The Department for Education and Child Development brings together high‑quality education, early childhood and child health services that support children and young people from the day they are born, in all South Australian communities.

A strong and vibrant public education and child development system delivers benefits to all South Australians. Our key stakeholders are:

• more than 190,000 children and young people who attend some 900 public schools and early childhood services
• their parents and caregivers
• the approximately 20,000 babies born in South Australia each year and children up to 4 years old who access the Women’s and Children’s Health Network
• close to 30,000 staff including teachers, school-based staff, early childhood educators and staff in corporate support roles.

About sites and students:https://www.education.sa.gov.au/department/research-and-statistics/statistics-and-data/statistics-and-reports-about-sites-students-and-staff

The department's Strategic Plan outlines the vision, values and desired characteristics of the South Australian public education and care system. All stem from the shared vision to build a stronger future for our children by making our state's education and child development system world class.

Our 5 key priorities for South Australia’s children and young people are:

• Great start: Children have a strong, supportive start to life and learning.
• High achievement: We have high standards and support all children and young people to achieve their best.
• Fairness for all: All children receive a quality education, whatever their circumstances. We want to close the gap in outcomes for children and young people.
• Learning in partnership: We will work towards partnerships with families, in the community and across the world to support our children and young people.
• Better futures: Young people are prepared for work and life in a transforming economy.

We will achieve our vision and deliver on these priorities by building capability in the 6 fundamental areas that have created impact in successful education systems around the world:

• expert teaching – goal: expert teachers have the skills, knowledge and support they need to perform at their highest level every day
• quality leadership – goal: quality leadership to drive better results and improved professional practice
• engaged parents and communities – goal: partnerships with parents and carers to support children’s learning and development
• stronger services – goal: a robust service base to support child health, development and education outcomes
• resourcing and investment – goal: resources deployed where they are most needed and strategic investments to ensure the quality and sustainability of our system
• improvement and accountability – goal: professional collaboration and a consistent approach to accountability to improve the system as a whole.

Great start

• South Australian Government 7 strategic priorities: Every chance for every child
• South Australia’s Strategic Plan Target 12:

• Early Childhood – AEDC – Increase the proportion of children developing well

High achievement

• South Australia’s Strategic Plan Target 87:

• By 2020, for reading, writing and numeracy, increase by 5 percentage points the proportion of South Australian students who achieve above the national minimum standard in the higher proficiency bands

Fairness for all

• South Australian Government 7 strategic priorities: Every chance for every child
• South Australia’s Strategic Plan Target 14:

• Early Childhood – Year 1 Literacy – by 2014 achieve a 10% improvement in the number of children reading at an age-appropriate level by the end of year 1 and maintain thereafter

• South Australian Strategic Plan Target 15:

• Aboriginal Education – Early Years – Increase yearly the proportion of Aboriginal children reading at age-appropriate levels at the end of year 1

Learning in partnership

• South Australian Strategic Plan Target 27:
• Understanding of Aboriginal Culture – Aboriginal cultural studies included in school curriculum by 2016 with involvement of Aboriginal people in design and delivery (achieved 2014)

Better futures

• South Australian Strategic Plan Target 88:

• Science and Maths – by 2020, increase by 15% the number of students receiving a Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) or equivalent with at least 1 of the following subjects: mathematics, physics or chemistry

• South Australian Strategic Plan Target 89:

• SACE or equivalent – Increase yearly the proportion of 15 to19 year olds who achieve the SACE or comparable senior secondary qualification

• Northern Adelaide (Elizabeth Grove Children's Centre)
• Southern CFARN (Taikurrendi Children and Family Centre)
• Western Adelaide (Relationships Australia, South Australia).

• early learning resources for parents
• Learning Together
• Parent Engagement initiative
• connecting parents with preschool/early childhood programs
• Parenting SA
• governing council portal

• apply mathematical understandings
• communicate effectively in a range of contexts
• use their literacy and numeracy capabilities as skilful problem solvers.

• 7 STEM lead learning schools delivered statewide STEM Expos.
• 20 preschools partnered with the Adelaide Botanic Gardens for educators to co-design STEM learning programs.
• 124 primary teachers (including learning design teachers) participated in professional development to develop and integrate discipline depth in science, technology or mathematics.
• 130 teachers (years 6 to 9) deepened their understanding of mathematical content and concepts related to primary/secondary transition.
• 5 school networks (37 primary and secondary schools) engaged with industry and academic partners to design, trial and evaluate innovative approaches for STEM learning across years 7 and 8.
• 93 Aboriginal students, accompanied by over 60 teachers, parents and Aboriginal educators participated in the 2017 Aboriginal Learners in STEM Congress event.
• 54 students and 25 mentor teachers participated in the STEM Ambassadors program.
• 40 schools received grants and professional support to develop a whole-of-school STEM Career strategy.
• 30 STEM scholarships were announced in December 2017 for students starting SACE Stage 1 in 2018.

• 386 Aboriginal students completed the SACE (up from 322 in 2016), with 296 Aboriginal students in public schools (up from 232 in 2016).
• Over a quarter of the Aboriginal SACE completers were participants in the South Australian Aboriginal Sports Training Academy (SAASTA) program.
• There were 1,907 Aboriginal preschool enrolments in public schools in 2017 (an increase of 27% since 2013).
• There were 11,045 FTE Aboriginal school enrolments in public schools in 2017 (an increase of 17% since 2013).
• The year 8 to 12 apparent retention rate for Aboriginal students was 96.2% in 2017 (an increase from 79.2% in 2013).

• Leading Learning – Making the Australian Curriculum Work for Us online resource (67,540 users; SA 45, 314)
• Compass Online Feedback Tool (110 site reports, 6,030 teachers, 22,803 students and 36 education partnerships)
• TfEL Teachers’ Companion (7,200 teachers).

Children’s Services Act 1985

Children's Services (Appeals) Regulations 2008

Children's Services (Registered Children's Services Centres) Regulations 2003

Education Act 1972

Education Regulations 2012

Office of the Chief Executive

Early Years and Child Development

Finance and Funding

ICT

Infrastructure

Learning Improvement

Partnerships, Schools and Preschools

People and Culture

Strategic Policy and External Relations

System Performance

www.education.sa.gov.au/department/about-department/corporate-office-structure

Child Death and Serious Injury Review Committee

Child Development Council

Commissioner for Children and Young People

Dame Roma Mitchell Trust Funds Board of Advice

Education and Early Childhood Services Registration and Standards Board of South Australia (Education Standards Board)

Ministerial Advisory Committee: Children and Students with Disability

Multicultural Education and Languages Committee

SACE Board of South Australia

Teachers Registration Board of South Australia

The Guardian for Children and Young People

Flexibility for the Future

In 2017, the department exceeded its 2017-2018 financial year target of more than 41 additional part-time employees.

Traineeships and Graduates – Jobs4Youth program

In 2017, 22 young people were recruited into traineeship positions and 2 graduates were appointed to various positions. Of those, 22 completed their placements and were appointed to ongoing and temporary positions. 68% of trainees were of Aboriginal descent.

Amy Levai Aboriginal Teaching Scholarships

32 Aboriginal people were supported throughout 2017 with 6 graduating to begin teaching at the start of 2018.

The department has a clear, well-defined, principle-based performance and development policy that connects the work of all employees to strategic priorities, improvement plans and performance indicators. Individualised planning, learning and review are features of the annual cycle.

During 2017, the policy was reviewed as part of the broader improvement and accountability framework. It also responded to the Premier’s Direction (5 May 2016) requiring the department to implement performance management and development reviews with all employees (including executives) at least biannually.

Changes to the policy and associated practices were designed to:

• provide high accountability and high support for individuals
• build stronger connections with the department's broader improvement and accountability framework
• simplify the processes to enable improvement
• provide a consistent focus and approach, as well as flexibility to respond to local needs and context.

As at 28 December 2017, 48% of employees had completed a performance and development review within the previous 6 months.

Qualitative feedback will be sought on the effectiveness and efficiency of the new performance and development policy and supporting material in 2018.

Work Health Safety (WHS) Risk Review program.

Senior Executive Group (SEG) identified 7 key health and safety risk events for review.

For each risk event, a review team was established, comprising of operational and corporate stakeholders who have knowledge of or experience with the risk, or who play a role in setting policy to manage the risk.

The risk review team held workshops to identify the potential improvement strategies to manage the risk.

Employee Psychological Health and Wellbeing program

This targets the wellbeing needs of all employees, raises awareness of mental health issues in the workplace, and builds competency in the prevention, early intervention and management of employee psychological health.

Following a review and assessment of employee psychological health across the organisation, the department started a number of evidence-based psychological health and wellbeing initiatives to target those at higher risk of psychological compromise.

Additional programs for all department employees have been developed and are currently in pilot phase.

Injury Management Early Intervention program

Early and targeted intervention is provided as soon as an injury is reported and before a compensation claim being lodged. It facilitates an early and sustainable return to work, and helps prevent and manage the risks associated with incidents and injuries.

Return to Work program

All work-injured employees are provided with early and tailored assistance to recover and return to work.

Potential misappropriation of funds

1

Inappropriate financial processes

2

Fraudulent behaviour or misrepresentation by an employee

2

Strategies implemented to control and prevent fraud

The department is committed to maintaining a working environment free of fraud and corrupt behaviour and does so through its fraud and corruption control policy and framework. These articulate the department's prevention, detection and response strategies and provide the processes for managing suspected and/or actual fraud or corruption.

Any instances of misconduct are treated seriously by the department, and where these occur, prompt action is taken to ensure that they are thoroughly investigated and that those responsible are held to account.

Number of occasions on which public interest information has been disclosed to a responsible officer of the agency under the Whistle-blowers’ Protection Act 1993

1

PS Act Executive F - Untenured

1

Commissioner

1

SA Executive Service Level 1 - Untenured

27

SA Executive Service Level 2 - Untenured

6

Principal Band A-4

99

Principal Band A-5

89

Principal Band A-6

51

Principal Band A-7

33

Principal Band A-8

18

Principal Band A-9

27

Education Director

19

ED Act negotiated conditions

139

All consultancies below $10,000 each

N/A

N/A

Consultancies above $10,000 each

The Boston Consulting Group

Development of a new operating model for the new child protection system.

$955,000.00

KPMG

Assurance services relating to the Education Management System project.

$129,000.00

Ernst & Young

Development of a risk strategy for the Education Management System project.

$80,000.00

PricewaterhouseCoopers Australia

Business continuity management development including a review of emergency responses.

$25,500.00

BDO Advisory (SA) Pty Ltd

Probity services for the Education Management System procurement process.

$12,588.29

Total all consultancies

$1,202,088.29

Our income – where it comes from

As a result of 'machinery of government' changes announced in June 2016, the Department for Child Protection was formed and the child protection functions of the agency were transferred to the new agency from 1 November 2016. The total income received by the department and schools from controlled operations for the 2016-17 financial year, excluding care and protection activities, was $3.12 billion. An increase of $107.9 million from the previous financial year.

Revenue from the State Government increased by $47.6 million. This includes funding for the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) capital initiative and increased funding for public schools and preschools.

Revenue from the Australian Government also increased by $19.9 million, mainly relating to increases associated with the National Education Reform Agreement totalling $28.2 million.

There were benefits recognised associated with the disposal of non-current assets totalling $11.5 million, and increases in school related revenue including student enrolment fees and charges totalling $6.8 million.

Our expenditure – how our funds were spent

Total operating expenses of the department and schools for controlled activities, excluding care and protection activities, increased by $96.9 million to $3.06 billion compared with the previous financial year.

Employee benefit related expenses increased by $68.3 million. This relates to a range of factors including increases in remuneration rates paid under enterprise bargaining agreements and awards and increases in total staffing numbers, offset by a revaluation of long service leave entitlements associated with actuarial assessments.

Supplies and Services expenses increased by $27.9 million, of which school expenditure totalled $12.6 million.

During the 2015-16 financial year, the department also made a payment to the State Government totalling $60.9 million pursuant to the cash alignment policy. No similar payment was made in the 2016-17 financial year.

Summary of our assets – what we own

The value of assets for department and schools (excluding care and protection activities) totalled $5.5 billion as at 30 June 2017, which represented an increase of $696 million compared with the previous financial year.

The value of land, building and improvements, and other property was revalued in the 2016-17 financial year. This resulted in an increase of $585 million. Most of the revaluation increase related to buildings and improvements.

Cash balances also increased by $122.4 million, including increases in cash held by schools in SA School Investment Fund accounts, and an increase in at-call deposits with the Treasurer.

Summary of our liabilities – what we owe

The value of liabilities for the department and schools (excluding care and protection activities) totalled $1.1 billion as at 30 June 2017, an increase of $8 million compared with the previous financial year.

Materials and services charges

The materials and services charge set by each governing/school council is intended to cover the costs of those essential materials and services used or consumed by individual students during the course of their study and must reflect the actual cost of the materials and services provided.

For 2017, the standard sum that schools were able to recover was $231 for primary students and $305 for secondary students. Governing/school councils may also poll their school communities to seek majority support to legally recover an amount greater than the standard sum.

In 2017, the total materials and services charge invoiced by schools is estimated to be around $64.9 million, and includes an estimated $12.3 million of ‘school card’ assistance for low-income families.

Nil to report

Audit and Risk Committee Report

The Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) provides independent assurance and advice to the Chief Executive and the Senior Executive Group on the department’s risk, control and compliance framework, and its external accountability responsibilities.

The ARC comprises 4 members of senior management and three independent external members, including the chair. Representatives of the Auditor-General's Department attend as observers. The committee met on 5 occasions during 2017.

The committee’s role is to review processes, timelines and business procedures and provide advice on audit, risk management and business assurance activities across the department.

During 2017, the ARC focused on the following matters:

• corporate governance and risk management frameworks
• external accountabilities and financial legislative compliance
• internal audit coverage and review of significant issues identified in audit reports and actions taken
• external audit - oversight of implementation and actions taken to address issues raised in Auditor General’s audit reports.

Awareness: There is a system to ensure all management, staff and volunteers have an understanding of the Act and Carers Charter.

Consultation: There is a system to ensure consultation with carers, or persons or bodies that represent carers, in the development and review of human resource plans, policies and procedures.

Practice: There is a system to ensure the principles of the Carers Charter are reflected in human resource practice.

Other

375

Bullying/Harassment Student

236

Enrolment

233

Behaviour Management General

148

Staff Performance

146

Behaviour Management-Suspension

115

Staff Misconduct

102

Family Law Dispute

81

Communication

80

Attendance

66

Government/Departmental Policy

64

Child Protection

63

Bullying/Harassment Staff

62

Special Education-Funding/Support

62

Safety Issue/Accident

58

Finance

55

Duty of Care

54

School Policy-General

50

Special Education-General

49

School Facilities Access/Use

43

Class Placement

42

Behaviour Management-Exclusion

34

Unethical Treatment

31

Behaviour Third Party

28

Teaching/Curriculum-Government Policy

27

Transport

24

School Policy-Uniform

23

Zoning

21

Teaching/Curriculum-Standards and Performance

15

Special Education-Behaviour Management

13

Unethical Behaviour/Conflict

7

Home Education

3

Prohibition

3

Training for basic complaint management for site staff

Training developed for online learning

Assistance for site staff to manage ongoing difficult complainants

Education Complaint unit assessment and resolution staff providing some targeted face-to-face mediation

Training for staff on managing aggressive and difficult complainants

Targeted face-to-face training