Wraparound service proving a ‘lifesaver’

Education Minister Hekia Parata has welcomed a review of a new service for students with the highest needs which has found it is improving behaviour and educational outcomes.

“Almost all the families involved in the study saw the Intensive Wraparound Service (IWS) as a major improvement for their children with some describing it as a life-saver,” says Ms Parata.

Introduced in 2012, IWS is an intensive, personalised service that supports children and young people with high and complex behavioural and learning needs. Students in the service are supported to stay at, or return to, their local schools, behave in a positive and social way and enjoy a successful home and school life by facilitators who work with them, their families, local schools and other government agencies.

The review of the service was conducted by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research which evaluated the case files of 28 students and surveyed IWS team members, teachers and principals.

It found that that while progress for some students took longer than others, the service was delivering improved learning outcomes and independent living skills, and was being positively received by families and whanau.

“I am particularly pleased to hear that it is providing strategies for parents to support their children and empowering them to work constructively with schools and other government agencies,” says Ms Parata.

The service is part of the Ministry’s wider Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) initiative.

Notes:

The evaluation report can be found here.