press release
Schools to be obliged to take on children in care
31 July 2007
More than £300m was recently pledged by the government to
improve the lives and opportunities for children in care over the
next four years.
A recently published White Paper contains
proposals aimed at improving the education and overall development
of children in care across central and local government in
England.
Statistics show that there are currently about
61,000 children in care in England, 69% of whom are fostered.
Official figures show that only 11% of them achieve five good
GCSEs, compared with 56% in England as a whole. By the age of 19,
individuals in care are more than twice as likely not to be in
education, employment or training.
Sarah Erwin, social care expert at law firm
Browne Jacobson, points out that proposals in the White Paper
include the following:
- every local authority to set up a “children in care” scheme to
encourage children to air their views and influence service
provision
- schools to give places to children in care - even if they are
full – including access to the best schools
- children not to move between schools during the crucial GCSE
years (10 and 11)
- bursaries of a minimum of £2,000 for those who go on to
university
- a “Virtual Headmaster” scheme to be piloted in 11 local
authorities, to support and monitor progress of children in care in
their area
- £500 per year to support the education and development of
children who risk not reaching expected standards
- exclusion to be carried only as an absolute last resort.
Sarah points out that while the proposals were
generally well received at consultation stage, concerns were
expressed among some education and social care professionals over
how they would be implemented in terms of resource and policy.
In particular, the “Virtual Headmaster” scheme
was met with confusion over exactly what the role might
entails.
Professionals also warned that lower attaining
schools often offered better pastoral support and the strongest
inclusion policies, which might better suit a young person in
care.
There were also suggestions that, just as
parents may be prosecuted if their children fail to attend school,
Local Authorities may come to be held accountable for absent
children in care.
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