Looked After Children SENCO meetings - November 2010 Education LAC Co-ordinator Education LAC Co-ordinator Sue Phillips Sue Phillips Danycoed HouseTel Danycoed HouseTel Education Welfare Officers for LAC Education Welfare Officers for LAC Julie Rees Tel: Julie Rees Tel: Helen StephensTel Access to Learning, Education Directorate, City & County of Swansea

Looked After Children ACCOMMODATED Section 20 of Children Act 1989 By voluntary agreementBy voluntary agreement No parental responsibility acquiredNo parental responsibility acquired No notice of removal requiredNo notice of removal required IN CARE Section 31 of Children Act 1989 Court orderCourt order Interim Care Order (s.38)Interim Care Order (s.38) Shared parental responsibilityShared parental responsibility REMANDED / DETAINED

Children Looked After in Wales as of March 31 st ,5294,6424,6334,7045,162

Reasons Why Children Became Looked After – 2010 Abuse or neglect = 59% Abuse or neglect = 59% Family in acute stress/dysfunction = 24% Family in acute stress/dysfunction = 24% Parental illness = 10% Parental illness = 10% Socially unacceptable behaviour = 5% Socially unacceptable behaviour = 5% Other = 2% Other = 2% Other includes: Other includes: Absent parenting; disability; adoption breakdown; disruption; low income…

CHILDREN ACT 2004 Recognised Looked After Children: Have poor experiences of education & very low educational attainment Have poor experiences of education & very low educational attainment Have educational outcomes that remain significantly lower than for all children Have educational outcomes that remain significantly lower than for all children (As a proportion of those who reach ave levels of attainment expected of 7, 11, 14 & 16 yr olds) Only very few progress to higher education compared to their peers Only very few progress to higher education compared to their peers Duty to promote the education of LAC

A Better Education for Children in Care The Social Exclusion Unit’s report identified 5 KEY reasons why LAC under achieve in education: 1.Too much time out of school 2.Lives characterised by instability 3.Insufficient help with their education if they get behind 4.Primary carers are not expected / equipped to provide sufficient support & encouragement for learning & development 5.Unmet emotional, mental & physical health needs that impact on their education

The Role of the Education Directorate Inclusive approach Inclusive approach Full time educational provision Full time educational provision P.E.Ps. P.E.Ps. S.E.N. support S.E.N. support Teacher with educational responsibility Teacher with educational responsibility E.W.O. / L.A.C. support E.W.O. / L.A.C. support

The Role of the Education Directorate To support pupils to reach their individual potential To support pupils to reach their individual potential To promote high expectation for each pupil To promote high expectation for each pupil Stability & continuity Stability & continuity Working in partnership Working in partnership High expectations High expectations Staff training & support Staff training & support

The Education LAC Co-ordinator Sue Phillips 'Co-ordinating Education Programmes of LAC in Discussion with Education Providers' Responsible for: Full time education Full time education Inclusion Inclusion

The Education LAC Co-ordinator Works with: Social Services / Carers / Education Works with: Social Services / Carers / Education Liaises with E.W.O. for L.A.C. Liaises with E.W.O. for L.A.C. Planning & review meetings Planning & review meetings Education provision Education provision Panel meetings Panel meetings Personal Education Plans (P.E.Ps.) Personal Education Plans (P.E.Ps.)

The Education Welfare Officer for Looked After Children Julie Rees & Helen Stephens (0.5 post) Encourages & supports attendance by our Looked After Children Encourages & supports attendance by our Looked After Children Liaises with EWS colleagues in schools to support LAC Liaises with EWS colleagues in schools to support LAC Regular liaison with residential centres Regular liaison with residential centres Links with carers, social workers & others Links with carers, social workers & others Offers support to LAC in various ways Offers support to LAC in various ways

The Designated Teacher (Usually Head Teacher / Senior Teacher) Ensure high expectations Ensure high expectations Responsible for liaison with Social Services Responsible for liaison with Social Services Provide support & guidance to staff Provide support & guidance to staff

The Designated Teacher (Named for each school & centre) The Role Access services & support Access services & support Ensure each L.A.C. pupil has a P.E.P. Ensure each L.A.C. pupil has a P.E.P. Facilitate transfer of information Facilitate transfer of information Attend L.A.C. reviews - as appropriate Attend L.A.C. reviews - as appropriate Contribute to Social Services plans Contribute to Social Services plans Liaise with carers Liaise with carers

The LAC Liaison Teacher Teacher who attends review... ‘Knows the pupil well and… Has a good relationship with them' (E.g. Class Teacher I SENCO I Head of Year) Main Role: Provide information Provide information Personal support Personal support Liaise with carer, parent, social worker... Liaise with carer, parent, social worker...

The LAC Liaison Teacher Responsibilities Liaise with pupil’s social worker Liaise with pupil’s social worker Contribute to record & plans Contribute to record & plans Prepare for / attend L.A.C. reviews & meetings Prepare for / attend L.A.C. reviews & meetings Formulate, forward & review P.E.P.s Formulate, forward & review P.E.P.s Co-ordinate review of S.E.N. statement Co-ordinate review of S.E.N. statement Liaise with E.W.O. Liaise with E.W.O. Liaise with careers staff Liaise with careers staff

Personal Educations Plans (PEPs) Social worker to inform school of young person becoming Looked After to initiate PEP Social worker to inform school of young person becoming Looked After to initiate PEP Social worker to fully share information to contribute to completion of PEP – ideally in PEP meeting with pupil, school, carer & parent Social worker to fully share information to contribute to completion of PEP – ideally in PEP meeting with pupil, school, carer & parent PEP to be completed by school WITHIN 20 SCHOOL DAYS PEP to be completed by school WITHIN 20 SCHOOL DAYS of pupil becoming Looked After or changing schools PEP to be forwarded to IRO who monitors completion. This is an authority P.I. we are seeking to improve! PEP to be forwarded to IRO who monitors completion. This is an authority P.I. we are seeking to improve! PEP is kept by school, amended as needed & updated for forwarding to subsequent LAC reviews PEP is kept by school, amended as needed & updated for forwarding to subsequent LAC reviews

Raise LAC Grant Year 5 of 5 year grant Year 5 of 5 year grant To raise attainment in key stage 3 & 4 To raise attainment in key stage 3 & 4 Grant provides Grant provides –Mentoring by 2 project workers –Study resources –Evening home tuition Recent evaluation by WAG shows Recent evaluation by WAG shows –Swansea in top quartile for GCSE points scores for LAC

Education Project Workers for Looked After Children LAC Educ Project Worker Jo Perkins Provides additional support in educational settings for a number of Looked After Children on referral to year 8 Provides additional support in educational settings for a number of Looked After Children on referral to year 8 Support is usually 1:1 or group support in school for one session a week for a short period Support is usually 1:1 or group support in school for one session a week for a short period LAC RAISE Project Workers Sarah Powell, Lucy Ward Provide additional mentoring support in educational settings for Looked After Young People in years 9-12 Provide additional mentoring support in educational settings for Looked After Young People in years 9-12 Help access further resources to support the young person achieve; e.g. Study guides, ICT, et Help access further resources to support the young person achieve; e.g. Study guides, ICT, et Home tuition is offered to all year 9-12 through our WAG Raise grant Home tuition is offered to all year 9-12 through our WAG Raise grant

"Education is the most important thing we can give our children" Professor Sonia Jackson Schools that make a difference Provide places Provide places Support designated teachers Support designated teachers Keep children in their schools Keep children in their schools Clear communication Clear communication School policies on bullying School policies on bullying Sympathetic & supportive staff Sympathetic & supportive staff High expectation High expectation

Education for Looked After Children Sue Phillips: Education LAC Co-ordinator