Calls for reform to shield Queensland’s at-risk kids

Queensland’s peak child protection body is demanding the Education Minister do more to stop so many of the state’s most vulnerable children copping suspentions.

Queensland’s peak child protection body is demanding the Education Minister do more to stop so many of the state’s most vulnerable children being suspended and expelled from state schools.

PeakCare has written to Grace Grace following shock statistics revealed by The Courier Mail that children in care are being suspended at a rate six times higher than other students, which advocates argue is funnelling children into further disadvantage and the youth justice system.

The letter requests a meeting with Ms Grace and experts in the child safety field to discuss other disciplinary measures that would keep children in school, like sending children to cool-down zones, or working with children on plans that outlined consequences for problem behaviour.

Education Minister Grace Grace during a press conference. Picture: Liam Kidston

PeakCare executive director Lindsay Wegener said disciplinary policies couldn’t ignore the trauma faced by at-risk kids.

“We can’t ignore that struggles are occurring within their families and while those struggles are happening, children are not going to be able to attend very well to their studies,” he said.

“Our members have reported to us longstanding concerns about suspension and exclusion rates and the impact that has on … children and their families.

“What the figures did was provide very stark evidence that was incredibly alarming.”

He called for a more public review to follow Education Queensland’s internal review of the problems, arguing “they’re talking to themselves”.

“The most important people here to listen to are children themselves and their families,” he said.

“Their voices have got to be heard and what their experiences are.

“An internal review might be reasonable to start working out what they’re looking at but whether its in a parliamentary review, or some other process, it’s absolutely imperative the consumers of this system have a voice.”

Lindsay Wegener, executive director of PeakCare.

Life Without Barriers education director Dale Murray, who works with foster families and children, said there was no evidence that using suspensions or expulsions changed behaviour for vulnerable children.

“It just further isolates children and it’s no pathway from healing from trauma through exclusion,” he said.

“So the starting point for the conversation needs to be a step back.

“Traditional disciplinary actions have no place for this group of children in state care (because) these are all pain-based behaviours that children experience because of complex developmental trauma.”

Mr Murray said schools were doing good work in trauma education, but then not applying it to policies.

He suggested children have places to go to calm down, or other places for learning when teachers wanted to remove them as a safety risk or distraction.

“But keep them inside the gate because as soon as we send them outside the gate that’s a slippery slope because the child realises that gets them out of there,” he said.

Ms Grace earlier this week said a wider review may be called after the department completed its work.