Education Support Services

When a child is ill or is injured, complex medical treatment can be required and attending school is often not a possibility. We offer a suite of programs to bridge the gap for students whose education is disrupted due to a life altering medical illness or injury. Services are available to all young people whether they are from a regional area and staying at RMHC SA or are from a metropolitan area traveling from home to hospital to receive treatment.
The lives of siblings are also disrupted when a young person is receiving treatment so our support services extend to other school aged members of the family. Education staff collaborate with hospital staff and teachers from the Hospital School SA and the young person’s home school to facilitate a smooth transition back to school. RMHC SA also provides access to professional development to support schools and teachers.
Once a young person is discharged from hospital, initial and ongoing education support through the Ronald McDonald Learning Program is available.

Hospital School South Australia | RMHC SA In House Support | Ronald McDonald Learning Program (RMLP) | Charlie Bell Scholarship | EDMed

Hospital School South Australia

Hospital School SA provides educational programs by focusing on personalised learning through targeted teaching for students and young people.

Schooling can be negotiated for outpatients unable to attend their own school and the school-aged siblings of country/interstate patients. Hospital School SA delivers the Early Years Learning Framework, Australian Curriculum and SACE in a classroom setting and via teaching on the wards and online for all years:

Preschool
Junior Primary: Reception to Year 4
Middle School: Year 5 to Year 9
Senior School: Year 10 to Year 12

We collaborate with individual schools and other educational institutions to ensure continuity in students’ learning.

Parents are to enrol their children prior to attendance by completing the enrolment form which can be found at: https://hospitalschoolsa.sa.edu.au/siblings-outpatients/

RMHC SA In House Support

Whilst outpatients and siblings staying at the House are encouraged to attend the Hospital School, in some cases, this is not possible. In these circumstances, education support is available in the House on a case-by-case basis.

Ronald McDonald Learning Program (RMLP)

The Ronald McDonald Learning Program (RMLP) aims to bridge the gap for school aged students whose education is disrupted due to serious illness or injury.

Supporting children from kindergarten to Year 12, the program provides a range of educational services including up to 40 hours of one-on-one tutoring to assist the reintegration into school and funding towards allied health intervention.

For more information, please express interest via the link below.

Become a RMLP Tutor

Becoming a tutor in the Ronald McDonald Learning Program (RMLP) gives teachers a chance to help sick or injured kids catch up on their missed education. Teachers are paid on an hourly basis to tutor students recovering from illness or injury at the student’s school or local community facility.

Charlie Bell Scholarship

When a young person is dealing with a serious illness or injury, other parts of their life can sometimes come to a standstill.

As their treatment and recovery become the priority, it can almost feel impossible to carry on with education, professional development or the career path they were pursuing.

To help students get back on their career path and towards the future they dream of Ronald McDonald House Charities established the Charlie Bell Scholarship. The scholarship awards one-off grants of up to $5,000 to young people aged 15 to 20 years, to assist towards their tertiary education.

Whether the money is used for books, supplies, apprenticeship tools or university fees, the scholarship is there to help young people get back on their path to success – wherever that might take them.

About Charlie Bell

Charlie Bell was an inspiration leader, long- time supporter of RMHC and someone with quite a remarkable story.

After starting his career as a part time crew member with McDonald’s at the age of 15, he progressed quickly through the ranks, becoming Australia’s youngest Store Manager at just 19. By the age of 29, Charlie was a Vice President of McDonald’s Australia and on the Australian Board of Directors.

Before long, Charlie was appointed Managing Director, McDonald’s Australia and then ultimately, President and Chief Executive Officer of the global McDonald’s system in 2004.

Charlie passed away in 2005, after a courageous battle with cancer and he has left behind a legacy that allows many young Australians to follow their dreams, just like he did.

EDMed

EDMed is one of the services provided by the Ronald McDonald Learning Program team. Targeted for schools and pre-service teachers at universities, this free professional development opportunity helps teachers understand how to better cater for children with complex health needs. The module addresses strategies to support the physical, social, emotional, and academic wellbeing of children with serious medical or mental illness, as well as on how to support their siblings and families. All participants receive a certificate of completion for their professional learning records, and a resource book. EDMed is also available as a self-paced online module.

If you’re a parent, carer or guardian with a sick kid, and you’d like to enquire about RMLP tuition or about the Charlie Bell Scholarship, or you’re a teacher or educator, and you’d like to enquire about EDMed training or becoming an RMLP tutor, fill out the form so we can put you in contact with the relevant team!