • I never excelled at school anyway because of all the stuff that happened to me whilst I was at that age – it disrupted my life – I hated it – I just wasn’t academic. • When I was in Year 7, I was kicked out, then when I went back I didn’t finish Year 7, didn’t do Year 8. I was put straight into Year 9 and I just couldn’t handle the work and I didn’t like being in an all boy’s school. • I was being continually harassed by the teachers and other students – it was a really difficult time.

  9. What can we do? • Be positive about education and try to model and facilitate pro-education attitudes. • Promote early intervention by encouraging carers to read with the child and to create learning that is fun and makes sense to the child. • Encourage attendance at approved Kindergarten Programs. • Stay connected with the child, carer and school to address educational issues early on. • Participate in the development and review of ESPs, make them meaningful to the child and facilitate their participation and involvement.

  10. What can we do? • Consider school choice and talk with DETE Regional staff when selecting a school for a child with high support needs • Minimise school changes and disruptions • Arrange educational support and assistance (e.g. specialised assistance or tutoring) • Enquire about the child’s schooling, peer relationships, their progress, their perception of school and level of connectedness with school staff and any issues that may be impacting upon their level of participation or achievement. • Cultivate motivation and explore aspirations and dreams with the child. • Celebrate progress and achievements!

  11. Kindergarten Programs • Kindergarten programs offer a safe and caring environment where children can boost their learning abilities, build self-confidence, extend their skills, have fun while learning and help prepare for school. • This program encourages the participation of children from disadvantaged or vulnerable backgrounds in quality early childhood education.  • Kindergarten programs are for children in the year before they start preparatory year and is taught by qualified early childhood teachers.

  12. Kindergarten Programs… • To be eligible for a kindergarten program, a child needs to be at least four years old by 30 June in their kindy year. • Eligibility to access a kindergarten program at low or no cost requires a child to hold a health care card - whom all children in out-of-home care are entitled. • Foster and kinship carers may also be eligible for reimbursement, through child related costs, for out-of-pocket expenses related to attendance at a kindergarten program.

  13. Education Support Plans (ESPs) • ESPs are a joint initiative between the Departments of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services and Education, Training and Employment (DETE). • They are developed by the school in collaboration with the child, their carer, child safety officer and other key people in the child’s life. • ESPs are completed for each child who is in out-of-home care, on a custody or guardianship order to the chief executive and enrolled at a state, catholic or independent school. • The ESP identifies the child’s individual educational support needs and strategies for improving academic, social and emotional functioning and active participation in school activities.

  14. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) : Education Outcomes • The 2010 MOU: Education Outcomes (including Education Support Funding Program) between the department and DETE has been reviewed. • In principle support has been reached to: • expand the eligibility criteria to include children in preparatory year to begin educational planning and support as early as possible • undertake ESP data matching processes between DETE and Child Safety Services regions so that eligible children requiring an ESP will receive the additional support.

  15. MOU: Education Outcomes… Child Safety Services will: • Determine whether a child meets the criteria to have an ESP completed and access to associated funding. • Notify the school principal in writing that the child requires an ESP before or at the time of enrolment at the school OR if the child is already enrolled at the school, within one month of the child being subject to a child protection order granting custody or guardianship to the chief executive.(Refer updated letter template)http://comintranet.root.internal/service-delivery/child-safety/child-protection/children-in-care/documents/letter-to-school-template.doc • Notify the school principal in writing of any change in circumstances which would now preclude the child’s eligibility for an ESP and access to the ESP funding.(Refer new letter template) http://comintranet/service-delivery/child-safety/practice-manual/documents/ltr-esp-eligibility.doc

  16. Regional reporting process To help ensure all eligible children receive an ESP, a new data matching process has been established. Each quarter, DETE will provide Child Safety Services with a list of children who are recorded on DETE’s OneSchool system as meeting the eligibility requirements for an ESP. Child Safety Services will match this list with ICMS. A matched list will be sent to regions which identifies children who: according to ICMS are in out-of-home care but are not appearing in OneSchool (i.e. the school may not have been advised a child is eligible for an ESP) are appearing in OneSchool but according to ICMS they are no longer in care (i.e. the school may not have been advised the child no longer meets the eligibility criteria).

  17. Regional Reporting Process Regions will liaise with CSSC’s who will review these lists and: advise schools of children’s updated ESP eligibility status.  The CSSC needs to contact schools (via the prepared letter templates) to ensure that OneSchool is accurate record the DETE EQ identifier number onto the child’s education tab in ICMS (if not already recorded). A comprehensive information pack will be provided to regions to assist with the process. Timelines Child Safety Regions will receive their quarterly lists at the end of February, May, August and November each year. Regions will review the lists and notify the school on the updated ESP eligibility status within 2 to 3 weeks so that eligible children requiring an ESP will receive the additional support.

  18. For further information • Child Safety Practice Manual – Chapter 5, section 2.4 Response to the child’s education needshttp://www.communities.qld.gov.au/childsafety/child-safety-practice-manual/chapters/5-children-in-out-of-home-care/key-steps/2-support-a-child-in-out-of-home-care • Practice resource: Improving educational outcomes for children in out-of-home carehttp://www.communities.qld.gov.au/resources/childsafety/practice-manual/pr-education-outcomes.pdf • Practice paper: Valuing and improving educational outcomes for children in out-of-home carehttp://www.communities.qld.gov.au/resources/childsafety/practice-manual/pp-valuing-improving-educational-outcomes.pdf • Kindergarten programhttp://www.qld.gov.au/kindy • 2010 MOU: Education Outcomes (including Education Support Funding Program)http://comintranet.root.internal/service-delivery/child-safety/practice-manual/documents/mou-education-outcome.pdf

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