7.3.8  Educational Support and Intervention

For children, education plays a critical role in making the transition into adulthood.  Often, schools provide an environment for children to foster healthy relationships with adults and their peers.  Further, school is where children spend most of their day, which leads school stability to be important to the success of children in care.  Children placed in the custody of the Division are at-risk of experiencing academic failure.  Indicators of potential risk for academic failure include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Cognitive Deficits (reading readiness, social skills, following directions);
• History of abuse/neglect;
• Poor Academic Performance;
• Behavior Problems;
• Substance Abuse;
• Family dynamic/conflict;
• Number of Moves;
• Out-of-Home placements;
• Retention; or
• Prior Juvenile Court Involvement.

The Family Support Team shall discuss the child’s educational performance, which shall include, but not limited to, special education needs and services, academic accomplishments, truancy, absenteeism, behavior and delinquency issues.  The Family Support Team shall identify and implement the appropriate intervention to address the child’s educational needs and behavioral challenges in efforts to improve the child’s academic performance and school participation.

When necessary, the Family Support Team should invite the appropriate school personnel to the FST meeting, to determine the most appropriate intervention and/or alternative education option available to assist the child in maximizing his/her academic potential, which shall be documented on the CS-1.

When a child has been precluded from returning to public school because of the Safe Schools Act (167.171 RSMo), the Family Support Team shall convene a meeting with the appropriate school personnel to determine if there are alternative educational options available to the child.