The programme has only been in effect since October 2018. It constitues a contact point for students, parents, or school staff in the case of complaints, issues, or other arguments, specifically where those involved have not been able to solve the problems between each other. The aim of the service then is to settle these discussions and to help provide solutions.
Lynn Cruchten and Lis De Pina take stock of the first 10 months since De Pina's appointment as head of the service and school mediator.
With 120 cases being treated over the last academic year, it seems there is a high demand and De Pina and her team definitely have their work cut out for them. 18 of these cases are still in the process of being dealt with. Children with special needs, youths who are at risk of leaving school, and those with a background of immigration tend to be the main focus. With that in mind, the three pillars of the programme are integration, school continuance and inclusion.
Up to 5 sessions are available, and they are held - depending on the circumstances - either with the parents, only with those directly implicated, or with the school board.
Despite having recently received the go ahead to employ an additional member, De Pina is of the opinion that considering the demand and the care necessary for each case, they would likely need more personnel in the future.
57% of all caseswere primary school cases, with 'inclusion' being the number 1 issue in most situations.
The team has also passed on 6 recommendations on to the ministry of education, and 6 more suggestions are currently being prepared.
