Article type: Original Research
19 October 2020
Volume 45 Issue 4
Article type: Original Research
19 October 2020
Volume 45 Issue 4
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Demonstrating the effectiveness of a residential education programme for disengaged young people: a preliminary report
Paul Mastronardi1
Frank Ainsworth2 * 
Jonathan C. Huefner3
Affiliations
1 Dunlea Centre (the original Australian Boys Town), Engadine, Australia
2 James Cook University, Townsville Campus, Australia
3 Boys Town Child and Family Translational Research Center, Omaha, USA
Correspondence
*Dr Frank Ainsworth
Contributions
Paul Mastronardi -
Frank Ainsworth -
Jonathan C. Huefner -
Paul Mastronardi1
Frank Ainsworth2 *
Jonathan C. Huefner3
Affiliations
1 Dunlea Centre (the original Australian Boys Town), Engadine, Australia
2 James Cook University, Townsville Campus, Australia
3 Boys Town Child and Family Translational Research Center, Omaha, USA
Correspondence
*Dr Frank Ainsworth
Part of Special Series: Special Issue: Poverty and Child Abuse
CITATION: Mastronardi P., Ainsworth F., & Huefner J.C. (2020). Demonstrating the effectiveness of a residential education programme for disengaged young people: a preliminary report. Children Australia, 45(4), 2243. doi.org/10.1017/cha.2020.48
Abstract
This article reports on the early results of using behavioural and educational data to evaluate a residential education programme. The programme serves male and female students between 12 and 16 years of age who have been suspended or expelled from school due to behavioural issues or who refused to attend school. Using measures of behavioural and educational progress during care and reporting these changes over time provided empirical evidence that the programme was achieving its primary aims of ‘behaviour change and educational gains.’ Collecting and reporting this data has empowered the programme to increase programme effectiveness through both data-informed decision-making and ongoing programme evaluation.