Looked after at home

The importance of parents and the home environment in supporting a child's learning and development should not be underestimated.

At 31 March 2008, 43% of looked after children in Scotland were looked after at home by their parents.

A child who is looked after at home will be subject to a supervision requirement from a children's hearing. The circumstances in which this is considered necessary can vary widely, ranging from specific short-term support for one particular problem to issues of child protection requiring daily, long-term intervention from a wide range of agencies.

But whatever the circumstances, the corporate parent duties towards children looked after at home are essentially the same as the duties towards children looked after away from home, including:

• care planning and reviewing
• supporting them to achieve their potential
• Pathways assessment and planning.

When children are looked after at home, the parents and the corporate parent must work together closely to ensure the children are living in a safe and nurturing environment.

Children cease to be looked after at home only when the supervision requirement is lifted by a subsequent children's hearing, or if they are moved to being looked after away from home.

It's worth remembering that the educational outcomes of children looked after at home tend to be lower than those of children looked after away from home.