This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Better deal needed for looked after children
10/01/2002
More work is required to ensure that all of Scotland's
looked after children get the same educational
opportunities as all other children, the Minister for
Education and Young People told Parliament today.
Cathy Jamieson was commenting on the responses received
from local authorities following the publication last year
of 'Learning with Care', a report that highlighted areas of
concern with the education experiences of looked after
children.
Earlier she and First Minister Jack McConnell had heard
first-hand accounts of what it is like to be brought up in
care during a meeting with some formerly looked after
children now studying at Telford College in Edinburgh.
Ms Jamieson said:
"It is the right of every child to be provided with
school education. That right applies as much to children
who are looked after as it does to do those who are not.
And these children should also - where necessary - receive
additional help, encouragement or support to tackle special
needs or compensate for previous deprivation or
disadvantage.
"The 'Learning with Care' report showed starkly that too
many looked after children were being failed. My
predecessor Jack McConnell was so concerned that he wrote
personally to every Council Leader in Scotland to ask what
steps they were taking to meet the needs of these
children.
"Their responses show a wide variation in performance by
local authorities. Whilst there are examples of good
practice and some Councils are making good progress, some
cannot yet meet
any of the recommendations in full.
"In fairness most local authorities are moving in the
right direction - they recognise the shared agenda to
improve matters and they have not shied away from revealing
the full situation. But clearly much more work is
required.
"I believe there are three recommendations fundamental
to improving the position for looked after children which
are priorities for action:
- All looked after children should receive full-time
education. We expect no less for our own children.
- All looked after children should have a care plan
which adequately addresses educational needs. This is a
statutory obligation and has been since 1997.
- All schools should have a teacher designated to
championing the interests of these children.
"None of these should need new resources. None of these
is new. All are good practice and today I am asking all
councils to meet these recommendations by the end of this
year. That means 100 per cent compliance with the provision
of a care plan for each looked after child; 100 per cent of
looked after children receiving full-time education; and
100 per cent of schools which have looked after children
having a teacher designated with the duty of championing
these children's needs."
Ms Jamieson continued:
"Local Authorities are the corporate parents of these
children. Councils are at the forefront of delivering
services to meet their needs. But we all share the
responsibility to ensure that progress is made. I would
encourage Councillors to keep checking what is happening on
their doorstep. MSPs need to look in their constituencies.
Teachers need to think about the position in their
schools.
"We have a programme of work for the year ahead, aimed
at maintaining the momentum carried through from the impact
of 'Learning with Care'.
"And back in October last year, Jack McConnell announced
£10m for local authorities to spend on education materials
for their looked after children. That funding - £500 for
every child cared for in a family setting and £2,500 for
every child looked after in a children's residential home
-can help make a significant difference to the education
experience of every single looked after child in Scotland.
Money that can make a real difference to closing the
opportunity gap between those who succeed and those who
fail.
"Looked after children are among the most vulnerable in
our society - it is our shared responsibility to ensure
they have the same opportunities open to others".
'Learning with Care', a joint Social Work Services
Inspectorate and HM Inspectorate of Education Report was
published on 5 March 2001. The aim was to evaluate the
social work and educational services provided by local
authorities to meet the educational needs of looked after
children living away from home continuously, either in
residential units which do not provide education on the
premises or in family placements. The report's main
findings were:
- Only two out of five local authorities were using
the looked after children materials.
- The majority of children were underachieving in
terms of the 5 to 14 targets.
- In primary schools, just under half the children
were achieving expected targets- about one fifth were
achieving targets one level below that expected for
their age; and one third achieving two or more levels
below that expected for their age.
- In secondary schools, only eight of the looked
after children interviewed achieved the national
average of seven standard grades.
- Only two looked after children interviewed achieved
the national average of three credit level Standard
Grade awards.
- No child interviewed achieved awards in the higher
grade.
The report contained nine recommendations. The then
Education Minister, Jack McConnell, wrote personally to
each Council Leader commenting on each recommendation and
suggesting a course of action for each council. Reports
were required by 31 October. As well as providing
information on implementation of the recommendations,
authorities were asked to provide some background
statistical information particularly on the implementation
of care plans for each looked after child and whether these
care plans fully address educational needs.
A copy of the Scottish Executive's summary of Council
responses is available from David Hood on
0131-244-5033.
Children are defined as being looked after by local
authorities when they are:
- provided with accommodation under section 25 of the
Children (Scotland) Act 1995 [broadly lost or abandoned
children, those for whom no-one has parental
responsibility, or where carers are unable to provide
suitable accommodation or care], or
- subject to a supervision requirement from a
children's hearing, or
- subject to an order, authorisation or warrant
according to which they have responsibilities under
chapter 2,3 or 4 of Part II of the Act. This may
include a child protection order, a child assessment
order, an authorisation from a justice of the peace to
a place of safety, removal to a place of safety by a
police constable, warrants to keep a child in a place
of safety made by a children's hearing or sheriff and a
parental responsibilities order which gives the local
authority responsibilities towards the child.
This year the Scottish Executive will -
- Organise and run three Seminars across Scotland
jointly for Social Work Services Managers and Education
Authority Managers at various levels. These will
consider the Report and action taken by authorities.
The emphasis is to promote better collaboration and
joint working aimed at improving the educational
experiences of looked after children.
- Develop with local authorities appropriate national
"outcome indicators" to measure the educational
provision and outcomes for looked after children.
- Prepare and disseminate nationally training
materials for local authorities to use with their
education and social work staff to promote
collaborative working and improve the educational
outcomes for looked after children. The timescale for
this project runs up to December 2002 but the initial
seminars will be held in April 2002.
- Include a Report on progress in each council in The
Social Work Services Inspectorate Annual Report which
will be published by August 2002. The information will
come from SWSI visits to all 32 authorities between
February and May 2002.
- Ask Authorities for a further report by the end of
the year on attainment of the 3 basic benchmarks:
100 per cent of looked after children in full-time
education; 100% with a care plan which adequately
addresses educational needs; and 100 per cent of
schools to have a designated teacher to address the
education of looked after children.