Better Education For Care Children Tops Agenda

{mosimage}The Scottish Cabinet will get regular reports on how looked after children perform at school. Education Minister Hugh Henry said the move demonstrates the Executive’s commitment to improving education for these youngsters.   

A national ‘champion’ will also work with councils to make sure they are providing the best possible education for children in care. The measures, which were drawn up by a working group established to examine the education of looked after children, were announced by Mr Henry during a visit to St Joseph’s Academy, Kilmarnock today.  

Currently, children in care gain fewer qualifications than other pupils. Ministers have made it clear that this is unacceptable.

The report includes recommendations for councils, teachers, social workers and health workers, including:

• Reminding councils of their role and responsibility as corporate parents

• Improving training for teachers and other professionals to ensure that they have the skills to deal with these pupils

• Providing key workers with guidance on their role in supporting individual young people

• Ensuring that councils continue to provide young people with support beyond their eighteenth birthday, including financial support for those going on to further and higher education. 

Mr Henry said: “Too many of our most vulnerable young people are not fulfilling their potential. This is not their failing. This group was established so that we would have a clear understanding of the challenges that they face in school and at home.

“This is a problem that needs care and attention from everyone involved in looking after these vulnerable youngsters. This report sets out a clear plan of action for everyone from the Executive and councils to individual teachers and social workers.

“I have asked councils to consider spending some of the extra #12.8 million I gave them last week on improving education for this vulnerable group of young people in their care.

“We must increase the possibilities for these young people and increase the probability that they will go on to successful futures. That is what these plans are intended to achieve. A good education is a strong foundation on which to build, ensuring that every child gets the chance to succeed.”

Hugh Mackintosh, Director, Scotland – Barnardo’s, said: “Barnardo’s are very supportive of the recommendations set out in this report.  We all know that good education, not least for those in care, is often the route to success to a happy and fulfilling future.  Together the statutory and voluntary sectors need to openly and honestly consider how best young people’s looked after needs can be best met.  There is a great deal to develop and learn from and this report offers the basis for a concerted effort to improve the life chances of such young people.”

COSLA’s social work and health improvement spokesperson, Councillor Eric Jackson, said: “This report is about the role all parts of society has in improving outcomes for looked after children.

“The future for children in care has historically not been as bright as for other children. Their health, education, employment, housing and other opportunities are often poorer than those of others.

“The report sets out some key challenges for councils and other public agencies such as the health service to improve outcomes for looked after children.   It has to be recognised that it is not being in care that cause the problems – these children are particularly vulnerable and come to us from challenging backgrounds. It is up to us collectively as service providers but indeed also the wider community to offer special support to these young people to radically improve the situation they have been in.
 
“This is a small but significant group of children and I am confident that we can build on the work done in the pilots and work closely with our partners in the health and voluntary sectors to rise to the challenge.
 
“I believe all children deserve the same start in life, but we know that this is not always the case. Hopefully, with today’s report, we can help redress some of the disadvantages they face. They are all “our children” and should be given all the care, understanding and opportunities we would wish for our own children.”