http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-02/20120202-school-attendance-welfare-pay-link-trial/3807952

An evaluation of a trial linking the welfare payments of parents to the school attendance of their children has found the threat can be effective but not for long.

The trial, known as SEAM, focused on schools in parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory, in areas where attendance is particularly bad.

It involved 14 schools in the Territory and 30 in Queensland.

The evaluation found that, in 2010, there were about 5,000 parents involved in the trial.

Only seven parents had their welfare payments suspended because their children were not in class.

Another 85 had payments suspended for not having their children enrolled at school.

Federal School Education Minister Peter Garrett says the trial is having a positive effect on enrolment and attendance.

However, the evaluation warns that both attendance and enrolment tend to slip back over time.

Overall, it found children's attendance at the schools surveyed rose by about 5 per cent.

Attendance by SEAM students rose from 74.4 per cent to 79.9 percent of children enrolled in the Territory, and from 84.7 per cent to 88.7 per cent in Queensland.

Mr Garrett says he is not disappointed with the results of the trial.

"We have got challenges still in play with communities to make sure attendance and enrolment is given the priority it needs," he said.

The trial is costing more than $3 million a year to run.

The Federal Opposition says the trial is a joke.

The Opposition Indigenous Affairs spokesman, Senator Nigel Scullion, says given the scale of non-attendance, the figures are ridiculous.

"This is actually a test of whether the Labor Government can even run a trial," he said.

"This is an absolute, complete joke."

I actually support the idea - once again Labor shows its incompetence in implementing another otherwise good plan

Maqqa wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2012 at 5:39pm:

I actually support the idea - once again Labor shows its incompetence in implementing another otherwise good plan

I was just thinking the same thing...

how hard would it be to collect data on who attends and who doesnt... if they think they can do a roll call on day one then walk away.. they have got to be kidding themselves..


how weird is it.. when they come up with figures on the failure rate of stop smoking patches..

they claim many start smoking again...

yet here they are with no set pattern of who remains in school and who drops out again..


what a waste of resources..

from what little I know of this it runs in a pattern those that dont bother sending their kids to school will be the first to let them drop out again once the heat is off...what a crock I am sure I could run the bloody thing better than this.


these are our kids for PETES SAKE>>>

do what has to be done..what the hell is the $3 million spent on????????

Maqqa wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2012 at 5:38pm:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-02/20120202-school-attendance-welfare-pay-link-trial/3807952 An evaluation of a trial linking the welfare payments of parents to the school attendance of their children has found the threat can be effective but not for long. The trial, known as SEAM, focused on schools in parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory, in areas where attendance is particularly bad. It involved 14 schools in the Territory and 30 in Queensland. The evaluation found that, in 2010, there were about 5,000 parents involved in the trial. Only seven parents had their welfare payments suspended because their children were not in class. Another 85 had payments suspended for not having their children enrolled at school. Federal School Education Minister Peter Garrett says the trial is having a positive effect on enrolment and attendance. However, the evaluation warns that both attendance and enrolment tend to slip back over time. Overall, it found children's attendance at the schools surveyed rose by about 5 per cent. Attendance by SEAM students rose from 74.4 per cent to 79.9 percent of children enrolled in the Territory, and from 84.7 per cent to 88.7 per cent in Queensland. Mr Garrett says he is not disappointed with the results of the trial. "We have got challenges still in play with communities to make sure attendance and enrolment is given the priority it needs," he said. The trial is costing more than $3 million a year to run. The Federal Opposition says the trial is a joke. The Opposition Indigenous Affairs spokesman, Senator Nigel Scullion, says given the scale of non-attendance, the figures are ridiculous. "This is actually a test of whether the Labor Government can even run a trial," he said. "This is an absolute, complete joke."

Lies - all lies - who is linking the political lies and abuse of power with their avoiding a royal commission? http://phumphries.com/forums/images/smilies/bandit.gif

cods wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2012 at 5:50pm:

do what has to be done..what the hell is the $3 million spent on????????

good question

more than $3,000,000 over 44 schools ie $68K per school

The interesting part is attendance increased from 74% to 79% for NT and 84% to 88% in QLD ie 21% in in NT did not attendent school and 12% in QLD did not attend school

Yet only 92 had the payments suspended - representing about 1.8% of total attendance

So what happened with the other 21% and 12% who didn't attend school? Why weren't they punished?

That's right - they are Aborigines

Compare this to a parking fine - they will chase you like a blood hound

cods wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2012 at 5:50pm:

what the hell is the $3 million spent on????????

Well... $3,000,000 for 5,000 students is $600 per student per year... somewhere around about $15 per week.

I'd say that's what it is being spent on. What about you?

Gist wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2012 at 6:08pm:

cods wrote on Feb 2nd, 2012 at 5:50pm: what the hell is the $3 million spent on???????? Well... $3,000,000 for 5,000 students is $600 per student per year... somewhere around about $15 per week. I'd say that's what it is being spent on. What about you?

The way you implemented those figures shows us why the Greens should NEVER be allow to control their own breathing let alone the Australian Budget

The question remains why the 21% in NT and 12% in QLD were not punished?

Gist wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2012 at 6:08pm:

cods wrote on Feb 2nd, 2012 at 5:50pm: what the hell is the $3 million spent on???????? Well... $3,000,000 for 5,000 students is $600 per student per year... somewhere around about $15 per week. I'd say that's what it is being spent on. What about you?

Where do you get 5,000 students from? Is that some type of Italian math?

It was an idiot idea, formulated by idiots, implemented by idiots, and supported by idiots.

blackadder wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2012 at 6:17pm:

Gist wrote on Feb 2nd, 2012 at 6:08pm: cods wrote on Feb 2nd, 2012 at 5:50pm: what the hell is the $3 million spent on???????? Well... $3,000,000 for 5,000 students parents is $600 per student parent per year... somewhere around about $15 per week. I'd say that's what it is being spent on. What about you? Where do you get 5,000 students from? Is that some type of Italian math?

Happy now?

Happy now?


No. Try and work out why.

blackadder wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2012 at 6:55pm:

Happy now? No. Try and work out why.

Well frankly, I don't care why.  :D :D

Gist wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2012 at 7:00pm:

blackadder wrote on Feb 2nd, 2012 at 6:55pm: Happy now? No. Try and work out why. Well frankly, I don't care why.  :D :D

To hard for you. That figures.

Maqqa wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2012 at 6:12pm:

Gist wrote on Feb 2nd, 2012 at 6:08pm: cods wrote on Feb 2nd, 2012 at 5:50pm: what the hell is the $3 million spent on???????? Well... $3,000,000 for 5,000 students is $600 per student per year... somewhere around about $15 per week. I'd say that's what it is being spent on. What about you? The way you implemented those figures shows us why the Greens should NEVER be allow to control their own breathing let alone the Australian Budget The question remains why the 21% in NT and 12% in QLD were not punished?

it isnt necessarily the SAME kids. the average non-attendance applies to the entire school body. the proper figure is the number of studens absent above a certain level defined as being 'actively truant'. as usual, govt statistics collect all the information in the world and analyse it all wrong.

Hopeless.

But then again this is a govt that LITERALLY cannot organise a succesful riot.

Lies -all lies so these criminals in the political corporate and media class can get illegal control over families lives.  I dont believe them. http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/evilgrin/evilgrin0027.gif

longweekend58 wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2012 at 7:11pm:

Maqqa wrote on Feb 2nd, 2012 at 6:12pm: Gist wrote on Feb 2nd, 2012 at 6:08pm: cods wrote on Feb 2nd, 2012 at 5:50pm: what the hell is the $3 million spent on???????? Well... $3,000,000 for 5,000 students is $600 per student per year... somewhere around about $15 per week. I'd say that's what it is being spent on. What about you? The way you implemented those figures shows us why the Greens should NEVER be allow to control their own breathing let alone the Australian Budget The question remains why the 21% in NT and 12% in QLD were not punished? it isnt necessarily the SAME kids. the average non-attendance applies to the entire school body. the proper figure is the number of studens absent above a certain level defined as being 'actively truant'. as usual, govt statistics collect all the information in the world and analyse it all wrong. Hopeless. But then again this is a govt that LITERALLY cannot organise a succesful riot.

true longie

of the 5,000 picked out - only 92 had their payment stopped ie only 1.8%

but this only increased participation rate in the NT from 75% to 79% and in QLD 84% to 88%

even if we took the conservative approach and use the 21% and 12% as a range - truancy is about 1,050 to 600

this seems a long way from the 92 they actually punished

It doesn't take much to figure out why the corrupt political class want  control over every aspect of our lives.  But the reality is that these people serve us - we do not live to serve them and these liars have no right to abuse the power of the state; to violate the sovereignty and free will of the people.  They have no right.  We need action on corruption, that is something worth doing. http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/evilgrin/evilgrin0037.gif