THE ROLE OF THE DISTRICT BASED SUPPORT TEAM

THE ROLE OF THE DISTRICT BASED SUPPORT TEAM IN THE IMPLIMENTATION OF THE SIAS POLICY AND ENSURING A NETWORK OF SUPPORT

Introduction • SIAS Policy mandated structure • Provide a holistic approach ito support provisioning to all schools and learners in the district • Functional DBST – Monthly meetings – Year plan of activities – Sub-committees for programmatic delivery (e. g. SIAS, Admissions to Special Schools, Accommodations) • Circuit managers role critical to functional DBST: – Link between school, educator, learners and district support via DBST

What happens? Documents Topic 7: Implementing SIAS: SNA 3: District level S I School ( SBST) screens for additional support needs not being met by current plan of action SNA 1 & 2 School ( SBST) identifies its additional support needs in order to be able to support a learner/ group of learners, and applies for additional support SNA 1 & 2 DBE 120 A DBST assesses the request for additional support. -What support is required - What has the school done so far - what resources are available in the ward/ circuits/ districts - where and how can the required support be given - what is in the best interest of the learners DBE 120, SNA 3, DBE 121, DBE 122, DBE 123 a, DBE 123 b, DBE 124, DBE 125 S DBST plans, budgets and facilitates the development / provisioning of the identified support needs. 3

SUPPORT PATHWAY TEACHER/ PARENT/ GUARDIAN/HEALTH PRACTITIONER IDENTIFIES LEARNER AS EXPERIENCING BARRIERS TO LEARNING CLASSROOM INTERVENTION (SNA 1) PARENT & LEARNER INVOLVEMENT SCHOOL-BASED SUPPORT TEAM (SBST) (SNA 2) ISP ADDITIONAL CLASS TEACHER INTERVENTION PROVINCIAL BASED SUPPORT TEAM (PBST) LEARNING SUPPORT Daily / twice weekly / once-off DISTRICT-BASED SUPPORT TEAM (DBST) (SNA 3) LOW LEVEL SUPPORT MODERATE LEVEL SUPPORT OTHER e. g. School Nurse PARENT & LEARNER INVOLVEMENT HIGH LEVEL SUPPORT

SUPPORT PATHWAY (continued) LOW LEVEL SUPPORT MODERATE LEVEL SUPPORT HIGH LEVEL SUPPORT DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT: CONCESSIONS, STRADDLING, EDUCATION SPECIFIC ASSISTIVE DEVICES APPLICATION: SPECIAL SCHOOL RESOURCE CENTRE LEARNER & PARENTAL CONSENT SIFTING/REVIEW MEETINGS PROVINCIAL DISTRICT PROVINCIAL WAITING LIST Support in Mainstream (ISP+) School / FSS Psychologist TEACHER SUPPORT Therapist LEARNER SUPPORT SPECIAL SCHOOL/SSRC REPRESENTATIVE Learning Support SPECIAL SCHOOL PLACEMENT Social Worker LEARNER & PARENTAL CONSENT

Implementing and monitoring issues • The DBST should respond to requests for additional support within three weeks. • Once a package of support is decided on, it might not be possible to implement it immediately, so support provision needs to be carefully planned and organised • In the interim, the learner should continue to attend the closest full service school or ordinary school and the DBST must support the institution in addressing the barrier as much as possible

Implementing and monitoring issues (cont. ) • The DBST should regularly review: – The effectiveness of the provisioning arrangements (material and human resources) – Whether relevant training has taken place – Whether effective feedback and liaison is being conducted with the parents – Whether support has been effectively administered and is effective. • To this end, the SBST must submit annual progress reports in accordance with their ongoing school-based monitoring through the SBST.

SIAS as a support planning tool for the district • Whilst SIAS is a processing tool to identify individual school, learner and teacher support needs, it also: – Assists schools to work out and make provision for all additional support needs. – Assists the DBST to determine support requirements for the school, circuit and district as a whole and plan and budget for their most effective delivery. – All completed SNA 3 documents will assist districts to know the support needs for the area. Regular analysis of these documents should form part of DBST meetings.