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2.0 BACKGROUND
The main recommendation 4 in the Learning With Care1 report states that:
"Schools should take particular care to identify the learning needs of all their looked after children, set them challenging but realistic educational targets and systematically monitor the progress made. A senior member of staff in each school should maintain an overview of looked after children's progress and take responsibility for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place for supporting the children's education."
As a result of this recommendation local authorities across Scotland took steps to ensure that a designated senior manager for looked after children and young people was identified in each of their educational establishments.
The Looked After Children and Young People: We Can and Must Do Better2 report noted that whilst each educational establishment had an identified designated senior manager for looked after children and young people there was still a great deal of variation as to how this role is both defined and carried out across Scotland. In addition, the report considered the development of a reciprocal role within the residential child carer sector.
Furthermore, We Can and Must Do Better stated:
"Our looked after children and young people need someone both in school and at home who understands their issues and supports their educational attainment.
Action 9
In partnership with COSLA, local authorities and Learning and Teaching Scotland, we will produce a list of core tasks which clarifies the roles and responsibilities of the designated person within each school or residential establishment who undertakes this important role.
Next steps required
a) We will write to councils and independent providers of residential establishments asking them to identify a senior member of staff who will take particular responsibility for ensuring that appropriate resources are in place within their establishment for supporting the education of their children and young people."
The development of these core tasks also fits comfortably with other Scottish Government policies and strategies, e.g.Curriculum for Excellence, Additional Support for Learning and More Choices, More Chances.
Whilst the core tasks for designated managers relate specifically to looked after children and young people the needs of children and young people and young people who were previously looked after must not be forgotten or overlooked. More Choices, More Chances is the Scottish Government strategy to reduce the proportion of young people not in education, employment
or training. It is firmly focused on identifying the needs of each young person individually, and targeting the relevant support where it is needed. This support must deliver equally well for all young people, including those with a background in care. The strategy identifies care leavers as one of the key subgroups to be targeted.
16+ Learning Choices is central to delivering Curriculum for Excellence and in realising our commitment to improving participation rates in learning post-16. The purpose of 16+ Learning Choices is to provide an appropriate, engaging and relevant offer of learning, well in advance of the school leaving date, to every young person, regardless of their circumstances. This will be introduced incrementally, with universal coverage across Scotland by December 2010.
The core tasks outlined in this document have been developed by the members of the We Can and Must Do Better Becoming Effective Life Long Learners working group and endorsed by the members of the Implementation Board. Information regarding the membership of the working group and the implementation board can be found in section 6 (page 22).
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