Minister urges Councils to do more for children from care homes

A Scottish Minister has urged councils to do more to support children in care while they are at school, a recent Herald article reports.

The call from Alasdair Allan, the Minister for Learning, comes after figures showed councils failing to provide for children who grow up with foster families or in care homes.  

Under 2004 legislation there is a presumption that children in care may have additional support needs and those who do should be assessed for a co-ordinated support plan (CSP).

However, figures gathered by the Glasgow-based Govan Law Centre show of 12,533 looked after children only 6,374 have been assessed for a co-ordinated support plan.

Mr Allan said: “The legislation is clear. Looked after children are considered to have additional support needs until they are assessed by education authorities and we expect all local authorities to carry out these assessments.

“The assessment should establish if a child has additional support needs and whether a co-ordinated support plan or other plan might assist in overcoming any barriers to learning.”

• The full article can be read on the Herald website.
• This article was originally posted on Who Cares? Scotland.