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innovative community action networks ican guidelines primary and secondary schools 2011 www.ican.sa.edu.au department of education and children s services

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contents what is ican 4 icans operate through local community networks 4 flexible learning option enrolments 4 expansion of ican 5 who are ican students 5 2 flexible learning option flo enrolments 8 primary schools 9 secondary schools 9 eligibility for flo enrolment 10 priority groups at greater risk 11 young people under the guardianship of the minister gom 11 juvenile justice 11 other forms of support 13 four levels of flo a guide to referral/enrolment 14 referral process 16 the engagement matrix 20 consent to flo 20 re-enrolment/continuing enrolment 21 2 planning for learning and future pathways 22 compass 22 the flexible learning transition plan 22 personal learning plan 23 workplace learning 23 literacy and numeracy 23 delivery of learning programs 24 designing programs to engage 24 principles of good practice in program design and delivery 25 3 case management 26 case management in the ican context 26 case manager skill sets 26 key aspects of case management 29 case management outcomes 31 4 funding and expenditure 34 flo funding for schools 34 additional targeted funding tier 2 35 low ses primary case management supplement 35 exceptional circumstances case management eccm 36 funding for service providers 37 flo expenditure 37 partnership funding for flo programs/ican students 38 summary of ican funds available for primary and secondary schools 40 5 reporting and accountability 41 school reporting 41 student reports 41 non-attendance of students 42 decs panel of preferred providers 42 ican program quality assurance processes 43 reporting to ican 45 reporting by ican partners 45 6 roles and responsibilities 46 responsibilities of school staff 46 responsibilities of out-of-school ican staff 53 last update 25 august 2011 ii

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7 key contacts and links 55 ican/flo enquiries 55 appendices 57 appendix 1 engagement matrix 57 appendix 2 ican consent form 60 appendix 2a new flo referral form 61 appendix 3 ican continuation form 63 appendix 3b 2011 exceptional circumstances case management form 64 appendix 4 flo and edsas coding tips 66 appendix 5 school communication template 67 appendix 6 ican interim program registration application form 68 appendix 7 service agreement template 72 appendix 8 fact sheet benefits of ican to schools and community 75 appendix 9 degrees of influence 76 appendix 10 principles of good practice 78 appendix 11 frequently asked questions legal obligations 80 last update 25 august 2011 iii

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1 flo enrolments what is ican local innovative community action networks icans were developed for young people who had disengaged from schooling this can be for a wide variety of reasons some of these young people were still at school but had only tenuous connections with it others had not attended school for a number of years and were not only disengaged from learning but also alienated from both school and community icans are established to help these young people re-engage with learning and successfully return to school and/or embark on a pathway to further education training and employment appendix 8 lists the benefits of ican to schools and the community icans operate through local community networks each ican local area has a management committee consisting of members of community organisations businesses schools and other government agencies this group collaborates to develop local solutions to meet the particular needs of identified disengaged young people in their region this may involve local action to improve the coordination of local services it may involve using local community grants to establish programs and monitor and review them local management committees also make recommendations to government agencies about the development of statewide policies for the successful engagement and retention of all young people in meaningful learning and/or earning pathways the department of education and children s services decs has the lead role in the ican program and decs appoints regional ican staff to work with local community networks other decs regional staff and schools however icans are a locally owned strategy with a focus on the whole local community not just schools accepting responsibility for its young people and preventing them entering a lifetime of disadvantage and social exclusion flexible learning option enrolments the local decs school retains responsibility for the enrolment of identified disengaged young people through an arrangement called a flexible learning option flo enrolment each identified young person has a paid qualified case manager who is not a teacher to assist with relevant life issues case managers support the young person to establish learning goals through a flexible learning and transition plan fltp case managers and school staff collaborate in relation to planning learning programs learning programs may involve one or more of the following part-time schooling learning at an independent centre located off a school campus a tafe course a course provided by a non-government organisation and structured workplace learning all learning and training programs are able to be accredited the long-term aim is for each young person to complete year 12 or an equivalent and make a successful transition to further education training or employment all referrals of students for a flo enrolment assume that all other alternatives to engage the student have been exhausted by the school and all key stakeholders and that all parties believe that a flo enrolment is the most appropriate course of action the ican flo primary school model emphasizes a school-based program that strengthens engagement at school and adds value to the great work happening in primary sites through community partnership and more intensive transition support for the students who face some additional barriers ican recommends that school be the place where a students flexible and supported learning take place in whatever form the school and last update 25 august 2011 4

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1 flo enrolments young person/family see fit as schools know the student best the ican flo primary school model is flexible to ensure that the student is supported to engage in school in a way that reflects their needs the model is able to support the student in a communitybased case management approach which also supports the family/parent/caregiver to address the barriers that prevent the student engaging in school the ican flo primary school model focuses on students who are disengaged due to multiple and complex issues the objective of the program is to increase the student s engagement at school and therefore transition successfully to secondary school whilst addressing their underlying issues and barriers it is critical that the class teacher and school ican/flo coordinator has a close connection with the family to ensure that all services are complementary and linked to the student s engagement in school-based learning expansion of ican originally for secondary students ican expanded into primary schools in 2010 it now caters for young people year 6­19 years at the start of 2011 the ican program is operating in 10 local areas of the state which include a total of approximately 300 schools the number of areas and schools will expand from mid­2011 to cover all parts of the state ican is funded by both the state government and under the commonwealth national partnership on low socio-economic status school communities who are ican students a small group of young learners about 10 require more intensive support some may still be attending school although often only erratically and they are likely to be at severe risk of complete disengagement others will already have completely disengaged from any form of learning yet others may have been in custodial care in a juvenile justice setting and may be assisted to engage in community-based learning options and whole of community support some of the barriers young people face which may lead schools and communities to considering ican support include the following many students face multiple barriers rather than just one or two of the issues below behaviour management refugee esl parent drugs alcohol juvenile justice cultural diversity family carer learning difficulty state care low ses mental health welfare support disability family dysfunction homeless an ican student may have one or more of the following risk factors guardianship of the minister the young person resides with foster parents/alternative caregivers/in secure care as determined by families sa/young person court of sa support for this cohort of students is to be prioritised last update 25 august 2011 5

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1 flo enrolments juvenile justice the young person has had contact with the juvenile justice system through formal caution family conference or the youth court support for this cohort of students is high priority learning challenges the young person does not achieve in the mainstream learning environment because of conflict with teachers or incompatibility with the processes and systems set up around group learning in a classroom environment etc socially challenged the young person struggles to interact integrate is on the outer of social networks and friendships excluded or a loner leading to a risk of disengaging or failing to achieve carer the young person is acting as a carer due to early parenthood or they are caring for other family members bullied/self esteem issues the young person has been bullied excluded alienated harassed ill treated etc to an extent that their capacity to attend school and engage are hampered they may also show signs of poor self esteem and low self worth displayed through reckless/risky behaviour health/wellbeing the young person displays other factors suggesting they may be at risk of disengaging due to health/wellbeing e.g pregnancy self harming nourishment exhaustion transient the young person has frequently transferred between schools or localities demonstrating likelihood of further transience and instability around learning/engagement behaviour management the young person has a history of `minor behavioural issues within schooling including suspension exclusion restart disciplinary action this does not include acts of violence and severe behavioural issues cultural challenges the young person is of a cultural background which places them on the outer socially and academically all atsi students would be automatically deemed to fit these criteria given the comprehensive data associated with retention and engagement of atsi students and other action plans relating to their retention mental health the young person is experiencing emotional behavioural and/or psychological problems including depression anxiety and other assessed mental health issues family issues the young person has disclosed or there is evidence of family dynamics and personal relationships that are negatively impacting on the young person s ability to engage effectively with learning drug/alcohol exposure/misuse the young person has disclosed or there is evidence of use or exposure to alcohol and/or other drugs either at home within a social context or personally poverty the young person has disclosed or there is evidence that they face adversity through unemployment or low income in a home setting which is likely to put them at risk of completing their education disability/limited capacity the young person has a learning difficulty a condition or disability which inhibits their potential to learn the young person s capacity to succeed in learning is limited due to a physical or health-related condition creating special needs for this young person that are not able to be met in a mainstream learning setting current enrolments in a decs special class are funded under decs full enrolment and they therefore cannot concurrently be enrolled as a flo student last update 25 august 2011 6

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1 flo enrolments neglect experience of trauma or emotional physical sexual abuse the young person has been neglected and/or abused or has experienced trauma for example as a refugee homelessness/living independently the young person is living in supported accommodation `couch surfing or not residing in a stable/semi-permanent environment or is living independently and is self supporting chronic attendance issues the young person has had chronic absences from school greater than one consecutive school term.1 flexible learning option flo enrolments last update 25 august 2011 7

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1 flo enrolments 2 flexible learning option flo enrolments a flo enrolment provides resources to the school for the enrolment of disengaged young persons details of the amounts and types of funds available are provided in section 4 funding and expenditure dear ican principal re student centred funding model scfm and ican flexible learning option flo enrolments in 2011 as you will be aware the student centred funding model scfm will be implemented in schools from the beginning of the 2011 school year in planning for the flo student referrals with ican in 2011 it has come to our notice that for some area schools and smaller primary schools using the flo enrolment strategy may result in lower funding than would have been generated had the students been included as scfm enrolments due to differences in base funding in order to ensure that schools and students requiring a flo enrolment will not be negatively impacted upon during this first year of the implementation of the scfm a transition model will be in place in 2011 whilst the scfm is reviewed in preparation for 2012 this means that in 2011 additional funding will be provided to these identified schools to ensure that the per capita student funds provided for flo enrolled students will be equivalent to the funding which would have been generated had those students been enrolled as scfm students at that school this funding per school will be capped for the numbers of `projected flo enrolments provided to ican staff in december 2010 the additional funding will be provided to schools as an additional line of supplementation in the res once final validation of flo enrolments has occurred each term should you have specific queries regarding this issue in relation to your own school site please contact david hutchins manager site allocations site finance and resource services department education and children s services ph 8226 1617 fax 8359 3014 mail to david.hutchins@sa.gov.au phillipa duigan director icans and mentoring 28 january 2011 note that this additional funding for 2011 only applies to the small number of schools which could be adversely affected under the existing scfm if they flo enrol students last update 25 august 2011 8

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1 flo enrolments primary schools critical elements of a primary school flo enrolment include a school led process of identifying appropriate students in consultation with decs regional support services and other key stakeholders emphasis on a school-based model of reengagement and seamless transition of the student to secondary school addressing issues relating to social and emotional wellbeing as well as barriers to learning individual case management for learning life and transition with a focus on family involvement to support the student a flexible learning transition plan flexible school and/or community learning programs with preferred school/classroom based learning incorporating the strategies for managing abuserelated trauma smart strategies partnerships with other learning providers youth and community service providers shared support through case management and learning programs in transitioning young people from primary to secondary school these elements are discussed in detail in later sections secondary schools critical elements of a secondary school flo include individual case management for learning life and transition a flexible learning transition plan fltp flexible school and/or community based learning programs partnerships with other learning providers youth and community service providers these elements are discussed in detail in later sections program types block program ­ community based program with case management located in one site this program is identified as a regular and structured learning environment where learning and social supports can be accessed program brokerage ­ a variety of learning options in various locations across schools and communities the case manager assists in sourcing these programs in partnership with the ican/flo coordinator based on student learning plan goals school based programs ­ learning programs delivered or managed by school or a cluster of schools as part of a regular or modified timetable this is supported with case management delivered by community youth service partners on or off site re-engaging young people with learning often encourages re-engagement with community in positive ways as self esteem and personal worth increase last update 25 august 2011 9

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1 flo enrolments eligibility for flo enrolment young person year 6 ­ 19 years old has the young person been counted in any decs site s tier 1 census yes young person can not be flo enrolled no has the decs site demonstrated that it has reasonably explored consulted and utilised all appropriate school and regional support services consistent with the ican referral process option if the decs site is a low ses school exceptional circumstances case management support may be available contact local ican team for more information no investigate resources available in decs site and regional support services have disengagement issues been addressed by the decs site or regional support services support yes if the decs site identifies that the young person is showing signs of disengagement that presents barriers to a successful engagement with mainstream schooling curriculum offerings use the checklist below to assess if a flo enrolment is appropriate yes young person continues as a mainstream enrolment and is supported by the decs site and/or regional support services no complete flo check list to assess if a flo enrolment is appropriate flo check list the young person must identify with one or more of the following disengagement criteria decrease in engagement1 in classes and learning missing significant amounts of lessons increased time in the withdrawal room for minor behavioural issues2 increased pattern of suspension complex social and emotional issues3 causing barriers to educational attainment delayed acquisition of required literacy and numeracy levels learning disabilities that impact on successful engagement and achievement in learning increase in school absences and attendance issues4 does the young person identify with one or more of the criteria above no young person continues as a mainstream enrolment and is supported by the decs site and/or regional support services yes decs site completes flo enrolment process last update 25 august 2011 10

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1 flo enrolments what does this mean decrease in engagement in this context we mean withdrawn defiant oppositional disruptive behaviour causing a barrier to the young person in acquiring the required learning in this learning environment minor behavioural issues in this context we mean `minor behavioural issues which cause a barrier to the young person in acquiring the required learning it does not mean young people exhibiting acts of violence and severe behaviours who should in line with the ican referral process be referred to a decs interagency behaviour support coordinator for appropriate assessment referral and support prior to a flo referral complex social and emotional issues by this we mean issues which create a barrier to the young person s learning due to depression anxiety disorders and other assessed mental health issues or an issue such as homelessness substance misuse domestic violence school transfer issues and/or being the primary carer of a parent or child as outlined in the risk factors earlier in this section attendance issues by this we mean chronic absences greater than one consecutive school term acute attendance issues of less than one school term should be addressed using school-based strategies and/or alternative school-based programs such as youth connections etc it should be remembered that the following students cannot be flo enrolled students with a disability or who have limited capacity and who are currently enrolled under a decs full enrolment in a decs special class cannot concurrently be enrolled as a flo student students who are exhibiting acts of violence and severe behaviours should be referred to decs interagency for appropriate assessment referral and support a flo referral may be suitable in the future priority groups at greater risk some young people are prioritised for additional support as part of the government s social inclusion initiative high priority consideration will be given to those groups referenced by the social inclusion board further detail is available on their website www.socialinclusion.sa.gov.au some additional ican resources may be made available for these students through the local ican management committee your local ican program manager can advise you further young people under the guardianship of the minister gom some young people are cared for under the guardianship of the minister if they can be enrolled in an ican school they are eligible not only for flo enrolment but also for additional ican support through the department of families and communities dfc `guardianship assertive management initiative your local ican team will facilitate discussions with relevant dfc personnel in relation to young people under the guardianship of the minister as families sa within the dfc remains the lead agency for the care of young people who are under the guardianship of the minister the procedures for flo referral and case management have been adapted a full explanation is available in section 6 of these guidelines juvenile justice ican has strong links with the justice sector the decs youth education centre the courts administration authority family conference team and sa police who are last update 25 august 2011 11

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1 flo enrolments aware of the opportunities ican and flo enrolments can offer young people who have been in secure care or who have had contact with the juvenile justice system through formal caution family conference or the youth court where appropriate access to ican support should be prioritised young people who are leaving secure care and who are not enrolled in any decs school will be eligible for a school enrolment in flo through the ican referral process and will therefore attract enrolment funding through decs students will be supported by their flo case manager and the case management at the youth education centre magill or cavan as they move between secure care and the community and visa versa case notes and learning plans should be shared between the case managers to ensure seamlessness in their learning and engagement as well as the shared responsibility for their wellbeing if they have missed the census date for the current term schools should apply for funding for exceptional circumstances case management until they can access a full flo enrolment in the following term young people who are leaving secure care who are already enrolled in a decs school but who are a client of families sa may be eligible to apply for additional funding from families sa to access case management and/or flo programs this can be pursued through the ican regional manager young people who are leaving secure care who are already enrolled in a decs school but who do not have a families sa social worker may be eligible to access ican funds to purchase case management together with programs if applicable this will be based on individual cases through negotiation and at the discretion of the state ican program manager the local ican team will support schools around enrolment options in ican schools as it relates to students who are clients of families sa procedure for young people leaving secure care enrolled in decs school no eligibility for flo additional support eligible for flo through ican referral process not eligible for flo if past the term 1 staffing census if census date has been missed schools should apply for exceptional circumstances case management if young person has a families sa social worker schools should apply for families sa funding if young person has no families sa social worker schools can apply for exceptional circumstances case management yes last update 25 august 2011 12

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1 flo enrolments other forms of support there are a number of other resources available to schools to support young people who are not flo eligible but who may need additional support or flexible programming schools could explore further the support offered through secondary school mentoring program primary school community mentoring program community volunteer mentoring youth development programs trade schools for the future youth compact youth connections aboriginal mentoring industry skills programs all of the abovementioned strategies are a part of the compact for young australians or decs learning and work strategy last update 25 august 2011 13

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1 flo enrolments four levels of flo a guide to referral/enrolment this flo 1-4 diagram is a guide to the assessment referral and entry process of a young person into the flo strategy flo 1 student profile risk at some risk of early school leaving early intervention flo 2 keeping on track students still able to maintain a link with school-based learning flo 3 keeping connected student with longer term habitual attendance issues requiring greater support in social and living skills objective to achieve successful and positive engagement in community and learning this model addresses holistic needs of student accredits learning from rtos and workplace providing realistic pathway options with program brokerage provides guidance in further education and skills/employment flo 4 re-engagement student completely disengaged school refusal chronic truancy significant barriers in student health wellbeing may have links with juvenile justice issues objective to engage in learning for a positive and successful engagement in community with a realistic learning/work plan for future this model addresses barriers to positive pathways addresses holistic needs of student may spend extended time on engagement activity prior to accessing accredited learning from rtos with a focus on independent living and workready skills development engagement objectives objective to fully engage ideally into the full range of learning options available to all students at school site this model addresses barriers to engagement and retention is a more flexible learning program which focuses on literacy numeracy social skill development focuses on full engagement in main school learning program objective to increase attendance engagement and successful achievement in learning this model addresses barriers to retention and engagement accredits learning in school and community includes some brokerage of community programs focuses on full engagement in main school learning further education and training programs last update 25 august 2011 14

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1 flo enrolments four levels of flo a guide to referral/enrolment cont flo 1 learning objectives flo 2 flo 3 flo 4 flexible learning transition plan/personal learning plan predominantly school-based learning but a more flexible learning plan school-based mentoring addition of case management as required mainly school-based learning with limited community programs and youth support some learning off site youth worker on and off site case management provided by a youth agency but may occur on or off school site combination of communitybased programs with some school-based learning youth agency provides case management services and access to additional youth support programs in community off site community-based programs for case management and learning possibly from same provider intensive case management support of holistic needs of young person with likely extended time frames case management services value added state government dept education children s service decs dept families communities dfc dept further education service employment science technology dfeest south australian police sapol dept health doh non-government ngos youth-focused support organisations registered training organisations rtos federal government dept education employment and workplace relations deewr centrelink dept families housing community services and indigenous affairs fahcsia local government in particular youth support programs and services and community education services additional levels of partnership support increase with each level of flo last update 25 august 2011 15

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