SKOLFAM Gvle 2010 2013 Improving school achievements for

SKOLFAM Gävle 2010 - 2013 Improving school achievements for children in foster care

A cooperation between Social Services and School administration, City of Gävle Cecilia Wändell, Psychologist Tfn 026 -17 71 11 E-post Cecilia. wandell@gavle. se Kerstin Sandberg, Special education teacher Tfn 026 -17 96 99 E-post kerstin. sandberg@gavle. se

Gävleborg County in Sweden Inhabitants: 275 000

Skol. Fam Sweden a national network with 11 municipalities where Gävle is the most northern � The network is lead from Helsingborg � Helsingborg is the pioneer in this work of development � We can communicate by www. projectplace. se � We also meet and have webbconferences 2020 -10 -07 Skol. Fam Gävle

The work is based on research � Bo Vinnerljung, National Board of Health and Welfare and Professor at the University of Stockholm has in many studies shown that children grown up out of home, constitute a riskgroup in many areas

Education is a health factor as well as a major protective factor 2020 -10 -07 Skol. Fam Gävle

Vocabulary at the age of 3 Children in wellfunctioning homes, have twice as large a vocabulary as children in dysfunctional homes ( Eva Tideman, Lund University ) 2020 -10 -07 Skol. Fam Gävle

Goals for Skol. Fam School achievements is the main factor, when you will succeed in adult life � More focus at the schoolsituation for children in fostercare � To improve the prerequisites for better school achievements in foster children and to develop a preventive approach to attain this goal � Give hope!

Goals…… q Attain the goals for the national exams in grades 3, 6 and 9 in order to have access to upper secondary school q Develop a good reading- capacity and understanding in the Swedish language q Develop their numeracy skills and understanding, how and when to use the four rules of arithmetic q Develop a consciousness of how to use alternative tools (computer, cellphone etc) 2020 -10 -07 Skol. Fam Gävle

Our working plan The duration of the project is 3 years autumn 2010 - summer 2013. It is divided into three parts Year 1. Baseline mapping (T 1) Year 2. Follow-up and interventions Year 3. Retesting and evaluation (T 2) A report will then be written

24 children 7 – 14 years of age �junior level – 6 �intermediate level - 9 � 12 years and older - 9 �Average - 10: 11 år � 13 girls, 11 boys 2020 -10 -07 Skol. Fam Gävle

Children´s familysituation from start � SOL= placement by agreement : 13 children � LVU= decision by court : 11 children � From this group, 6 children were placed in their family network

Our guidelines

2020 -10 -07 Skol. Fam Gävle

Illustration workingprocess Information to Skol. Fam from socialworker Analysis of tests Plan of action Is carried out Analysis of tests Skol. Fam meets the family Analysis of the child´s needs with the socialworker Follow up – meetings at school Up to date - Plan of action, looking forward Skol. Fam meets teacher & principal Feedback to school & fosterfamily Continuous meetings at school - we document and share Experiences and evaluation are put together Mapping / test - T 1 Plan of action is created. Who is responsible for what? Retesting / - T 2 Final report!

A very special schoolday Our intention: - A positive experience for the child and the family - A chance to create a good alliance with the family - Give the child a good workingenvironment - A well structured day

Tests Psychologist: � WISC – IV (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children ) Assessment of Cognitive functioning � Beck Young People Inventories , selfreport Mental Health (‘ the 100 questions’) � VAS scale (Visual Analogue Scale) – relationship pupil / teacher and vice versa � ABAS II (Adaptive Behavior Assessment System) – scoring of adaptive competences; family / teacher � SDQ – Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, a short behavioral questionnaire; family/teacher

Wisc IV helskala 120 100 80 60 HSIK 40 20 0 1 2020 -10 -07 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Skol. Fam Gävle 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Wisc IV Workingmemory 140 120 100 80 Series 1 60 40 20 0 1 2020 -10 -07 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Skol. Fam Gävle 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Equal columns = unanimity teacher (L)- fosterparents (F) 35 SDQ F och L 30 25 20 Total-F 15 Total-L 10 5 0 2020 -10 -07 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Skol. Fam Gävle

Beck´s young people - anxiety BUS-Å 120 100 80 60 BUS-Å 40 20 0 1 2020 -10 -07 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Skol. Fam Gävle

Beck´s young people - anger BUS-I 120 100 80 60 BUS-I 40 20 0 1 2020 -10 -07 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Skol. Fam Gävle

Special education teacher Standardized tests, frequently used in Swedish schools Letter Word chain: Visual and motor speed regarding recognition/identification of letters and words. The task is to separate as quickly as possible, letter or words that are written without interspaces DLS Reading Speed Test: The child is reading silently a text, in which three words at certain intervals appear in brackets. The task is to mark the word which relates to context DLS Spelling Test: Spelling correctly a total of 36 words of increasing complexity

Standardized tests ……. Magne Maths Diagnostic test: A series of different calculation problems of increasing difficulty have to be solved Classroom observations of the relationship between the child and his or her main teacher, as well as with peers Interview of the mainteacher regarding the child´s school competences, such as the ability to change topics, keep instructions in mind and control anger

A written individualised plan � Contains the special need of each individual � Give the teachers and fosterparents new tools to cope with the children´s psychological and pedagogical challenges � The pedagogical methods to be used and what specific responsibility each person has in the process � Special computersprogrammes for improving reading or numeracy skills

DLS reading speed with understanding 4. 57 (23) 8 7 6 5 4 läshast. /först. 3 2 1 0 1 2020 -10 -07 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Skol. Fam Gävle 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Magne maths 4. 13 (24) 10 9 8 7 6 5 Magne stanine 4 3 2 1 0 1 2020 -10 -07 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Skol. Fam Gävle 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Some examples for concrete actions: School q. Warm and engaged adults, ready to help in organizing and planning the schoolwork to reduce stress q. Give credit for even little progress q. Some children even need special education q. Help with homework in school 2020 -10 -07 Skol. Fam Gävle

Swedish q. Rhymes and jingles q. Read books and reflect on the mening of various texts. Write and share own texts, give and receive feedback q Practice spelling rules. Related words q Speech synthesis - CD-word (is a new tool for reading and writing with speech synthesis, word prediction and suggestions of alternative words) q The computerprogram Symwriter with pictures and texts q. PROVIA / Lexia 2020 -10 -07 Skol. Fam Gävle

Maths q. Basic skills q. Concrete materials q. Algorithm calculation q Numeracy talk and creative problem solving Computer programmes as complementary tools: q. Diamant diagnosis - preschool – grade 5 (6) Skolverket q. Mc. Intosh grade 7 – 9 Skolverket qwww. seido. se qwww. frolundadata. se qwww. mathpuzzle. se 2020 -10 -07 Skol. Fam Gävle

Social skills Help the cild to be included in a safe peergroup Social narratives / storybird Workingmemory Training workingmemory such as Robomemo or Minneslek www. cogmed. com , www. kognitivakompaniet. se Home ”Everyday talk” Mailcontact with school Support the child with homework Good everyday routines Reading aloud to the child / Listen to books, news etc. . Play games for example Yatzi or Alfapet (Wordfeud) 2020 -10 -07 Skol. Fam Gävle

Children of Dandelion An organisation that gives hope! www. maskrosbarn. org

Foster children´s services + Skol. Fam - a succesful combination � Close cooperation between team and the responsible socialworker � Common leadership � Common goals for learning � We learn from each other � Skol. Fam - a connecting factor 2020 -10 -07 Skol. Fam Gävle

Skol. Fam Gävle is now permanent! www. skolfam. se