A Little Brain Gym!

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Objectives:

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• To disseminate some of the learning from London Fostering Achievement

• To consider how such learning can help colleagues from further and higher education to best support Care Leavers

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Enfield• A programme of activity delivered by The Fostering Network in

partnership with Achievement for All

• The aim was to improve educational outcomes for fostered children in London

• The work included: 32 training sessions delivered to carers, social workers, designated teachers and virtual schools across London local authorities, direct work with 27 London schools, 10 Education Champions working in 5 boroughs and a website for foster carers and other professionals www.londonfosteringachievement.org.uk

What was London Fostering Achievement?

Who is here today?

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Why London Fostering Achievement?

The Fostering Network survey – what foster carers said:

• 41% said teachers didn’t understand the foster carer role

• 60% agreed that more contact between foster carers and teachers would better support a looked after child’s education

• 70% said that it would help if teachers had a better understanding of looked after children

Learning Outcomes for Looked After Children 2014:

At age 11, Looked After Children attain 31 percentage points below all other children

At age 16, Looked After Children attain 40 percentage points below all other children

Looked After Children with SEN also achieve less well than their non-LAC peers with SEN. Approximately 66.6% of Looked after Children have some form of special educational need compared to approximately 15% of all other children

Approximately 29% of Looked after Children have a Statement of SEN or Education, Health & Care Plan compared to approximately 3% of all other children

Many LAC and CL DO achieve highly

Lessons from London Fostering Achievement

1. Partnership working is key

2. Use the mechanisms already established for identifying barriers to learning and resolving issues

3. Understand our Looked After Children and Care Leavers and their educational pathways

Partnership Working: Know Who’s Who in the life of a CLA or CL

Do you know who’s who in the life of a Child Looked After and Care Leaver?

Foster Carer Key Worker The Designated Teacher Social Worker Personal Advisor Virtual School Headteacher Care Leavers’ Team

What would help to improve your getting to know them?

Partnership Working: Communication

• How do we establish good communication lines and what may be the barriers to communication?

• Respecting the wishes and privacy of the young person

Partnership Working:Providing Multi-Agency Support

• LFA Masterclass • Widening Participation• Research on what works

Established Mechanisms: The Personal Education Plan

• What is the Personal Education Plan?• When?• Who participates?• The child or young person’s voice?• The content: Short and long term goals, current,

projected and target attainment, barriers to learning, transition, enrichment, funding

• Outcomes: Targets and SMART action plan

Established Mechanisms: The Pathway Plan

• What is the Pathway Plan?• When?• Who participates?• Lessons from the PEP

Understanding CLA and CL and their educational pathways

• Attachment Trauma• Care and Education placement breakdown• SEN data• AP data• Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children & Young

People • Qualifications …… GCSEs/BTECS/A’Levels/Access • Sixth Form and further education providers

What will you do next?

How can you take the LFA lessons of:

• Partnership Working• Using established mechanisms and• Understanding the young people and their

educational journeys before reaching you

and use it in your work in educating Care Leavers?

Article 39 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

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Article 28 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child asks that all States

“recognize the right of the child to education … ”

We have a duty to support that fundamental human right.