Early intervention and an expert workforce are the pillars of a new Department of Education student behaviour strategy.
The Department said its NSW Education Student Behaviour Strategy would establish a new State-wide team of behaviour specialists to provide advice, coordination, and case management for students who required it.
Minister for Education, Sarah Mitchell said the Strategy supported schools to address increasingly complex student behaviour and ensured that every student could access education and fulfil their potential.
“This Strategy is informed by local and international best practice and incorporates recent feedback,” Ms Mitchell said.
“We are determined to ensure our schools are safe and respectful learning environments for both staff and students,” she said.
Ms Mitchell said the Strategy was based on the Telethon Kids Institute’s 2019 evidence review of what worked best to support student behaviour needs; the recommendations of three separate independent reviews in NSW; and stakeholder consultation over three years.
The Minister said the Department’s Strategy included a State-wide team of 36 behaviour specialists to provide advice, coordination and case management of complex cases; easier access to additional allied health and professional behaviour support services for schools; and additional professional learning to build the school workforce’s capability to support and manage student behaviour.
She said the Strategy stuck a balance between allowing every student to fulfil their potential and ensuring safe working environments.
Ms Mitchell said principals would retain the discretion to suspend students however, the Department would collaborate with principals on evidence-based options for how suspensions were issued and managed.
“The Student Behaviour Strategy will be phased in with consultation continuing on a suite of new policies and procedures, due to be released in Term Three, 2021,” she said.
The Department’s 29-page Strategy can be downloaded at this PS News link.
