What is an Individual Education Plan?

An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a document that describes strategies to address the particular educational needs of a child/young person. It includes school attendance, behaviour management and strategies to enhance their achievement. The IEP is developed by school staff (e.g. school counsellor or principal) in collaboration with the child/young person’s support group which includes school staff, caregiver, social worker and other professionals involved in working with the child/young person.

IEPs will generally be negotiated within one month of a child/young person going into care or enrolling in a new school. It will be reviewed every year by the support group.

I N S I D E   T H I S   CA R E R   F A C T S H E E T

1. What is an Individual Education Plan?
2. Why Individual Education Plans for Children under Guardianship?
3. The Carer’s role in the IEP Process
4. Which Children should have an IEP?
5. Factors that Help a Child’s Educational Achievement
6. Factors that Hinder a Child’s Educational Achievement
7. References
8. Who do I contact if the child in my care doesn’t have an IEP?
9. Contact Information

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Indexation 2005/06

Indexation of 2.5% has been approved for all foster carers from 1 July 2005. These new rates will be used to calculate subsidy payments for all placements from Thursday 15 September and will be reflected in the amount foster carers receive in their bank accounts for respite/emergency placements on 23 September and all other placements on 30 September.

Our Children’s Payments section has commenced calculating the back payment, which foster carers will receive for placements between 1 July 2005 and 14 September 2005. It is envisaged this back payment will be completed and all foster carers paid prior to Christmas.

We will advise carers by letter when the back payment has been lodged in their accounts.

click here to view new subsidy rates.

Ongoing Indexation
Foster carer subsidy payments will be linked to indexation and paid to foster carers from the 1 July each year.

Emergency Placement Payment
From early 2006 foster carers who accept emergency placements will receive an additional $75.00 (on top of current emergency subsidy rates). Further information on this payment will be released once the guidelines and operational policy for the payment have been developed.

Please ensure this information is passed onto all foster carers. Should your carers or staff have any queries please contact Children’s Payments on 8304 0126.

Yours sincerely
Jillian Paull
Director
Guardianship and Alternative Care
Children, Youth and Family Services

This manual is designed to help foster parents, particularly those taking on the care of younger infants and children needing a long-term placement.

It is not a comprehensive text on “how to foster”, but is more focused on the emotional needs and the healing process for abused and neglected children, especially those with attachment disturbances. It does not focus on the issues around contact with biological family.

This manual reflects the clinical views of its author, and does not represent the official policy of any fostering agency.

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This survey is being circulated this year Freda is keen to get a range of responses from all sorts of carers – foster, relative, kin; short and long term; regular and high needs; metropolitan, rural and remote; etc.

Responses will be treated as anonymous and can be returned by snail mail (Australia Post) or email to: freda.briggs@unisa.edu.au

Freda has been extremely supportive of foster carers and this could well be the last time she is able to do some research for foster carers, so our support of the project is really important – both in respecting, supporting and acknowledging her contribution in supporting carers, and also in providing an evidence base for carers to use.

Please give this your support and complete the survey, it is with these results that we can together work towards achieving better outcomes in the sector.

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