education support services and health promoting schools dr trish struthers physiotherapy department,...

Education support services and health promoting schools

Dr Trish Struthers

Physiotherapy Department, UWC

The healthpromoting schools frameworkHealth Promoting Schools Conference 2006

Overview

Educationsupportservices

Healthpromoting schools

framework

Inclusive education

system

Inclusive education

system

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

Inclusive education policy

Vision of an inclusiveeducation system

Principles of human rights and social justice

Access to a single inclusive education system

Equity and redress for learners excluded in the past

NCSNET/NCESS Report (Department of Education, 1997)Education White Paper 6 (Department of Education, 2001)

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

Education White Paper 6 (Department of Education, 2001)

All children and youth can learn& all children and youth need support

All learners are different & have different learning needs

Change attitudes, behaviour,teaching methodologies, curricula & environment to meet the needs of all learners

Uncover & minimize barriers to learning

Education White Paper 6

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

Is there a crisis in education?

Challenges toimplementing

inclusiveeducation

Inequities in education

Teachers are overburdened

Poverty & socio-economic problems

Difficult to adapt curriculum

Additional roles & responsibilities

Opposition to inclusive education

Feel unsupported

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

How do we implement IE?

The question is:How do we bridge the gap between

policy and reality, bearing in mind the significant challenges to the implementation of an inclusive education system?

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

Policy:Vision of an inclusive

education system

The gap between policy and implementation

Implementation of an inclusive

education system

Challenges to implementinginclusive education

GAP

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

Policy:Vision of an inclusive

education system

Using the health promoting schools framework

Health promoting schools

framework

Implementation of an inclusive

education system

Challenges to implementinginclusive education

GAP

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

Health promoting schools framework

Based on WHO health promotion framework from the Ottawa Charter

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

Health promoting schools framework

Developing healthyschool policies

Developing healthyschool environment

Developing healthypersonal skills

Developing healthyschool –community network

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

Health promoting schools framework

Developing healthyschool policies

Developing healthyschool environment

Developing healthypersonal skills

Developing healthyschool –community network

Reorienting the education support services

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

Education support services

learning support teachers

occupational therapists

physiotherapistsspeech & language

therapistspsychologistsnursesdoctorssocial workers

community-based support systems

Parents & grandparents

NGOs traditional healers community-based

rehabilitation workers

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

What does ‘reorientation’ mean

for the educationsupport services?

Preventive & developmental approach to the provision of support includingthe development of health promoting schools

The healthpromoting schools frameworkBuild district-based support teams

Healthy policy

Developing school policy that supports and promotes well-being including:Access to schoolAccess to education support servicesAccess to assistive devices Involvement of all learners in physical

activityPrevention of sports injuriesAccessible grounds, classrooms, toilets

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

Healthy environment

Creating a safe & supportive teaching & learning environmentphysical environment of the schoolclassroom environment psychosocial environment

Discrimination: disability, social class, race, gender

Self-esteem

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

School – Community network

Strengthening community action & building the network between the school & the community

Developing school – parents relationship Partnership Advocacy groups (DICAG)

Identifying social determinants of health in community

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

Personal skills

Developing personal skills of all in the school communityLearnersTeachersNon-teaching staffParents

self-esteem & empowerment

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

Education support services

Inclusive education system

Whole schooldevelopment

Inclusive & health promoting

schools framework

Support from district-based support team

The healthpromoting schools framework

Medical model Health promoting model

Medical model

Focus: normalise the individual learner

Direct support Focus on individuals

Health promoting model

Focus: adapt environment to enable learner to participate in school & society

Indirect support teachers & parents

Focus on groups/population

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

Shift from direct indirect support

support services need to move from a focus on individual learners

to support for teachers and the system

so teachers can respond to the needs of learners

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

Education support service is inequitable

Public vs. private sectorRural vs. urban areasProvincial differencesSupport from tertiary institutions

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

Therapists working with children in Western Cape per education district

72

33

7086

26

26

34 7 Central Metropole EMDC (20%)East Metropole EMDC (9%)North Metropole EMDC (20%)South Metropole EMDC (25%)Breede River/Overberg EMDC (7%)South Cape/Karoo EMDC (7%)Westcoast/Wineland EMDC (10%)Unknown (2%)

350 Occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech & language therapists

74% of therapists are in Cape Metropole (urban areas)

EMDC=Education, Management and Development Centre

75% of therapists work in private practice

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

Way forward: Teamwork

Within each education district District-based support team

Multidisciplinary Multisectoral

Education sector Health sector Social Development Community people & organisations

Collaborative & partnerships

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

New health promoting role of district-based support team

Consultant-mentor for learner, teacher and parent

Understand purpose of support Balance direct & indirect support Part of interdisciplinary, intersectoral team

Healthy self-esteem Team to support one another A health promoting team

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

Measuring effective support?

Indicators?What is the impact on learning?Is the outcome empowering for the

learners, teachers, parents?Has the support been health promoting?

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

Health promoting schools framework

The health promoting schools framework is an appropriate comprehensive approach to providing appropriate support to the school system, to the teachers, learners, and their parents

All in the district-based support team need competencies to provide support using this framework

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

I am a learner with a disabilityI am a learner who is HIV+

I also have the right to support which will enable me to learn

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

I am asking you, the district-based support team, to provide me with support to enable me to learn at school

I need you to develop healthy policies & the inclusion of the health promoting schools framework in the policy documents of the Departments of Education, Health and Social Development

I need you to use the health promoting schools framework

I am asking you …

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

I need your support …

I need you to help build a healthy physical and psychosocial environment at my school and in my local community

I need you to support me so I can learn and develop my knowledge and skills

I need you to support teachers, developing the links between the school and my parents and my community to enable me to be included in society

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

pstruthers@uwc.ac.za

Health Promoting Schools Conference 2006

The healthpromoting schools framework