1. Education & Health Working Together
This online seminar is presented by the School of Special Educational Needs: Medical and Mental Health, based in Perth, Western Australia.
We are a government school which sits within the operations of the Statewide Services Centre of the Western Australian Department of Education.
This seminar is intended to help school staff to better assist their students with serious medical conditions.
Education & Health Working Together 1

2. Contact us
Phone:
Website: ssenmmh.wa.edu.au
The best way to contact one of our teachers is by .
If you put the medical condition (such as ABI, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, cancer, epilepsy and so on) in the subject line, your will be directed to the appropriate teacher.
Please understand that we cannot discuss any particular child until we have received signed consent from parents or guardians.
If consent is needed, one of our teachers can a consent form to you to pass on to the parent or guardian. 2

3. Provides educational services to students whose medical or mental health presents difficulties in accessing their regular education program and facilitates their entry or return to a program that best meets their ongoing needs.
Our school vision is to support the educational needs of students who are impacted by medical and/or mental health issues. 3

4. School plays an important role in management of students with chronic health conditions.
Normalising provides a focus away from illness.
Why is school so important for young people with health issues?
Well, we all know that school is important for academic reasons.
For children who are unwell for a long time, the normalising aspect of school shifts their focus to a more positive frame. They can see what’s achievable, rather than what they can’t do. 4

5. School plays an important role in management of students with chronic health conditions.
Normalising provides a focus away from illness.
The structure provided by school is highly beneficial and supportive.
And the structure of school helps build routine and a sense of security so that hospitalised students know what to expect when they return to school. 5

6. School plays an important role in management of students with chronic health conditions.
Normalising provides a focus away from illness.
The structure provided by school is highly beneficial and supportive.
The more school a student misses, the higher the level of anxiety and stress associated with attendance.
Once a student misses a lot of school, making a return can be daunting on a number of levels, particularly academically and socially.
Students who have been away from school for a long period may be anxious about being behind the rest of the class.
They may fear questions from peers and teachers about why they have been absent.
They may need help to overcome unrealistic expectations that, now they are back at school, they must be OK and can perform as they did previously. 6

7. School plays an important role in management of students with chronic health conditions.
Normalising provides a focus away from illness.
The structure provided by school is highly beneficial and supportive.
The more school a student misses, the higher the level of anxiety and stress associated with attendance.
Maintaining contact and connectedness with school and peers is essential.
Students who’ve missed a lot of school can become socially isolated and this may add to their anxiety around returning to school. 7

8. Where Education is Disrupted by Health Issues
Closs & Norris (2001) and Farrell & Harris (2003) both found a positive outcome is more likely for a student if:
A partnership exists between school, hospital school, health services, family and student;
The enrolled school has a positive ethos to support the student;
Research shows student educational outcomes are more likely to improve when enrolled schools work in partnership with all stakeholders, providing positive encouragement for the student.

9. Where Education is Disrupted by Health Issues
Closs & Norris (2001) and Farrell & Harris (2003) both found a positive outcome is more likely for a student if:
A partnership exists between school, hospital school, health services, family and student;
The enrolled school has a positive ethos to support the student;
Transition planning is conducted in advance; and
Professional learning is conducted for enrolled school staff.
Transition planning and improved understanding of staff are also important.

10. Coordinating Teacher - LETS Model
Liaise
Educate
Transition
Support
Coordinating Teacher - LETS Model
Our school’s LETS model provides an outline of the type of work we do.

11. Coordinating Teacher - LETS Model
Liaise
Educate
Transition
Support
Coordinating Teacher - LETS Model
We liaise with Health teams and schools to assess situations and help determine student needs.

12. Coordinating Teacher - LETS Model
Liaise
Educate
Transition
Support
Coordinating Teacher - LETS Model
We educate students who are unable to attend their own schools due to health conditions….

13. Coordinating Teacher - LETS Model
Liaise
Educate
Transition
Support
Coordinating Teacher - LETS Model
We provide transition support for students who have missed a lot of school due to their health issues….

14. Coordinating Teacher - LETS Model
Liaise
Educate
Transition
Support
Coordinating Teacher - LETS Model
….and support in various ways to assist students to engage with their education.

15. School Community Staff
Approximately 83 teaching & support staff - most
part-time, with ~40 volunteers.
Students
Services are provided for an average of:
150 students daily (50% primary, 50% secondary)
400 students a week
5000+ students per year
Programs
Operating 60+ programs across 30+ settings
statewide in partnership with Department of Health.
The School of Special Educational Needs: Medical and Mental Health has a Principal, Associate Principals, Teachers, Education Assistants, Library and Technology Officers, and Corporate Services Staff, following all the same corporate procedures that all schools follow.
We support over 5000 students each year with approximately two thirds of these students having significant liaison and intervention or teaching support from our staff. 15

16. PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL / PERTH CHILDRENS HOSPITAL
PROGRAMS
WA HEALTH
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - STATEWIDE SERVICES
WA COUNTRY
HEALTH SERVICE
CHILD & ADOLESCENT
HEALTH SERVICE
METRO COMMUNITY AND
SPECIALISED
MENTAL
HEALTH PROGRAMS
EAST METRO
HOME & HOSPITAL TEACHING
Teaching can continue in the home or other hospitals through referrals from schools, with
need verified by hospitals and private medical practitioners.
COUNTRY
HOSPITAL &
MENTAL HEALTH
FIONA STANLEY
HOSPITAL
JOONDALUP
HEALTH
CAMPUS
PROGRAM
SOUTH METRO
MIDLAND
NORTH METRO
SSEN:MMH
The SSEN Medical and Mental Health main office was based at Princess Margaret Hospital prior to moving to the Perth Children’s Hospital.
We have staff at various Health sites throughout the metropolitan area and country regions.
Our teachers work at various hospital sites throughout Perth—as well as in community, specialised and acute mental health programs which support the needs of children and adolescents with significant mental health issues.

17. WA COUNTRY HEALTH SERVICE COUNTRY LIAISON TEACHERS
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
WA COUNTRY HEALTH SERVICE
SSEN:MMH
COUNTRY LIAISON TEACHERS
STATEWIDE
MENTAL
TELE-HEALTH
UPPER GREAT SOUTHERN
LOWER GREAT SOUTHERN
SOUTH WEST
WHEATBELT
PILBARA
EAST KIMBERLEY
MIDWEST
WEST KIMBERLEY
There are liaison teachers in various regional locations as shown here, all based in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (or CAMHS) clinics.
GOLDFIELDS

18. Fiona Stanley Hospital
During 2015 some of our SSEN Medical and Mental Health staff moved into the new Fiona Stanley Hospital to support school-aged patients admitted to the Paediatric ward, Rehabilitation ward or Youth Mental Health Unit.

19. Perth Children’s Hospital
Here are some pictures of the Perth Children’s Hospital, our new home.

20. Statewide Services
Supporting every school to create a high performance – high care culture
SSEN: Medical and Mental Health falls under the banner of Statewide Services

21. Statewide Services Centre Our common purpose
The purpose of the Statewide Services Centre is to support successful outcomes by:
establishing better integration of services to schools, students and families;
supporting teachers to deliver a more personalised approach for each student’s learning; and
expanding opportunities for students to develop the academic, personal and social competencies they will need to participate in the future workforce and society.
The aims of the centre are listed here and form the basis for our operations at the School of Special Educational Needs: Medical and Mental Health.
We strive to establish the integration of services, support school staff and enable access to education for the students we work with.

22. Teaching Student and Learning Services Support Services Directorate
The Statewide Services Centre is divided into 2 directorates.

23. Student Support Services Directorate
Our school, along with the other 3 schools of special educational needs and other branches, forms part of the Student Support Services Directorate.
Finally, SSEN: Medical and Mental Health contact details are available in slide 2 of this presentation.
Thank you for your time.