Education for Vulnerable Children and Young People

ACWA 2002 Conference“What works? Evidence based practice in child and family

services”

Monday 2 September 2002

Robin SullivanCommissioner for Children and Young People

Swiss Grand Hotel, Bondi Beach Sydney

Vulnerable Young People

Source: National Education and Employment Forum, 2002

Indigenous and non-Indigenous year 8-12 full-time students, July 2001

Source: EQ Corporate Data Warehouse 2001 & Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training Centre Information System 2001

48.3

76.475.1

90.7

0

20

40

60

80

100

State 73.6% Non-state 90.4%

School category

Pe

r c

en

t

Indigenous Non-indigenous

Queensland retention rates

Create’s Educational Report Card 2002

• 19,783 on child protection orders

• 18,241 in out-of-home care placements

Young People in Care

Source: Create Foundation. (2002).

Australia in 2001

• 26,060 homeless young people

• This represents 1.4% of the total youth population

• Increase of 8.4% between 1994 and 2001 of homeless 12 to 18 year olds

Homelessness

Source: Chamberlain & MacKenzie (2002).

Number of homeless young people by education or employment

• School student ……...…………….. 8,485

• TAFE student ……………………… 2,148

• Unemployed ……………………… 15,038

• Full-time work ………………………... 389

Education or employment

Source: Chamberlain & MacKenzie (2002).

• Universal, as well as targetted programs should provide education entitlements for children and young people

• These programs should be coordinated, where applicable, with those providing housing, health and other support options.

Implications: policy & practice

Source:National Youth Affairs Research Scheme 2002

Present tension

Between adulthood and exclusion

Source:National Youth Affairs Research Scheme 2002

2015 tension

Between adulthood and exclusion

• Having a steady job …………..……1– involvement in work as a career…….…………….7– doing well in studies………………...…………...…8– earning a lot of money…………….……………...10

• Family relationships……..……………..2

• Developing friendships….. ……..……..3– marriage or living with a partner………..……...…9– having children………………..…………..…..…..12

Personal priorities

Source: Dwyer, Harwood & Tyler (1999).

• Involvement in leisure time activities…4

• Owning your own home……….………5

• Travelling to different places……….…6

• Being physically attractive…….……..11

• Working to correct social problems....13

• Involvement in community activities...14

• Staying in my local area……………...15

Personal priorities cont.

Source: Dwyer, Harwood & Tyler (1999).

$74,000 = Lifetime cost of each early school leaver (ESL)

1/2 cost = monetary & 1/2 = social Cost of one year’s ESL = $2.6 billion Reducing ESL = sound investment:

– individuals– government– country

Yield 12.5 % rate of return

Dusseldorp Skills Forum

Source: Spierings (2000).

Total discounted direct monetary costs of early school-leaving: Australia, 1999

Males Females Persons

$m $m $m

Individuals 286 230 516

Government 444 345 789

Total direct monetary costs 730 575 1305

Source: Dusseldorp Skills Forum

Employment and Education Status

Source: Bridging the Gap between the “Haves’ and the “Have Nots” - Report of the National Education and Employment Forum (NEEF)

Industry distribution of employmentin Australia: 1989-1999

Agriculture % Industry % Services %

1989 5.3 26.4 68.3

1999 5.0

0.3%21.6

4.8%73.4

5.1%

Industry distribution in Aust

Source:OECD (2001).

4 Domains

Source:Pitman, J.A. & Herschell, P. (2002). p 65.

Worthwhile learning

Experiential Learning

Personal growth and development Personal Career Management Management of Personal Finances

Generic Skills

The 49 Common Curriculum Elements(of the QCS Test)

Foundation Literacy Making Judgments and Decisions Creating and Producing

Syllabus-based Learning

Board subjects (as currentlydesignated)

Board-registered subjects (as currentlydesignated)

Other syllabus packages accredited byQSA

Non-syllabus-based Learning

Worthwhile Learning in the SeniorStage State of Educationencompassing eligible learning notlocated within any of the other threequadrants.

WORTHWHILELEARNING

Flexible non-time based education and training should be option.

Knowledge and skills acquired through voluntary or service based activities, as well as paid employment accepted for education and training accreditation and certification

Implications: policy & practice

• Protection resistance to health compromising or future-jeopardising behaviour

• Enhancement promotes thriving, greater positive outcomes, buffers youth against adversity and builds on young people’s innate abilities

• Resiliency promotes ability to beat the odds, to ‘bounce back’ or “recover

Asset Taxonomy

Source: Search Institute (1997).

Unruly Strong willedStubborn DeterminedUnmanageable CreativeAnger Sense of justiceDepressed UnmotivatedNot trying DiscouragedHyperactive Full of lifeSelfish Good ability to look after

themselvesDisturbed

AS

Distressed

Reframing BehavioursPositively

Source:Family Services Australia. (2001, October).

Programs should incorporate asset identification and building with a focus on the development of personal and social capital

Implications: policy & practice

EET Consultants

EET Consultants

PO Box 12671Brisbane George Street Q 4003

Level 14, T&G Building141 Queen StreetBrisbane

(07) 3247 5525 or

1800 688 275 (outside metropolitan area)

1800 113 611 (employment screening hotline)

www.childcomm.qld.gov.au

wmaster@childcomm.qld.gov.au

Our contact details