Children and Young People Under the Guardianship of the Minister

1
Children and Young People Under the Guardianship
of the Minister

• Promoting Wellbeing and Engagement in DECS schools

2
Number of children and young people under
guardianship of the Minister

• June 2007 1791
• December 2006 1655
• June 2005 1450

3
Family Conditions
A 2002 study in Victoria found that in 73 of
substantiated cases parents had one or more of
alcohol or substance dependence
domestic violence
psychiatric disability intellectual
disability
4
Family and social background
Delfabbro, Paul, School of Psychology University
of Adelaide, 2007
5
Type of Order

• 72.5 Order to 18 years
• 27.5 Order for 12 months
• Many children and young people who come into care
  are first placed on shorter orders while the
  family is supported and the future safety and
  care of the child is assessed.

6
Ages

• 0 to 2 years 12.8
• 3 to 4 years 10.9
• 5 to 7 years 16.9
• 8 to 13 years 34.1
• 14 to 17 years 25.2

7
Gender

• Male 52.3
• Female 47.6
• Indigenous 23.2
• Non-Indigenous 75.0
• Undetermined 1.8

Aboriginality
8
Location

• Metropolitan
• Noarlunga 158
• Elizabeth 153
• Modbury 148
• Salisbury 138
• Aberfoyle Park 130
• Woodville 127
• Enfield 107
• Marion 97
• Gawler 90
• Adelaide 55
• Other Locations 5

• Rural and Regional
• Murray Bridge 151
• Port Pirie 93
• Port Augusta 81
• South East 80
• Riverland 71
• Whyalla 47
• Port Lincoln 40
• Ceduna 14
• Coober Pedy 6
• Refugee Services 40

9
Accommodation arrangements

• Parents 2.2
• Relatives/kin (unpaid) 8.1
• Foster care 46.6
• Relatives/kin (paid) 26.3
• Community Residential Care 6.4
• Independent living 7.1
• Other/unknown 3.4

10
Placement stability

• First placement 4.2
• One placement 15.7
• Two to five 40.3
• Six to ten 19.6
• More than ten 20.1

11
Characteristics

• 39.0 - Identified with a DECS defined disability
  
• 9.5 - English as a second language
• Over 40 of children under guardianship were
  attending country schools

12
Percentage of children in care above National
Literacy and Numeracy Benchmarks
Source August 2006 LaN data
13
Source DECS August 2006 LaN data3
14
Dimensions of wellbeing affected by abuse and
trauma
Cognitive traumatized children have
difficulties with processing information, memory,
curiosity, mastery, motivation, persistence,
thinking and intelligence Emotional trauma
impairs development and control, affects coping,
autonomy, trust and attachment Physical early
life and living in care impacts on nutrition,
physical activity, physical safety, preventative
health care, reproductive health and substance
abuse Social all relationships impacted
parent-child, sibling, peer. Difficulties with
positive social behaviour, empathy and
sympathy Spiritual being taken into care
results in children having difficulties
developing beliefs, values, morals and ethics a
sense of meaning and purpose, altruism and a
sense of connectedness to something larger than
oneself
15
Strategies for Managing Abuse Related Trauma
SMART Practice Predictable Responsive Attuned Conn
ecting Translating Involving Calming Engaging
Rapid Response (IEP) Collaborative Practice
Forums Regional Networks linked to DECS
districts Inter-agency committees and
projects Tri-level collaboration
16
Targeted intervention for children and young
people under the guardianship of the Minister

• DECS RESPONSE
• Individual Education Plans
• Recognized as a high risk group
• in all targeted initiatives
• Data collection and reports
• District office support
• Interagency partnerships and projects
• SMART Training Program

17
Strategies for Managing Abuse-Related Trauma
Educational Reform

• SMARTER
• Online professional Learning Community
• 2 days professional development with
• Australian Childhood Foundation
• Action research based on an inquiry
• Question relating to SMART Practice
• Peer conferencing

18
Useful Websites

• Australian Childhood Foundation
  www.childhood.org.au
• SMART Online Modules http//www.childhood.org.au/s
  mart/learn-new.asp
• Individual Education Plans http//www.decs.sa.gov.
  au/speced2/default.asp?id25660navgrp2305
• Calmer Classrooms http//www.ocsc.vic.gov.au/downl
  oads/calmer_classrooms.pdf
• Bruce Perry http//www.childtraumaacademy.com/
  access to free online courses, books, videos
  relating to child trauma

19
Contact details

• Annette Bulling
• Policy Advisor Child Protection Initiatives
• Child and Student Wellbeing
• Department of Education and Childrens Services
• Bulling.annette_at_saugov.sa.gov.au
• Phone [phone]