Life Without Barriers releases education strategy to help children thrive

Life Without Barriers has released a dedicated strategy designed to support children and young people in care to thrive in education.

 

The strategy focuses on four key areas to increase early learning centre and school enrolments while maximising attendance and wrapping support around families during the first 1,000 days of a child’s development.

 

Life Without Barriers Chief Executive Claire Robbs said children in out-of-home care (OOHC) experience greater disruptions and poorer educational outcomes than their peers who are not in care.

 

“As a major provider of OOHC services, Life Without Barriers has seen first-hand the disruptions children in care experience in their education,” she said. 

 

“Education is a pathway from disadvantage. Our education strategy is designed to support the children and young people in our care to reach their potential through access to learning pathways that are right for them.” 

 

“This is particularly important for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who are over-represented (over 10 times than other children) in OOHC and thus more likely to have poorer educational outcomes.”

 

It is hoped that the strategy will influence educational outcomes for children in OOHC by: 

• Creating resources and opportunities that engage and inspire children and young people in education and learning

• Supporting staff and carers to be a driving force in setting children and young people up for education and learning success

• Ensuring children and young people are enrolled in early education and schools and providing support around their families to improve school attendance, put learning plans in place and provide school readiness assessments

• Partnering with government, educators, academics, and our sector to accelerate the pace of change in educational outcomes for kids in care.

 

It is hoped that the strategy will help a child’s direct care network, teachers, schools, and the broader education system better understand the challenges children and young people in OOHC face and identify trends and needs to facilitate better educational outcomes.

 

“Children receiving child protection services often have gaps in their access to school due to changes in placements and experience trauma that can result in behavioural problems, higher rates of truancy and poor school grades,” said Dale Murray, Life Without Barriers Executive Director of Education.

 

“The impact of this needs to be widely understood by our education sector and our strategy is designed to increase this knowledge.”

 

To access the Life Without Barriers Education Strategy, visit here.