Addressing high rates of school suspension

This policy paper examines the impact of rising rates of school suspension on vulnerable children and young people. Often, the students suspended from school are those who can least afford to be absent from the classroom. Indeed, certain groups of students, including children and young people in out-of-home care, Aboriginal students and children with disabilities are suspended at disproportionate rates. Research indicates that school suspension is not effective because it doesn’t address the underlying issues which lead to disruptive behavior. Moreover, suspension intensifies academic difficulties, impairs employment prospects, places strains on family relationships and increases the risk of the student becoming involved in the juvenile justice system. The paper identifies four key areas where action is required to build learning environments that are inclusive of our most vulnerable children and young people and to turn around the high rates of school suspension

A strong future for young people leaving out-of-home care

Young people leaving care or who have left care are over-represented in the statistics on homelessness, early school leaving and contact with the criminal justice system. They are also more likely to have children at an early age and are at greater risk of having their own child taken into care. Improving outcomes for young people who are leaving care requires a dual focus on improving the quality of care and providing better support to young people as they are transitioning from care. UnitingCare Chidlren Young People and Famliies has conducted a review of Australian and international policy and program approaches relevant to improving outcomes for young people who are transitioning from OOHC to adulthood. This paper sets out the key learnings from this review. The paper focuses on the policy changes that are needed for young people who are transitioning from care across the leaving and aftercare phases. It includes a six-point plan to improve outcomes for young people who are transitioning from OOHC to adulthood. While the paper focuses particularly on the NSW policy context it will also have relevance to readers in other Australian states and territories.   &nbsp

The Future of Women\u27s Studies (Continued)

from the CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, CHICO Women\u27s Studies at Chico developed from courses offered by women in their different departments, gathered to form a minor degree program in spring, 1973. Two specifically women\u27s studies courses were designed at that time: a team-taught Introduction to Women\u27s Studies (draws around 80 students a semester, changes women students\u27 expectations and horizons by projecting models of achieving women) and a Senior Research Seminar designed to integrate the students\u27 major and minor. Both are taught by the Women\u27s Studies Coordinator. Student demand has led to the development of new courses whose content received a great deal of student input: Women\u27s Health, Women in the Working World, Women in Art, Minority Women and the Re-Entry Program for Mature Women. There are now 20 courses offered through the Women\u27s Studies Program. Students are designing special degrees on the B.A. and M.A. level in areas such as Women and Counseling, Psychology and Art. ...from the CITY COLLEGE OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK... ...from FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY... ...from the JERSEY CITY STATE COLLEGE... ...from the UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND... ...from UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS/AMHERST... ...from the UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA... ...from the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA..

Education matters - improving the educational outcomes of children and young people in care

Education makes a crucial contribution to the development and wellbeing of all children and young people and is an important gateway to future employment and life opportunities. For children and young people growing up in out-of-home care, education can provide a pathway out of disadvantage. However, numerous studies in Australia and overseas have found that children and young people growing up in care are at risk of poor educational outcomes including behavioural and disciplinary problems, higher rates of truancy, poor school grades and early school leaving.They are also less likely to progress to post-secondary education or training. Improving education outcomes requires focused attention across all stages of a child’s education from the early years, through school-age education and support for further education and training. This paper reviews promising policy approaches being used in Australia and overseas. It identifies seven key action areas to promote improved educational outcomes for children and young people growing up in care in NSW. Click green links to read the Education matters Executive summary and Discussion paper

Improving educational outcomes for Aboriginal people

The NSW Government has established a Ministerial Taskforce on Aboriginal Affairs following reports by the NSW Ombudsman and Auditor-General that were critical of the progress that is being made to improve the lives of Aboriginal people in NSW. UnitingCare Children Young People and Families has made a substantial submission on improving educational outcomes for Aboriginal people. The submission draws attention to the high rates of suspension of Aboriginal students and suggests alternative ways of managing challenging behaviour in schools. It also emphasises the importance of increasing participation of Aboriginal children in early childhood education and care and outlines strategies needed to achieve this

Submission to the Senate inquiry into access and attainment for students with disability

Many students with disability experience disadvantage and discrimination in school. They face several significant challenges, including exclusion from school and inadequate support. These students are currently being denied their right to an inclusive, quality education. The Senate Education and Employment References Committee is conducting a national inquiry on school education for students with a disability. UnitingCare Children, Young People and Families recently prepared a submission to the inquiry. The submission explores some of the barriers faced by students with disability and their families, such as repeated suspensions and insufficient support during key transitions. The submission also highlights the UnitingCare Stay Connected program as an example of a successful approach to supporting children and young people with disabilities. The submission addresses issues which impact all students with disability and their families, however there is a particular focus on the experiences of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or intellectual disability with challenging behaviour

Psychosocial predictors of changes in adolescent girls’ physical activity and dietary behaviours over the course of the Go Girls! group-based mentoring program

Changes in social cognitions targeted within a group-based mentoring program for adolescent girls were examined as predictors of changes in physical activity (PA) and dietary behavior (in two separate models) over the course of the 7 week program. Data were collected from 310 participants who participated in the program. Multilevel path models were used to assess changes in psychosocial variables predicting changes in behavioral outcomes from pre- to post-program. Analyses revealed that 24.4% and 12.3% of the variance in increases in PA and dietary behavior, respectively, was explained by increases in affective and instrumental attitudes, self-regulatory efficacy (SRE), and intentions. Increases in intentions partially mediated the effects of increases in SRE and affective attitudes on increases in PA behavior. In relation to improvements in dietary behavior, increases in intentions and SRE directly predicted improvements in dietary behavior. These findings suggest potential psychological mechanisms through which a group-based mentoring program may lead to changes in adolescent girls’ health-enhancing PA and dietary behaviors.Arts, Faculty ofEducation, Faculty ofHealth and Social Development, Faculty of (Okanagan)Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofHealth and Exercise Sciences, School of (Okanagan)Kinesiology, School ofPsychology, Department ofReviewedFacultyPostdoctoralGraduat

Additional file 1 of Real-world use and clinical impact of an electronic patient-reported outcome tool in patients with solid tumors treated with immuno-oncology therapy

Supplementary Material