Superbly switching between school and welfare

This project aims to offer schools a tool that should improve the cooperation between formal education and youth care, welfare. During the research process, special attention is given to active involvement of parents and pupils.

Research Theme: Welfare4all

Field of interest: Education; People and Society

Duration: 1/09/2017 - 31/08/2019

Financing: PWO

In an attempt for an inclusive society, more and more pupils with special needs are going go to regular schools. They are pupils with a disability, with a psychological vulnerability, a difficult home situation, behavioral and emotional issues. The framework for schools in Flanders stipulates that all schools have the task to offer basic care and individual care for those who need it. Pupil’s guidance Center and often other child services are involved in cases that transcend the care that can be offered by school. We see that pupils needing care from outside school are increasing.

To optimise the care process, a good referral and cooperation between education and welfare is crucial. However, research shows that this collaboration is not working smoothly:

the actors are unanimous about the intended objectives;
there is a lack of communication and transparency between school, Pupil’s Guidance Center, the pupil and their parents:
there is a lack of uniformity in the way they cooperate;
pupils and parents are missing opportunities to participate in their process.

This project aims to offer schools a tool that should improve the cooperation between formal education and youth care, welfare. Special attention is given to parents and the pupils. Good cooperation with all actors requires a participative climate, transparency and clear communication between the actors. The school counselor is the connection between formal education, home context and Pupil’s Guidance Center.

Through the methodology of design research, a tool will be developed in collaboration with schools. The first year the tool will be developed through focus groups with school counselors, Pupil’s Guidance Center, pupil representatives and parent representatives. In the second year, the tool will be tested and adjusted by schools in their concrete practice. When testing the tool in practice, experiences from young people, parents and Pupil’s Guidance Centers will be questioned, specifically with regard to the participative opportunities that are generated.