This funding is triggered by the NSW Department of Education receiving a Notice to School or a Change of Details Advice from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) or its funded OOHC service providers.

NSW public schools apply directly to Student Participation for funding using the online OOHC Learning Impact Form (OLIF) (intranet access only). This funding is available to support schools when students in statutory OOHC experience life changes, that are not already captured in a Notice to School or Change of Details Advice, that adversely impact on their learning, wellbeing or access to the curriculum.

The OOHC change funding model  and OOHC change funding framework have been developed to support schools with the OOHC change funding model.

The agency responsible for the student’s case management. Going to a Public School outlines the process.

The Checklist for schools, caseworkers and carers helps identify who is responsible for making decisions.

Case management is a process whereby a child and/or a family’s needs are identified and services are coordinated and managed in a systematic way. It involves assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring, and review. Case management aims to strengthen outcomes for families and students. It includes personalised learning and support planning developed for the student.

The school will be informed when student case management responsibility is transferred to an agency. If the NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) retains case management responsibility, they make all decisions that the carer cannot.

The NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) provides direct OOHC placements and contracts other non-government organisations to do so.

OOHC change funding is short-term, streamlined funding for students entering or in statutory OOHC, to counter changes that may affect their learning, wellbeing or access to the curriculum.

Staff with expertise in OOHC, attendance, behaviour, counselling, early intervention, hearing, vision, integration, learning assistance, disability, and transition may also support students. Some schools have Aboriginal education and community liaison officers.

For more information about supports available, please contact your Team Around a School.

Many schools have mentoring, tutoring, and peer support programs.

Case management and carers of children of compulsory school age are responsible for ensuring their child attends school every day. Children must commence school by age 6 and then complete year 10.

After Year 10 and until they turn 17, students must be:

• in school, or registered for home schooling, or
• in approved education or training (e.g. TAFE, traineeship, apprenticeship) or
• in full-time, paid employment (average 25 hours/week) or
• in a combination of work, education and/or training.

More information on compulsory school attendance is available here: Compulsory school attendance.

Case workers and carers can contact the school for information or advice about support for students in OOHC and their families in matters relating to a student's education and wellbeing needs.

School principals will receive a funding notification email from Student Participation indicating the amount of funding allocated for a student. This means schools can immediately begin providing additional support for the student. The funding will be delivered to schools via their budget adjustment eFPT.

Update ERN

Schools must update the Enrolment Registration Number system (ERN) when a student enters statutory OOHC, or when there is a notified Change of Details Advice from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) or its funded OOHC service providers. Schools should select ‘statutory’ from the drop-down option in ERN.

Confidentially store the Notice to School or Change of Detail Advice form

Schools should store a paper copy of the Notice to School or Change of Details Advice in the student's Pupil Record Card (PRC) or student file so that it follows the student on their schooling journey through government schools. Schools may also store the notice electronically in the student’s school-based Learning and Support file.

Undertake or review Personalised Learning and Support Planning

Collaborative strength-based learning and support planning must be undertaken within 30 days of a school being notified that a student has entered statutory OOHC. Personalised Learning and Support Planning should be reviewed after reporting periods or whenever there is a change in the student's life that is impacting on their learning, wellbeing or access to the curriculum.

Implement adjustments funded through OOHC change funding

OOHC teachers are available to support schools to identify appropriate adjustments for students in statutory OOHC; including the collaborative review of strength-based learning and support planning. The OOHC change funding framework outlines typical adjustments that may support students in statutory OOHC with their learning, wellbeing or access to the curriculum.

OOHC change funding is available for staffing resources only.

OOHC teachers are available to support schools to identify appropriate adjustments for students in statutory OOHC; including the collaborative review of strength-based learning and support planning.

If known to the school, the school can contact the student’s caseworker immediately and ask them to forward a Notice to School or Change of Details Advice to oohc.cps@det.nsw.edu.au so that funding is triggered and sent to the school. If the caseworker is not known, schools should work with their OOHC teacher to seek information from DCJ or its funded OOHC service providers.

Schools can also contact Student Participation for follow-up by emailing oohc.cps@det.nsw.edu.au.

Yes. Schools will automatically receive OOHC change funding when the Student Participation team receives a Notice to School or a Change of Details Advice for a student; a student in statutory OOHC may have multiple Change of Details Advice.

Where a student in statutory OOHC experiences additional changes that impact on their learning, wellbeing or access to the curriculum (not already captured through a Notice to School or Change of Details Advice form), the school may submit an online OOHC Learning Impact Form (OLIF) - intranet access only.

No, in most cases transitions to high school do not result in an externally triggered Change of Details Advice form, as a transition to high school is a change that all year 6 students go through. However, if a school believes that a student in statutory OOHC requires additional support with a high school transition, they can submit an online OOHC Learning Impact Form (OLIF). On receipt of the form, the school will be notified directly by the department’s Student Participation team of the funding allocation.