Resources
Out-of-home Care Education Commitment: a Partnering Agreement
The current partnering agreement was refreshed in 2018, with changes to align with current legislation, policy and programs available to children and young people in out-of-home care to support their education, health and wellbeing.
Learning mentors
For a short video overview of the role of the learning mentor, refer to: learning mentor training .
For more information about learning mentors and supporting children and young people in out-of-home care, refer to:
- Role of the learning mentor fact sheet
- A relationship based approach to supporting students who have experienced trauma
- Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc. (VAEAI) support services and programs (external – to support Koorie children and young people in out-of-home care.
Individual education plans
Individual education plans (IEPs) assist students who require a range of supports with their education.
An IEP is a written statement that describes the adjustments, goals and strategies to meet a student’s individual educational needs so they can reach their full potential. An IEP is essential as it helps you plan and monitor a student’s unique learning needs.
The department has developed guidance and resources to support the development of IEPS. Refer to the Individual Education Plans Policy for further information.
Education needs analysis (ENA)
The education needs analysis guidelines require specific activities and processes. These are described in the guidelines and are also described in the following documents:
- Process flowchart
- Process flowchart
- Roles and responsibilities
- Roles and responsibilities
- ENA quality guidelines for providers
- ENA quality guidelines for providers .
The ENA guidelines require the use of specific reporting templates. These are described in the guidelines and are also described in the following documents:
- Initial meeting template
- Initial meeting template
- Examples of information to be collated
- Examples of information to be collated
- Status report
- Status report
- ENA report
- ENA report .
Designated teachers
The following resources are provided to support designated teachers:
- Making SPACE for learning – a resource guide from the Australian Childhood Foundation on trauma informed practice in schools
- Caring classrooms – a guide for parents and the school community
- Understanding – information sheet by KidsMatter
- Strategies to support self-regulation – a list of classroom strategies for students with self-regulation difficulties and sensory integration difficulties.
Support for carers
- Informal Carer Statutory Declaration
- Kinship Carers Victoria – manual
- Foster Care Association of
- Student support groups for children with additional
- Raising – helping young people leaving care transition into higher education.
Support for schools and agencies
- LOOKOUT handbook
- LOOKOUT Education Support
- Designated teacher handbook
- Raising – helping young people leaving care transition into higher education
- Student support groups for students in out of home care
- Learning mentors for students in out of home care fact sheet
- A relationship-based approach to supporting students who have experienced trauma
- Classroom strategies for students with self-regulation and sensory integration difficulties .
Standards, policies and plans
- PROTECT: Child Safe
- Marrung – Aboriginal education
- Early childhood: supporting children in out of home .
Factsheets
- LOOKOUT privacy factsheet
- LOOKOUT partnering agreement – factsheet
- LOOKOUT child protection – factsheet
- LOOKOUT designated teacher – factsheet
- LOOKOUT assistance with education expenses – factsheet
- LOOKOUT Secure Care Services: Key actions for schools – factsheet .
Templates and checklists
- Authorising carers to make certain decisions — provides information for schools, kindergartens and child care providers about the decisions a foster carer, kinship carer or residential carer can make when a child is the subject of a Children’s Court order
- LOOKOUT Transition to Primary School Guidance
- LOOKOUT Transition to Primary School Guidance
- LOOKOUT Transition to Secondary School Guidance
- LOOKOUT Transition to Secondary School Guidance .
Training
Child protection protocol training – provides guidance to principals, teachers and Child Protection workers on the protocol for protecting children from harm.
Health, care and welfare organisations
- Department of Health and Human Services – delivers a wide range of community services for children and their families, such as early intervention, child protection and family support services.
- Commission for Children and Young – the Commission for Children and Young People is an organisation providing advice on issues impacting on the lives of children.
- Foster Care Association of – represents the interests of all foster carers, providing support and advice.
- CREATE – connects and empowers children and young people in care and improves the care system through activities, programs, training and policy advice.
- Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare – is the peak body for community service organisations delivering child and family support and welfare services.
- Family Court of – this court aims to help families resolve disputes through agreement without a formal hearing.
- Children's Court of – this court hears matters relating to child protection and care as well as criminal cases against children.
Reviewed 21 October 2024