Designated teachers

Designated teachers are a new responsibility introduced to Victorian schools as part of the LOOKOUT Centre model. Designated teachers will be found in Government schools and within Catholic and Independent schools from 2017.

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What does a designated teacher do?

Schools will already have arrangements in place for how they engage with outside agencies. The designated teacher is the first point of contact with LOOKOUT centre and advocates for students in out-of-home care.

In conjunction with LOOKOUT centres, the designated teacher will ensure students are engaged in their education and meeting their learning goals. The designated teacher has a key role in supporting students in out-of-home care to make a smooth transition into school, including making sure there are effective arrangements in place for the speedy transfer of information between relevant agencies. Designated teachers will:

Roles and responsibilities

The designated teacher will work collaboratively with the school’s wellbeing staff and other agency representatives to minimise any disruption to the student’s education.

Designated teachers do not replace the role of the student wellbeing staff in working with external agencies to support students in out-of-home care.

The designated teacher will:

promote a culture of high expectations and aspirations for how students in out-of-home care learn
make sure the student has a voice in setting learning targets
be a source of advice for staff about differentiated teaching strategies appropriate for individual students
make full use of assessment for learning
ensure that students in out-of-home care are prioritised in one-to-one tuition arrangements
ensure carers understand the importance of supporting learning at home
have lead responsibility to ensure each student in out-of-home care has a quality IEP
promote implementation of all elements of the partnering agreement
be the lead contact for the LOOKOUT centre within their school
ensure all Koorie students have a cultural support plan and are linked with the Koorie education support officer (KESO) within government schools.

Is there training involved?

Yes. A designated teacher, is nominated by their principal and trained by LOOKOUT centre staff to be the advocate for and champion of out-of-home care students at their school.

Resources to support designated teachers

Making SPACE for learning- a resource guide from the Australian Childhood Foundation on trauma informed practice in schools.
Calmer classrooms- a guide to working with traumatised children in schools.
Great expectations- supporting children and young people in out-of-home care to achieve at school.
Caring classrooms- a guide for parents and the school community.
SMART Online Training - an online learning course by Australian Childhood Foundation on Strategies for Managing Abuse Related Trauma.
Understanding Trauma- information Sheet by KidsMatter
Trauma and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children
Strategies to support self-regulation- a list of classroom strategies for students with self-regulation difficulties and sensory integration difficulties

Templates and plans

Key contacts

For more information or advice, please contact your regional LOOKOUT office

To find out which region you are living in, please visit: Department regions