Supporting Students in Out-of-Home Care

6 Introduction to Educational Needs Analysis guidance

Every child and young person who has been living in statutory out-of-home-care for at least three months (consecutively or for a period that adds up to three months) requires an Educational Needs Analysis (ENA). If a member of the student support group (SSG) has concerns regarding the student’s presentation and rate of progression the ENA process should begin immediately.

Children and young people residing in statutory out-of-home care present with a diverse range characteristics, needs, strengths and interests. They share the experience of removal from their parents’ care as a result of significant concerns for their safety and wellbeing, such as exposure to abuse and other traumatic events.

There is substantial research regarding the impact of abuse, trauma and disrupted attachment on development, school engagement and achievement. Research indicates that children and young people in out-of-home care experience poorer educational and life outcomes compared to their peers who are not residing in out-of-home care. They are also more likely to have Special Educational Needs (SEN). Students in out-of-home care with SEN have poorer test scores and are less likely to complete secondary education compared with students in out-of-home care without SEN or students with SEN who are not residing in out-of-home care. Raising educational attainment is an important strategy to interrupt these negative life trajectories (O’Higgins, et al, 2017).

However, residing in out-of-home care does not have a causal relationship with poor attainment; nor does it mean that every child in care will have worse outcomes than their peers. A student’s individual characteristics, exposure to traumatic events and other contextual factors that may have led to them entering out-of-home care, and age and time of entry into care will all contribute to their individual presentation (Welbourne & Leeson, 2012)[i]. In addition, protective factors, such as a safe and supportive environment, school engagement, and positive connections with teachers and peers significantly improves outcomes for students in out-of-home care.

6.1 Overview of Educational Needs Analysis

The ENA is a process of understanding and addressing a student’s social, emotional and cultural learning needs, as well as their strengths. This involves collecting, reviewing and analysing personal, health, and educational information from a range of sources and determining the need for additional interventions and services. The ENA aims to support identification of the student’s individual learning needs and inform their Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Personalised Learning Plan (PLP). Note that there are templates available for IEPs in the Resources tab.

An effective ENA is trauma-informed and takes a holistic view of the child or young person across their physical, social, emotional, educational, and psychological development.

The ENA is also informed by the linguistic and cultural background of the student, and the student’s own views and readiness to participate in the process (where appropriate).

The process considers the broader context in which the student lives and learns (eg. school, home, residential care), the conditions and the people in the student’s life and how these impact on the student’s development and progress.

The ENA should be strengths-based and constructive, rather than simply labelling the difficulty.

It should also ensure existing progress can be maintained and support acceleration when appropriate.

The ENA process is designed to follow a multi-tiered system of support approach from the least to the most intrusive procedure of information gathering and analysis based on the individual and contextual characteristics of each student.

The ENA may include assessment processes such as observation and interviews with key stakeholders, and collation of existing information, such as school-based assessment (e.g. school reports, NAPLAN and On Demand test results) and information provided by the DHHS/Community Service Organisation (CSO) case manager. It may also include administration of standardised screening tools and diagnostic tests in a range of areas of development, such as cognitive and intellectual, achievement, language, adaptive functioning, social, emotional and behavioural functioning, mental health, skills and interests, and vocational assessment.

Standardised screening tools and diagnostic tests should not replace routine assessment processes utilised by educational settings for all students. Schools are able to provide data/information regarding attainment, wellbeing, and behaviour that will form the basis of decisions regarding additional assessment and intervention. Where direct consultation and assessment with the student is considered, the student’s capacity to participate in the assessment should also be taken into account (i.e. current emotional state). The best interests of the student, rather than pre-determined timelines, should remain paramount in decision-making.

The subsequent strategies and interventions recommended need to be evidence-based and embedded within an evaluation and review cycle.

The recommendations stemming from the ENA process, albeit focused on educational outcomes, assume that all members of the team around the student, including the carers/residential staff, teachers and the student, are working together and have a shared responsibility in promoting these in their individual environments (eg. school/home/residential care) and facilitating their successful implementation.

As the individual needs, strengths and prior interventions for students in out-of-home care vary, the ENA and subsequent educational planning and support will be different for each student, while retaining the overarching goal of positive educational and life outcomes.

[i] Welbourne, P. & Leeson, C. (2012). The education of children in care: A research review. Journal of Children’s Services, 7 (2), 128-143.