Education For Looked After Children
WHAT IS A LOOKED AFTER CHILD (LAC)?
A looked after child (LAC) is one that the local authority is responsible for and has been placed with one of the following for more than 24 hours:
- Foster parents
- Relatives
- Friends
- In a residential home
- In a secure unit
The reasons for this could be:
- The parents are unable to care for the child due to illness or the child’s disability or educational needs are too great for the parents. In this case a child is placed with the consent of the parents of the child.
- The child may have also been removed from the parents due to safety. In this case the child is usually under a care court order
- The child may be an unaccompanied asylum seeking children
- The child may be one where an adoption agency has been given permission to place for adoption.
A looked after child is also known as a child in care. A child remains a looked after child until they turn 18 years of age, they are legally adopted or they go back to their home. Local authorities will support all looked after children until the age of 21 years if they leave care at 18 years of age.
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR WHAT IS A LOOKED AFTER CHILD
WHAT IS A PREVIOUSLY LOOKED AFTER CHILD?
A previously looked after child is one that was in care and looked after by the local authority but has now returned home, been adopted or turned 18 years of age so is no longer in care.
WHAT IS LOCAL AUTHORITY CHILD SERVICES?
Child services is a department in all local authorities that are responsible for the care, protection and welfare of all children in the borough, especially vulnerable and looked after children (children in care). They undertake all the duties outlined in the order dated 2010 below.
WHO LOOKS AFTER THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF A LOOKED AFTER CHILD?
Under section 23 of the children act 1989, the local authority looks after and is responsible for the educational needs of a looked after child. These educational needs will be detailed in a personal education plan (PEP). This personal education plan is a part of the care plan done by the local authority for each looked after child.
LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR SECTION 23 OF THE CHILDREN ACT 1989
LINK TO GOVERNMENT GUIDE FOR PROMOTING THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF LOOKED-AFTER CHILDREN
The local authority has a duty to minimise any disturbance and disruption to a looked after child’s education. If possible the local authority should try and arrange education to continue where the looked after child is already studying and is settled.
A care plan is discussed in our help guide ‘what is a looked after child. Please click the link below.
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR WHAT IS A LOOKED AFTER CHILD.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF LOCAL AUTHORITY CHILD SERVICES IN EDUCATION?
One of the responsibilities of child services is to make sure all children including looked after children of compulsory school age (5 – 16 years) in the borough get a suitable education.
Some of their jobs include:
1. To support children who are being home-schooled and ensure they are being given suitable education.
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR ELECTIVE HOME EDUCATION (HOME SCHOOLING)
2. To ensure all looked after children (children in care) have a personal education plan and have all the facilities and provisions in place so they can get a suitable education.
3. To support children with special education needs, disabilities and medical needs.
4. To ensure there are enough school places in the local schools for the number of compulsory school aged children in the borough.
5. To coordinate admissions in schools.
6. To support and provide a suitable school place for children who have been expelled from school
7. To make sure education supervision orders are issued where required.
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR EDUCATION SUPERVISION ORDER.
WHAT IS A PERSONAL EDUCATION PLAN (PEP)?
A social worker and/or your local authority will produce a personal education plan for every looked after child. This must be done within 20 school days of when the child became a looked after child. As stated above the personal education plan is a part of the overall care plan for a looked after child.
A personal education plan forms part of a looked after child’s school records. It is reviewed 3 times a year.
A personal education plan is a course of action for a looked after child to achieve their full academic potential. It can include the following:
- Access to a suitable school
- Access to provisions to help the child
- Access to provisions for developmental needs of the child
- Any special educational needs
- Recording the child’s academic achievement
- Progress of the child with regards to education
- Extra curricular activities the child may wish to pursue.
- Any academic goals the child may have
- The academic strengths of the child
- The academic weaknesses of the child
- Any support if the child has fallen behind with school work.
- Transition support when the child moves from one school to another.
- Monitoring school attendance.
- Details of all the individuals involved in the care of the child.
The local authority is responsible for making sure the personal education plan is implemented, effective and working.
WHAT IS A DESIGNATED TEACHER (DT)?
Under section 20 of the childrens and young persons act 2008, the governing body of maintained schools should allocate a member of staff (referred to as the designated teacher) who be responsible for the educational and academic achievement of a looked after child enrolled at the school.
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF UK EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENTS
LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR SECTION 20 OF THE CHILDRENS AND YOUNG PERSONS ACT 2008
WHAT IS A VIRTUAL SCHOOL WITH REGARDS TO A LOOKED AFTER CHILD?
A virtual school is an additional resource and service from the local authority that supports and helps the educational and academic achievements of looked after children. It is composed of a group of professionals such as education welfare officers, personal education plan coordinators, managers and learning mentors that make up a virtual school team. There is also a headteacher who is called the virtual school head.
The virtual school team works in collaboration with the child’s school, designated teacher, social worker, and carers to offer support, help and make sure every looked after child can and is performing to their maximum. The virtual school team makes sure a looked after child has access to activities that can help with career plans.
WHAT IS A VIRTUAL SCHOOL HEAD (VSH)?
The virtual school head oversees the education, the support, the help and guidance given to all looked after children.
- They are in charge of the educational care of any looked after children placed in education out of the local authority.
- They must ensure that all personal educational plans are being followed and reviewed regularly as legally required. Under section 99 of the children and families act 2014 a local authority must have a virtual school head who is incharge of the local authorities virtual school team.
- They must make sure schools are not necessarily excluding or expelling looked after children. These are vulnerable children and need to be catered to with additional provisions, alternative placements and guidance.
- They must ensure that the local authority is taking education placement of looked after children very seriously.
- They must ensure the educational progress of all looked after children in the borough.
For write up on corporate parenting, care plan and independent reviewing officer please click the link below.
LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR WHAT IS A LOOKED AFTER CHILD
LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR SECTION 99 OF THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ACT 2014
LINK TO GOVERNMENT GUIDE TO VIRTUAL HEAD ROLE
WHAT IS PUPIL PREMIUM?
Since 2011, pupil premium is money/funds forwarded to schools from the government to help the most disadvantaged and underprivileged children at the school to attain academic achievements. The disadvantage can be due to family finances, a child being local authority care or a family breakdown and upheaval.
WHAT IS A PATHWAY PLAN?
A pathway plan is a plan especially for looked after children aged 16 – 17 years of age that very soon will not be under the care of the local authority anymore. The plan intends to help a looked after child to continue their further education, enter higher education, start training or a job.
A pathway plan is part of a child’s personal education plan (PEP) if the child is old enough. Any help, guidance or provisions a 16 – 17 years old looked after child will need will be detailed in their pathway plan.
WHAT IS THE 16 – 19 BURSARY FUND?
The 16 – 19 bursary fund is a government grant given to 16 – 19 year olds that intend to or are studying at a school or college that does not charge you to enrol and attend or you are on a training course or unpaid work experience. For over 19 year olds, you may also get the bursary if you have a education, health and care plan (EHCP) or you are a 19+ continuer (you are continuing the course you enrolled in when you were 16 – 19 years of age.
This bursary does not apply to any individual who is intending to or attending university.