Page 1227 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 3 April 2019
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Shaddock, Dr Sue Packer and Mr Alasdair Roy. The report made 50 recommendations to the ACT Government, which were considered and actioned as part of the Schools for All Program through 2016 to 2018. Among the recommendations was Recommendation 9.1, which called for all school sectors to endorse school-wide Positive Behaviour Support, resource and support its implementation for a minimum of three years, and evaluate its success. In making this recommendation, the Expert Panel drew together stakeholder feedback, international experience and evidence for this kind of approach.3
The Program’s implementation work included a collaborative approach to system reform across the government, Catholic and Independent school sectors. These fundamental reforms included all aspects of the education system, through projects such as better design for infrastructure, the strengthening of centralised allied health service, and strengthening student-centred inclusive school cultures through programs such as Positive Behaviours for Learning (PBL).
The government established an independent oversight group to monitor implementation of the Schools for All Program. In their concluding letter, the group commended the achievements of the Schools for All program as having “achieved more than just the delivery of the 50 recommendations in that it has led to systemic and cross sectoral change”. Achievements identified by the Independent Oversight Group include:
• strengthened collaboration across sectors and with the human services sector
• cross sector projects that have been completed (e.g. parental engagement and the Everyone, Everyday program)
• PBL framework that 51 of 88 government schools are currently implementing with support from PBL coaches, and will be deployed in all government schools
• greater transparency and resources for staff, parents and the community (e.g. intranet and website for inclusion and wellbeing)
• a greater focus on professional learning
• strengthening relationships between the Education, Community Services, Health and the Justice and Community Safety Directorates, as well as external agencies such as the National Disability Insurance Agency to ensure interventions better suit the challenges faced by students.
The Caple Review focused on the requirements of a systems approach for the prevention of physical and psychological injury to principals, teachers and learning support assistants arising from incidents of occupational violence within ACT schools. This review recommended further professional development for staff working with students with complex needs, work health and safety risk assessment processes and a student case management approach, improving data capture for occupational violence incidents, closer working relationships with pre-service universities to ensure new educators have experience and knowledge to teach students with complex needs. Implementation work is well advanced.
In 2016, led by calls from the Australian Education Union, the Directorate consulted with staff and unions in designing an Occupational Violence Policy and Management Plan that focussed on staff safety in the workplace. The Policy and Management Plan strengthens the Directorate’s approach to prevent and reduce violence in schools and responses to occupational violence. During this
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