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Carers should seek the support of their CSO worker in negotiating with schools if the child or young person in their care is experiencing educational difficulties. Extra effort is needed to ensure that these children and young people remain connected with school, have a positive educational experience and that barriers to learning are addressed. Educational attainment contributes to resilience and is a major factor for success later in life.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Foster children are eligible for the EMA, which is paid twice a year. Carers are advised to tick the “foster child” box on the form and not to provide the child’s Health Care Card number. This is because the computer program used to process applications will only recognise an adult’s HCC number in that section. If the claim is rejected, carers should ask the school office staff to try again and, if necessary, ring the regional number to have the claim accepted. It is a state government benefit, but is based on a federal government concession card.

Permanent carers are not technically eligible for EMA however some have received it in the past and are therefore continuing to get it.

Partnering Agreement There is a Partnering Agreement between DHS and the Education Department, which aims to ensure children in home based care remain connected with school and have better outcomes. Each child is entitled to a Student Support Group (SSG) which develops an Individual Education Plan (IEP) to support and keep the student in school.

The SSG is usually made up of parent/caregiver, case manager, teacher or year level coordinator, the student welfare person and sometimes the child. Often the school is not aware of this document; CSO workers can negotiate this agreement. (It is part of the LAC framework checklist)

The IEP describes the educational needs of the child or young person and ways to address them. It covers such things as school attendance, behavioural management and strategies to enhance their achievement. Information about IEPs and SSGs can be found on the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s website www.education.vic.gov.au

Education – What Are You Entitled To?

The cost of education is high no matter what form of education you are hoping to offer a child in your care. For many carers, DHS or your community services agency may well be able to assist with covering the costs associated with putting children through school.

For other carers, particularly those in non-statutory kinship arrangements, this assistance is not always forthcoming.

The following subsidies and fee assistance packages are available to all statutory and non-statutory carers.

Please refer to the 'HelpLine Education Entitlements' in the Links section below.

Links