Our
ever-evolving student body is well represented and advocated for by a highly
committed Hospital Schooling Advisory Council (HSAC) — a
representative council of stakeholders in lieu of a school P&C.
Hospital Schooling Advisory Council (HSAC)
The Hospital Schooling Advisory Council's aim is to support and advise the QCH School leadership team to lead excellence in hospital teaching and learning through innovative and inclusive practices. Hospital education programs implement the Australian Curriculum and liaise with students' base schools to ensure continuity of education. Hospitalised students and their families have specific needs and their educational programs need to be tailored for all stages of their illnesses.
The Department of Education recognises the integral role parents/carers and families play as partners in education, and DoE is committed to engaging parent/carers in education programs across all school communities. Genuine parent/carer engagement exists when there is a meaningful relationship between parents/carers and teachers with the shared goal of maximising learning and wellbeing outcomes for students. Research shows that parent engagement improves students' self-esteem, school attendance, and behaviour at school. In a hospital schooling environment, the implementation of a Hospital Schooling Advisory Council seems the most appropriate process for enhancing community engagement with the schooling process.
The HSAC is the community/parent/carer advisory council implemented to support students in all hospital education programs across Queensland. These are as follows:
- Queensland Children's Hospital School (includes offsite campuses at Herston, Chermside, Wooloowin and Ipswich)
- Jacaranda Place (Queensland Adolescent Extended Treatment Centre at Chermside)
- Non-Metropolitan hospital programs listed below
Whilst QCHS provides professional supervision for all hospital education staff throughout Queensland, the following regional programs are also locally supported by principals in their region. These include:
- Cairns Hospital Program, Cairns Hospital (supported by Woree State High School)
- Townsville AIUDS Program, Kirwan Health Campus (supported by Townsville Community Learning Centre)
- Townsville Hospital Program (supported by Townsville Community Learning Centre)
- Rockhampton Hospital Program (supported by Rockhampton Special School)
- Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) Adolescent Mental Health Unit Programs (supported by Currimundi Special School)
- SCUH Paediatric Program (supported by Currimundi Special School)
- Toowoomba Hospital Program (supported by Harristown State High School)
- Yannanda – Toowoomba Hospital AMHU Program (supported by Harristown State High School)
- Logan Hospital AMHU Program (supported by Marsden State High School)
- Logan Hospital Paediatric Program (supported by Marsden State High School)
- Logan Day Program Program, Logan Central (supported by Marsden State High School)
- Gold Coast University Hospital Program (supported by Robina State High School)
- Robina Hospital Mental Health Unit Program (supported by Robina State High School)
- Robina Hospital Day Program Program (supported by Robina State High School)
HSAC ROLES AND REPSONSIBILITIES:
- Provides advice and support to the school administration team regarding the governance and operations of the programs
- Enables stakeholder groups and community members to support the operation of the hospital education programs
- Is a voice for and assists families with hospitalised children and their siblings in the continuity of education
- Is the voice for and support staff in programs outside Metropolitan Brisbane to deliver quality educational programs
- Is aware of the teaching and learning practices, curriculum initiatives and professional development planned and implemented across the programs
- Advocates to DoE to ensure that the resources provided to the programs meet the individual needs of the staff, students and their families
- Advocates to state and federal education departments and to relevant authorities for the unique context of the programs
Membership of the Council includes:
1. Parents and Citizens' Associations Queensland (P&Cs Qld)
2. Isolated Children's Parents' Association (ICPA)
3. Catholic School Parents Queensland (CSPQ)
4. Independent Schools Queensland Parents' Network (ISQPN)
5. Children's Hospital Foundation (CHF)
6. Child and Youth Mental Health Service (CYMHS) Children's Health Queensland
7. Executive member, Children's Health Queensland
8. Executive member, Health and Hospital Service (HHS), regional area
9. Indigenous representative
10. Executive Principal, Queensland Children's Hospital School
11. Leadership team rep, Queensland Children's Hospital School
12. Teaching staff representative, Queensland Children's Hospital School (Secretary)
13. Teaching staff representative, Regional Hospital Program (representing regional voice)
14. Community representative
The Chair of HSAC is Mr Stephen O'Kane. If you would like to contact Stephen, please email admin@qchschool.eq.edu.au