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Home: Community full menu: Education and learning full menu
Education of Looked After Children
June 2005
hayley.bradbury@kirklees.gov.uk
Foreward
To guarantee that the children and young people are given the quality of support which good parents provide, we must ensure that all those who have a role to play are clear about what their contribution should be and how it fits into the wider picture of the council’s commitment.
This information on education reflects the development of our strategy for providing the best possible support for the children and young people in our care.
We are committed to active partnership approaches to the support of our children and young people and these guidelines are part of the strategy to achieve clarity of purpose and to ensure and enhance joint working. The guidelines set a standard for best practice and emphasise the important part played by every member of the
team working with lookedafter children and young people.
Kirklees takes pride in the achievements of its looked-after children. We must set our sights high for all children and young people. Working to these guidelines will enable all those with a responsibility towards looked-after children and young people to play their part in ensuring that the best possible education is provided.
Introduction
A small percentage of children and young people of school age are ‘looked after’ by local authorities. They may live with foster
carers, in residential units, with friends or other family members, or in some cases they may remain at home with parents. They are referred to by some Government departments as ‘children in public care’. Recent research and publications, including those from Social Services Inspectorate and Ofsted, make it clear that the responsibility for their welfare and education rests with the local authority, and not with any one department. The local authority (as ‘corporate parent’) has a duty to provide comprehensive service of welfare and education; Social Services Departments and Local Education Authorities together look after the educational interests of looked after children and young people.
This informtion aims to help all those concerned with the education of children and young people who are looked after by
the local authority to fulfil their responsibilities effectively. The audience for the guidelines is very wide, and includes:-
- Social workers
- Foster carers
- Teachers and head teachers
- Parents
- Education social workers
- Carers in residential units
- School governors
- Education support staff
- Health professionals
- The voluntary sector
- Elected members
- Senior managers
- Careers Service
- Personal Advisors (Connexions)
For some time, it has been recognised that children and young people looked after by local authorities are underachieving in schools. Circulars and reports have emphasised the need for effective working partnerships to ensure that children and young people’s needs are met, and that the local authority acts as a good parent.
To contribute to the provision of a successful and integrated service to young people who are looked after, these guidelines aim to:
- set out agreed key principles
- clarify roles and responsibilities
- increase knowledge and understanding
- improve standards of professional practice
- ensure that equal opportunities are achieved
Key principles
Kirklees Council commits itself to act as a ‘good parent’ by:
- ensuring access to high quality learning opportunities for all children and young people who are looked after
- achieving inter-agency co-operation and joint working
- giving priority to their education in planning for all looked after children and young people
- putting in place policies and procedures which reflect the Council’s commitment to education as a priority for looked after children and young people
- providing training which ensures that staff are able to support the education of looked after children
- celebrating the success of looked after children and young people
What does a good parent do about education?
A good parent:-
- tells their child how important education is
- ensures that their child has an appropriate school place
- makes sure that their child goes to school regularly
- takes an interest in what their child is doing at school
- attends parents’ evenings and other school events
- gives appropriate help with homework
- makes sure that their child has the uniform and equipment they need
- understands how well their child is progressing
- reads regularly to and with their child
- knows the dates of important events in school
- prepares their child well for tests and examinations
- helps their child to settle in at a new school
- gets help if things are not going well at school
- encourages and facilitates out of school hours learning opportunities.
Why do looked after children fail?
The National Guidelines identify a number of barriers to educational success for looked after children. Among them are the following:-
- Their pre-care experience may already have seriously hampered educational progress.
- They may experience numerous and often unplanned moves of home.
- They may experience numerous unplanned moves of school or may be out of school for prolonged periods.
- Making and sustaining relationships with peers may be difficult due to lack of continuity in care and schooling.
- Lack of continuity of care providers and schools may mean that young people in public care cannot rely on familiar adults who they trust to advocate their needs.
- Low self-esteem and perhaps a justifiable lack of trust of adults can act as a barrier to enjoyment of schooling and educational success.
- Some young people experience bullying, racial abuse or harassment.
- Social Services Departments, Local Education Authorities and schools may not gather or share information that would help them to plan effectively.
- Local Authorities may not monitor the educational progress or needs of Looked After Children individually or collectively and take action to plan improvement.
- Individual schools, teachers, social workers and carers may be unclear about their roles and responsibilities.
- Schools and carers may display lower expectations of young people in public care, which can contribute to under achievement.
- Schools and Social Services may not act sufficiently quickly and sensitively to enable young people in public care to catch up when their schooling has been disrupted.
- Looked after children and young people are over represented amongst pupils excluded from schools.
- The special educational needs of looked after children and young people may not be promptly identified or assessed.
- The needs of black and ethnic minority children may not always be adequately considered in the care or educational placement.
Entitlement of looked after children
All aspects of the planning and decision making process should promote the right of children and young people to be involved in decisions which will affect their lives and education. Looked after children are entitled to:
Information
- a clear explanation of the roles and responsibilities of staff who support them
- a copy of their Education plan if they are of sufficient age and understanding
- information about where they can go for support and advice.
Respect
- an assurance of the greatest possible confidentiality
- equal and appropriate treatment, at school and at home
- recognition of their achievements.
Support
- high expectations from adults
- excellent educational support from school
- excellent educational support from home
- effectively co-ordinated support from helping agencies
Access
- access to a broad and balanced curriculum
- opportunities to influence decisions made about their education
- opportunities outside school to develop sporting, creative, social and artistic interests.
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