How well do children in state care do in the state education system 2015-16?

30 May 2017

In South Australia in 2016, 61.6 per cent of all students in care were enrolled in DECD schools.

The Guardian’s latest report Children and Young People in State Care in South Australian Government Schools 2008-2016, is due for release tomorrow.  The report explores how well the state school system is providing for children and young people in care in these and other areas:

disability

  • A greater proportion have learning disabilities, notably in speech and language skills.
  • The proportion with an intellectual disability is nearly seven times the overall DECD student population.
  • The proportion with a speech and language related disability is over three times the overall DECD student population.

absence

  • The absence rate is only slightly higher than that for the overall DECD school population.
  • Aboriginal children in care have lower rates of absence than the overall DECD student population in significant categories.
  • Children and young people in care from non-English speaking backgrounds have over double the absence rate of all DECD enrolled students.

suspension

  • Students in care have higher rates of suspension but only in their primary school years.

NAPLAN

  • Many students in care in DECD schools do not sit the NAPLAN test, categorised as absent, exempt or withdrawn.  For example, for almost half of all Year 9 DECD enrolled students in care there is no information about them in critical areas such as numeracy and reading which may cast doubt on the validity of the reported figures.

You can read the full report on the Guardian’s website now.

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