POLICY FOR LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN
(Based
on LEA guidelines)
The
entitlement of all students to receive a broad and balanced education
and an opportunity for all round success is recognised in the school's
aims and in particular in the school's inclusion policy. In some
cases, however, it is necessary to have in place positive discrimination
strategies in order that students that could be at a
disadvantage
have the necessary extra support.
There has
been concern since the min-seventies that the education of children
in care has been neglected. Conversely, from about the same time,
attention was also being drawn to the important part that successful
schooling could play in helping children escape from social disadvantage.
As recently as 1995 a joint report by the Social Services
Inspectorate and Ofsted stated that the care and education systems
were failing to promote the educational achievement of children in care
and draw attention to:
* Poor
exam success rates in comparison with the general population.
* A high
level of disruption and change in school placements.
* Lack of
involvement in extra curricular activities.
*
Inconsistent or no attention paid to homework
*
Underachievement in further and higher education.
It is,
therefore, essential that
(a) The
Objectives of the Policy
To promote the educational achievement and welfare of looked
after
students.
(b) Definition of Looked After Students.
The
Children Act (1989) introduced changes in terminology. The term "in
care" now refers solely to children who are subject to Care Orders.
Children
who are cared for on a voluntary basis are "accommodated" by the local
authority. Both groups are said to be "looked after" by the local
authority.
Accommodated
children also include those in receipt of respite care - if it
exceeds 20 days in one episode or over 120 days in a year.
It is
important not to confuse a young person's legal status with their living
arrangements. E.g. a child on a Care Order can be living with:
* Foster
carers
* In a
children's home
* In a
residential school
* With
relatives,
* Or even
with parents - under the supervision of the Social Services Department
Similarly,
an "accommodated" child can be living:
* In
foster care
* In a
children's home
* In a
residential school
* Or,
even, very unusually, with parents.
(c) The
named teacher for Looked After Children is Elizabeth
Franklin/the Headteacher.
(d) The
Role of the Named teacher.
To ensure
that all staff, both teaching and non-teaching are aware of the
difficulties and educational disadvantage faced by children and young
people "looked after" and understand the need for positive systems of
support to overcome them.
To inform
members of staff of the general educational needs of children who are
looked after and to promote the involvement of these children in school
homework clubs, extra curricular activities, home reading schemes,
school councils etc.
To hold a
supervisory brief for all children being looked after, e.g. to ensure
all relevant education and care information is available to school
staff and carer(s), and that this information is kept up to date.
To monitor
the educational progress of all children who are looked after in
order to inform the school's development plan.
To
intervene if there is evidence of individual underachievement
To develop
and monitor systems for liasing with education,
carers and the Social
Services Department (SSD) for reporting and recording absence
from school and by acting to address these issues through early and
positive intervention.
To ensure
the involvement of the Careers Service with children in Years 10 and 11
who are looked after.
Work with
Individual Looked After Children
To work with individual children, possibly through a carer, to
arrive
at a
statement about their circumstances that they would be happy to share with
staff and/or students.
To enable the child to make a contribution to the educational aspects
of their
Care Plan.
To ensure that each student has a Pastoral Support Plan and an IEP.
Liaison
To liase with the appropriate pastoral Learning Manager to
promote appropriate monitoring
and support for looked after students.
To liase with the member of staff responsible
for monitoring children
on the
Child Protection Register.
To
co-ordinate education and SSD review meetings, so that any Individual
Plans can inform the child's Care Plan.
To attend,
arrange for someone else to attend, or to contribute in other ways
to SSD's care planning meetings.
To be the named contact for colleagues in Education and Social Services
Department.
To report
on the progress of all looked after children to Education department
as requested.
Training
To develop
knowledge of SSD/Education procedures by attending training events.
To cascade
training to school staff as appropriate.
(e) Role
of Named Governor – Mr Philip Chadwick
The named
governor will report to the Governing Body on an annual basis:
* The
number of looked after students in the school
* A
comparison of test scores as a discrete group, compared with those of other
students.
* The
attendance of students as a discrete group, compared to other students.
* The
level of fixed term/permanent exclusions.
* Student
destinations.
The named
Governor should be satisfied that the school's policies and procedures
ensure that looked after students have equal access to:
* The
National Curriculum
* Public
Examinations
* Careers
Guidance
* Extra
Curricular Activities
* Work
Experience
*
Additional Educational Support
(f)
Responsibility for LAC in School
It is
important that all teaching staff who are in contact with the child or
young person are aware that he/she is being looked after by the Local
|Authority. The responsibility for the transfer of this information
should be that the Headteacher and/or the person named as the
Co-ordinator for "Looked After Children"
within the school.
It is
appropriate for a classroom support assistant to have knowledge that the
young person is being looked after only when directly involved
in the teaching of the young person.
In the
absence of the usual class teacher, some information regarding the
child's circumstances should be shared with the teacher covering the class.
The extent of this sharing should be determined by the Headteacher
or the school's co-ordinator for LOC.
(g)
Admission Arrangements
On
admission, records will be requested from the student's previous school.
A meeting will be held with carer/parent/Social Worker as appropriate
to complete base line information to inform the student's Individual
Education Plan and clarify contact arrangements. A home agreement
will be drawn up with the primary care. An appropriate school
induction will take place.
(h)
Involving the Young Person
It is important that a young person is aware that information
is being
recorded
regarding their personal circumstances. How this is shared with them
clearly depends on their age and understanding. The explanation
should emphasise that the school, the Social Worker, and their
carer(s) are working together to promote their education.
It is
important to establish the child's view of their changed circumstances
and what they want others to know. It is also important to ensure
that a named teacher/carer prepares the child for situations when they
asked about home, e.g. by other students in the playground.
(i) Communication with Other Agencies
Ideally,
the Social Worker and School Co-ordinator for LAC should meet when the
young person becomes looked after, or when they join the school.
This will enable information concerning the child's progress and
circumstances to be shared. The monitoring form should help ensure that all
information relevant to school is exchanged.
Schools
should ensure that a copy of all reports (e.g. end of year) should be
forwarded to the young person's Social Worker in addition to, e.g. the
foster carer or residential Social Worker.
Schools,
the Educational Service and the Social Services Department should
endeavour to co-ordinate their review meetings, e.g. to have an Annual
Review of a Statement combined with a Statutory Care Review.
Social
Services, Education and schools will need to exchange information
between formal reviews if there are significant changes in the young
person's circumstances, e.g. if school is considering an exclusion,
there is a change of care placement or there are significant attendance
issues.
(j)
Assessment, Monitoring and Review Procedures
Each
looked after student will be given an Individual Education Plan. This will identify
specific areas of concern and achievable targets.
Areas for
consideration will include:
*
Attendance
*
Achievement Record (academic or otherwise)
*
Behaviour
* Homework
*
Involvement in Extra Curricular Activities
*
Relationship to care Plan
* Special
Needs (if any)
*
Development Needs (short and long term development of skills, knowledge
or subject areas and experiences).
* Long
term plans and aspirations (targets including progress, career plans and
aspirations)
Liaison
will be undertaken with Education Welfare/Education Psychology/Social
Services etc in the assessment and review processes as
appropriate.
The named
governor will report annually to the Governing Body on the key
indicators outlined on previous sheet.