Looked-after children

Parents and carers of looked-after children

Looked-after children and young people face barriers to achieving success in education.  A child who is looked after may be cared for in their own home or in a foster home, residential unit or residential school.  The Guidance for the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 states, 'Children who are looked after should have the same educational opportunities as all other children.'  In order to achieve this, it is vital that schools are aware of the children in their school who are looked after and that they keep in contact with the appropriate parent or carer.  This may be a relative, a foster carer, a local authority or another carer.

Unless there are strong reasons against it, parents in contact with their children should receive regular information about their children's progress in school, including end of session reports.                Learning with Care, HMIE, 2001

Care planning for looked-after children should clarify who is taking responsibility for keeping in contact with the school and helping the child with their education. Careful planning and effective joint working between carers/social workers and teachers is of equal importance.

In addition, all local authorities have developed or revised joint policies and protocols on looked after children and all schools should now have a designated senior manager who is responsible for their looked-after children.

Example - educational support for looked after children

One authority, which had a high percentage of its looked-after children in residential care, made considerable efforts to make their residential units educationally rich environments.  All the children had access to computers and special programs were purchased for children with learning difficulties.  Children were encouraged to be library members and a wide range of books was available.

Another local authority operates a tutoring support service for its looked-after and accommodated children and young people.  Because of its success, the service is being expanded to include children and young people who are looked after at home.

Many local authorities have created educational support positions to work with looked-after children. These may include learning/behaviour support assistants, outreach teachers and/or educational psychologists for looked-after children they work with and provide support to. They may liaise between looked-after children, parents, carers, schools and social work services, amongst others.  They deal with a range of common issues including loss, trauma, attendance, exclusion, achievement and attainment.