Support services for students and families in Catholic Schools

The Catholic Intensive English Centre at Delany College provides intensive English support for newly arrives students

Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta provides an extensive range of support services to meet the needs of students and their families including support for students with learning difficulties, intellectual and physical disabilities, and those students with complex personal, social or emotional needs.

It is our belief and practice that wherever possible, students services are provided in collaboration with the student’s regular teacher(s). 

Specialist Learning support

Learning support teachers work with regular teachers to provide a range of services to meet students’ learning needs including support for students with intellectual and physical disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, vision or hearing impairment, ADHD and learning difficulties.

Learning support teachers assist classroom teachers to develop learning and teaching strategies to support students, and provide specialist knowledge and access to a range of resources and technology to support learning such as assistive technology for hearing and vision impairment (e.g. closed captioning, sound field systems, Closed Circuit Television, Zoom Twix and ClearNote, etc. Learning support teachers also facilitate the use of of iPad Apps to support student learning. Specialist Learning Support teachers may also provide one on one support for students with high needs where appropriate, including teaching Braille to some students who are legally blind.

Speech pathologists provide support for schools to enhance language development and provide intensive intervention for students with extremely high language needs. They also provide speech and language assessments where appropriate.

Psychologists with specialised training are available to conduct intellectual assessments and two highly trained psychologists provide a limited number of autism assessments.

Satellite and support classes

While the focus is to provide for the learning needs of students within their own school, there are also a number of support classes offered throughout the Diocese.

Xavier College, Llandilo offers four support classes for students in Years 7 to 12 with moderate intellectual and multiple disabilities.

In partnership with ASPECT Australia, six schools in the Diocese offer Autism support classes. Entry into these classes is through ASPECT. The schools are:

• St Patrick’s Primary, Blacktown;
• St Monica’s Primary, Richmond;
• St Thomas Aquinas Primary, Springwood;
• St Andrew’s College, Marayong;
• St Columba’s High School, Springwood; and
• Terra Sancta College, Schofields.
  

Counselling services

There are currently 55 counsellors working across all primary and secondary Catholic schools in the Parramatta Diocese to support students who may experience behavioural, emotional or mental health challenges. The numbers of counsellors provided in each school is based on the size and needs of the individual school. 

The Intensive Behaviour Services (IBS) is an additional service provided to primary schools where the extremely challenging behaviour of students requires specialist intervention.

The Secondary Team provides intensive support for schools in managing students (Years 7-12) with extremely challenging behaviour who are at risk of discontinuing their education.

The system also offers a range of supportive training for students, parents and families including coping with anxiety, grief and loss; and a range of parent education programs.

Referral service

Schools may also refer families to a range of external services, agencies and health professionals for further support, including:

• Department of Health (e.g. Redbank House, Community Health Centres, etc);
• Department of Community Services;
• Private practitioners such as paediatricians, psychologists, social workers and family therapists; and
• Autism Aspect Australia (ASPECT).

English as a Second Language

The English as a Second Language (ESL) program operates in primary and secondary schools across the Diocese. Priority is given to schools with the greatest number of new arrivals, and first and second phase ESL learners.

New Arrivals

The New Arrivals program assists specific groups of students who have newly arrived in Australia and English is a second language. Services include:

• Intensive English language instruction and a translation service;
• Primary students receive learning support from specialist new arrival teachers in their school; and
• Secondary students are supported through the Catholic Intensive English Centre at Delany College, Granville or by specialist new arrival teachers.

Jarara

The Jarara Aboriginal Education Unit works with over 520 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from both primary and secondary schools. Jarara is dedicated to the education and pastoral care of Aboriginal students and their families. Support services include:

•  Education and vocational camps;
•  Supporting the work of schools in literacy/numeracy skills development;
•  Liaison with families of Aboriginal students;
•  Cultural workshops to support and strengthen identity of students; and
•  Homework centre providing one on one support to students.

Transition to work programs

The Lighthouse and Transition programs support secondary students with the transition from school to employment, further studies or training.

The Lighthouse program is a workplace mentoring program catering for students who are at risk of leaving school. The program provides an opportunity for Years 9 and 10 students to develop key workplace skills, direction and focus in preparation for post school employment and life with the support of trained workplace mentors.

The Transition program assists secondary students with disabilities. The process in supporting students may begin as early as Year 7 in the planning of their transition to work. Students in Years 9 and 10 undertake skill-based courses such as ‘123 work’, work orientation days, effective communication, first aid, as well as work experience.

Additional support

Catholic Education aims to make schools accessible for students with additional needs through the modification of buildings, provision of facilities such as lift access, accessible toilets and sound field systems.

UCANN

Understanding Children with Additional Needs Network (UCANN) is a network to support parent and families who have children with special learning needs. The network provides information to empower parents and foster partnerships with schools and teachers. For more information about UCANN or how you can join visit www.ucann.info

How to access the services

All services are accessed via your local Catholic school. Parents with students already enrolled in a Catholic school, and those seeking enrolment should speak with the school principal for more information about the range of support services available for students.

Author: Cecilia Lim

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