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EDFD221: Assessment Task 2 Agency Visit

The Smith Family (est. 1922) is Australias largest national education

focused charity and supports disadvantaged Australian children,
helping them to participate fully in their education and strives to
unlock opportunities for disadvantaged children through education
and learning (The Smith Family, 2014).
A range of programs are run by the Smith Family, including learning
support and mentoring programs, which support students in fitting
in at school, building achievable goals for themselves and their
future and reaching the same level as their peers. As the Melbourne
Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (December
2008) highlights, schools play a vital role in promoting the
intellectual, physical, social, emotional, spiritual and aesthetic
development and wellbeing of Young Australians. The Smith Family
is committed to ensuring each child they work with has a chance to
develop and achieve their goals.

In connection with the National Framework for Protecting Children

(2009), the Smith Family, and other non-government organisations,
work together to improve the wellbeing and safety of children by
undertaking the actions outlined in the framework. According to the
Australian Institute for Health and Welfares (AIHW) Child Protection
Series (2010 11), since 2009 10, the number of children in care

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and with protection orders has increased by 4% from 37,730 to

39,058, signifying a large increase in the number of at risk children.
The Smith Family is a support organisation which helps deal with
situations in which children may be at risk and are legally required
to report any signs of child abuse or neglect and any concerning
situations which may be occurring with a child/s. Child abuse is
defined as being any non-accidental behaviour by parents,
caregivers and other adults or older adolescents that is outside the
norms of conduct and entails a substantial risk of causing physical
or emotional harm to a child or young person (Price-Robertson and
Bromfield, 2009). There are five subtypes of abuse and neglect
concerning children such as physical, sexual, emotional, neglect or
the witnessing of family violence. The legislation that exists for
children who require protection vary depending on which state or
territory within Australia that they reside in as each have a slightly
different policy on child protection (AIHW, 2010 2011). The
National Safe Schools Framework (2009) provides information for
families, teachers, parents and carers on how to protect children
whilst they are at school and to ensure they are being supported to
the highest level possible. Child safety is a key aspect of The Smith
Familys mission and values and is an important part of the work
they do and they aim to provide a safe learning environment in
which children can further develop their education in a safe and
positive way.

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The Smith Family Child Protection Policy (2009) outlines their

commitment to child safety and protection through all aspects of the
organisation and the work they carry out. It supports state and
territory child protection legislation through its principles, vision and
strategies. The Framework also applies to those who work for the
organisation, paid and unpaid, through a separate policy document
entitled The Smith Family Code of Conduct for Supporters (2013).
This Code of Conduct was created to empower children and young
people and to prevent harm and misunderstanding. This code must
be followed by all participants, in all areas of the organisation at all
times to ensure the protection and wellbeing of children and youth
is maintained. The Smith Familys policy on Child Protection is
directly linked to the Australian Research Alliance for Children and
Youth (ARACY) Commitment to Young Australians framework. The
Commitment to Young Australians framework is a statement of
principles that are used by ARACY member organisations, such as
The Smith Family, to guide them in their decision making and with
their actions related to children and youth.
The purpose of this commitment is to ensure each organisation is
taking appropriate action and making strong and supported
decisions when working with children and youth, whilst being in
accordance with this commitment and national policies. It is a
commitment, which is signed by these organisations and by doing
this they are helping to create a social, cultural, political and
economic environment that supports children and youth living in

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disadvantage (ARACY). The commitment consists of seven

principles, which were developed by ARACYs members as well as
children, teenagers and young adults and aims to enhance the lives
of children and youth living in Australia. Some of the principles
involved include the wellbeing of children and youth needs to be a
national priority, the whole community is responsible for the
wellbeing of children and youth and children and youth should
have learning and development opportunities to encourage them to
realise their potential (ARACY).

The Smith Family also developed their policies based on

international documents such as the UN Convention on the Rights of
The Child (2008) and frameworks within Australia, such as the
National Agenda for Early Childhood (2014). Article 28 of the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child is something that the Smith
Family emphasises, as it states all children have the right to a good
education and should be encouraged to attend school to the highest
level possible. This important right is reinforced within the mission
of The Smith Family, in terms of its commitment to supporting each
child in developing and achieving educational goals. It also is
included within its Code of Conduct policy, which again highlights
the need to support children and young people and respect their
rights and wellbeing. The National Agenda for Early Childhood is
another document from which The Smith Family have developed
their policies. This document focuses on the importance of nurturing

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and developing childrens general as well as social and emotional

health and successful participation in schooling (Early Childhood
Australia, 2014). This is a key aspect of the policies of The Smith
Family and is a key component of their programs.

The work done by the Smith Family focuses on Australian children in

families and communities that are considered to be socially and/or
economically disadvantaged. According to Maslow (1970), as stated
in Woolfolk & Margetts (2010), when people are deprived of their
needs at any level, they would experience limitations in the
personal growth and development. The children that The Smith
Family work with are often deprived of some of the essential tools
and resources for them to develop fully and this has an impact on
their educational achievement and social/cognitive development. In
order to assist these children, the Smith Family runs the Learning for
Life program, which provides emotional, practical and financial
support to help disadvantaged children and young people with their
education. This program, along with others run by the organisation,
assists in building skills, knowledge, motivation, self-belief and a
network of positive relationships with families, peers and the
community. It is a not-for-profit organisation and as such, requires
the support of the public. The organisation runs a wide variety of
programs and provides a number of services to Australian families.
The programs they run focus on home life, school, post-school
options, supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and

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supporting communities in need. Some of these are finance

orientated, as children and families can be sponsored by The Smith
Family and given support in terms of finances and managing money
and resources. Other programs are education focused and provide
learning support and programs to assist children and young people
in their schooling, both whilst at school and after finishing their
schooling. These programs also provide educators with tools such as
numeracy and literacy resources, additional education on teaching
disadvantaged children and strategies in which to include these
children more effectively in the classroom. Adapting in instruction
and curriculum for students with additional needs is important in
developing an inclusive education environment in which all students
feel secure and supported (Foreman, 2011).

In order for families to receive assistance and support from the

Smith Family, they must be referred by a community organisation
such as a school. Families must meet certain criteria in order to be
eligible to participate in the Learning For Life program such as they
must live in a community where The Smith Family operates, possess
a Health Care card or Pension Concession Card and demonstrate a
commitment to education, meaning children attend school regularly
(The Smith Family, 2014). In order to remain in the program, families
must show that they committed to their childs education, complete
a short progress report annually, provide a copy of their child/s end
of year school reports and keep receipts of costs associated with

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expenses so they are able to present them upon request. Families

must also participate in a partnership renewal every three years.
This criterion also applies for those families who apply for the
Learning for Life Program scholarship. The families and children who
are involved in the program are supported based on the donations
they receive from a sponsor. A sponsor provides practical support
for a childs education and this includes both financial and emotional
assistance. A sponsor benefits the child and their family whom they
are assigned to, by donating money to assist with the costs of the
child/s education. Each student receives additional personal support
from a Learning for Life worker who provides the child with
encouragement and support to participate fully in their education.

The Smith Family works collaboratively with children, young people,

families and the wider community in order to fulfil their aims of
providing each child in Australia with a chance to attain a good
quality education and to help build them a positive future.

REFERENCES:

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1. Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth.

Commitment to Young Australians. Retrieved from
http://www.aracy.org.au/membershipinformation/commitment-to-young-australians/commitmentto-young-australians

2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2012). Child

protection Australia 201011. Child Welfare series no. 53. Cat.
no. CWS 41. Canberra: AIHW. Retrieved from
https://leocontent.acu.edu.au/file/52018f49-03c5-cce4-0df2fda3992c6d1c/1/AIHW%20Child%20Protection
%20Australia.pdf

3. Early Childhood Australia (2014). National Agenda for Early

Childhood. Retrieved from
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/early_childhood_ne
ws/submissions/towards_a_national_agenda_for_early_childho
od.html

4.

Foreman, P. (Ed.)(2011). Inclusion in Action (3rd ed.). South

Melbourne, Victoria: Cengage Learning

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5. Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and

Youth Affairs (2008). Melbourne Declaration on Educational
Goals for Young Australians. Retrieved from
http://www.mceecdya.edu.au/verve/_resources/national_declar
ation_on_the_educational_goals_for_young_australians.pdf
6. Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood
Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA) (2011) National
Safe Schools Framework. Retrieved on from
http://www.mceecdya.edu.au/verve/_resources/NSSFramework
.pdf

7. Price Roberston R. & Bromfield, L. (2009). What is Child

Abuse and Neglect? Resource Sheet. National Child Protection
Clearing House: Australian Institute of Family Studies

8. The Smith Family (2014). Retrieved from

http://www.thesmithfamily.com.au

9. The Smith Family (2013). The Smith Family Code of Conduct

for Supporters. Retrieved from
http://www.thesmithfamilyalumni.com.au/Documents/Shared/
Code%20Of%20Conduct%20for%20Supporters.pdf

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10.

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The Smith Family (2009). The Smith Family Child

Protection Policy. Retrieved from

http://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/child-protection-policy

11.

United Nations (2008) UN Convention on the Rights of

the Child. Retrieved from http://www.childrensweek.org.au/UN

%20poster%20Jan%202008.pdf
12.

Woolfolk, A., Margetts, K (2010) Educational Psychology.

(2nd ed.) NSW: Pearson Australia

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CRITERIA

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HIGH
DISTINCTIO
CREDIT
DISTINCTION N

PASS

FAIL

LO1. Understand and apply principles of teaching for social justice and relevant
inclusion policy to schools, classroom practice and community

The overview
The overview
provides a
provides a
very detailed
Description of
comprehensiv
description of
how the agency e description
how the
seeks to address of how the
agency seeks
issues of social
agency seeks
to address
justice if at all
to address
issues of
issues of social
social justice
justice if at all
if at all

The overview
provides an
adequate
description of
how the
agency seeks
to address
issues of
social justice
if at all

The overview
provides a
basic
description of
how the
agency seeks
to address
issues of
social justice
if at all

The overview
provides
minimal
description of
how the
agency seeks
to address
issues of
social justice
if at all

LO4. Identify and demonstrate an awareness towards the particular needs of

students with higher support and additional learning needs and relevant whole
school/classroom practices to enhance protective factors minimizing risk
LO8. Design and implement effective strategies to diversify the curriculum in an
inclusive setting and identify networks which support teachers in dealing with
effective inclusion

The services
provided by the
agency

Description of Description of Description of Description of Description of

the services
the services the services the services the services
provided
provided
provided
provided
provided
demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates
a
a detailed
an adequate a basic
a limited
comprehensiv awareness of awareness of awareness of awareness of
e awareness of the particular the particular the particular the particular
the particular needs of
needs of
needs of
needs of
needs of
higher
higher
higher
higher
higher support support
support
support
support
needs
needs
needs
needs
needs
students and students and students and students and students and
the networks the networks the networks the networks the networks
available to
available to available to available to available to
support
support
support
support
support
teachers
teachers
teachers
teachers
teachers

Referral
procedures to

Description of Description of Description of Description of Description of

the referral
the referral
the referral
the referral
the referral

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procedures to procedures to procedures to procedures to procedures to

agency is clear and

comprehensive

Responses/s
trategies
/treatments
provided by
the agency The overview
to address provides
issues
comprehensive
particularly information about
for students responses/ strategies
from
and treatment
culturally
provided by the
and
agency
linguisticall
y diverse
background
s

Identificatio The identification of

n of
implications for
implications educators including
for
ideas for
educators accommodations and
including
adjustments to
ideas for
support students
accommoda demonstrate a
tions and
comprehensive
adjustments understanding of how
to support to design and
students
implement effective
strategies to diversify
the curriculum in an
inclusive setting

agency is
detailed

agency is
adequate

agency is
agency is limited
basic

The
overview
The overview
The overview provides
provides
provides
basic
detailed
The overview
adequate
informati
information
provides limited
information
on about
about
information about
about
responses
responses/
responses/ strategies
responses/
/
strategies
and treatment
strategies and strategies
and
provided by the
treatment
and
treatment
agency
provided by
treatment
provided by
the agency
provided
the agency
by the
agency

The
The
The
The identification of
identification identification identificat implications for
of
of implications ion of
educators including
implications for educators implicatio ideas for
for educators including ideas ns for
accommodations and
including
for
educators adjustments to
ideas for
accommodatio including support students
accommodati ns and
ideas for demonstrate a
ons and
adjustments to accommo limited
adjustments support
dations
understanding of
to support
students
and
how to design and
students
demonstrate adjustme implement effective
demonstrate an adequate nts to
strategies to diversify
a detailed
understanding support the curriculum in an
understandin of how to
students inclusive setting
g of how to design and
demonstr
design and
implement
ate a
implement
effective
basic
effective
strategies to understan
strategies to diversify the
ding of
diversify the curriculum in how to
curriculum in an inclusive
design
an inclusive setting
and
setting
implemen
t effective

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strategies
to
diversify
the
curriculu
m in an
inclusive
setting

LO6. Apply the relevant legislation, systems policies and utilize external agencies
within a context of prevention for child protection and duty of care
LO7. Critically examine the current policies and principles on inclusion, disability and
education of gifted students

The
overview
provides
a basic
descriptio
n of the
agency

The overview
provides a limited
description of the
agency

The
overview
The overview
The overview provides
provides a
How
The overview
provides an
a basic
detailed
legislation provides a
adequate
descriptio
description of
is reflected comprehensive
description of n of how
how
in the
description of how
how legislation legislatio
legislation is
agency
legislation is reflected
is reflected in n is
reflected in
policy
in the agency policy
the agency
reflected
the agency
policy
in the
policy
agency
policy

The overview
provides a limited
description of how
legislation is
reflected in the
agency policy

The overview
Description provides a
of the
comprehensive
agency
description of the
agency

Demonstrati The overview

on of an
provides a
understandi comprehensive
ng of the
demonstration of an
theories
understanding of the
underpinnin theories underpinning
g the issues the issues the agency
the
deals with
agencies
deal with.

The overview The overview

provides a
provides an
detailed
adequate
description of description of
the agency the agency

The overview
provides a
very detailed
demonstratio
n of an
understandin
g of the
theories
underpinning
the issues
the agency
deals with

The overview
provides an
adequate
demonstration
of an
understanding
of the theories
underpinning
the issues the
agency deals
with

The
The overview
overview provides a limited
provides demonstration of an
a basic
understanding of the
demonstr theories
ation of underpinning the
an
issues the agency
understan deals with
ding of
the
theories
underpinn
ing the
issues the
agencies

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deals with

The
assessme
The
The
nt task
The assessment task assessment assessment
cites at
The assessment task
cites 15 or more
task cites 9- task cites 6-8 least 1
cites fewer than 1
References references with at
14 references references
different
different reference
least 1 from each
with at least with at least 1 reference
from each topic.
topic.
1 from each from each
from each
topic.
topic.
topic (6
reference
s).

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

YE N COMMEN
S O TS

Appropriate use of APA referencing style throughout text and

reference list.
http://www.acu.edu.au/student_resources/offi
ce_of_student_success/service_areas/acade
mic_skills/referencing/apa/

Demonstrates accurate use of grammar, punctuation and spelling.

Well structured, coherent and logical writing.

Justification
I believe I should receive a Distinction for this particular task as I have clearly
described the agency I chose and how it seeks to assist and support
disadvantaged children. I have included a wide range of references in my work
and have sourced information from various sources. I believe my description of
the agency, its referral procedures and how it implements and runs its programs
is detailed and informative. I think my work is descriptive in terms of what the

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agency strives for and how it helps children and families as well as the wider
community.