THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUT-OF-HOME CARE PhD study by Michelle Townsend

1. THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUT-OF-HOME CARE PhD study by Michelle Townsend Supported by the Centre for Children and Young People, Southern Cross University and the NSW Community Services

2. Presentation overview 1. How are children and young people in care performing educationally? What are the key factors affecting the educational engagement and outcomes of children in care? What are the policy and practice implications suggested by children and adults?

3. Research question What are the factors that facilitate and impede educational engagement and achievement by children and young people in care within their home and school context, and within the broader care and protection and education systems?

4. Research stages • Data matching (state-wide tests) - 2263 children • Case file review - 56 children • Interviews - 31 children • Interviews and focus groups with adult stakeholders - 187 participants

5. Data quality issues • Low matching of children between Education and Community Services data: • - 2004 Yrs 3-8 - 20.2%; 2006 - 26.3% • - 2006 School Certificate and HSC - 23.1% • Limitations of reviewing case files

6. How children are faring with their education?

7. How children are faring with their education?

8. How children are faring with their education?

9. How children are faring with their education? • Students in care are performing below their non-care peers – at every test level across the two years of testing • Indigenous students in care are performing below their non-Indigenous peers in care • Students in care are performing below every other DET equity group, except Aboriginal students

10. How children are faring with their education? • Students in care at risk of falling further behind as they progress through school. • Small group performing well: - 2 in 10 in Year 3 and 5 literacy and numeracy - 6 in 10 in Year 7 literacy - 3 in 10 in Year 7 numeracy

11. How children are faring with their education? Participation information 2006 School Certificate

12. How children are faring with their education?

13. How children are faring with their education?

14. How children are faring with their education? Participation information 2006 Higher School Certificate

16. Key factors affecting children’s educational engagement and outcomes

17. Factors: Multifactorial and ecosystemic

19. Care and Education Transitions By the time the children in this study were in their first two years of high school, they had: Attended an average of 4.1 schools, Experienced an average of 5.5 placements, and Had 3.4 caseworkers. At high school: 28.6% had changed placement since starting highschool, a third of these children also required a school change

20. Education and Children in Care: What Matters

21. Policy and Practice Implications

22. Policy and Practice Implications: Children

23. Policy and Practice Implications: Adults

24. Thank youContact detailsMichelle Townsendmtowns14@scu.edu.au02 4226 5425