The issues - education in care

The report, Outcome Indicators of Looked After Children (DoH, 2003) by the Department of Health, covers all young people ‘looked after’ by English local councils who had been ‘looked after’ continuously for at least 12 months on 30 September 2002. This stated that there were 44,100 children in public care, 700 more than the figure given for the previous year. Of this group of young people, 34,500 were of school age. Clearly, from these statistics alone, it is vital that all educators should be well informed about and understand the needs of young people who are educated while in care. Further statistics from this report also highlight the educational difficulties children in public care are still experiencing, compared to their peers. On average, 50 per cent of those children in public care, at the end of Key Stage 1, age 7 (in the appropriate age group) achieve National Curriculum (NC) Level 2, compared to 85 per cent of all children. Some 40 per cent achieve NC Level 4 at the end of Key Stage 2 (age 11), compared to 78 per cent of all children and at the end of Key Stage 3 (age 14), only 22 per cent reach NC Level 5, compared to 66 per cent of all children. This under-achievement continues into Year 11 (age 16), where only 53 per cent of children in public care obtained one GCSE or GNVQ compared to 95 per cent of all school children and 42 per cent did not even sit either of these examinations. Given this percentage, it is unlikely, despite all the government initiatives and resources, that the target set out in 2000 in the Guidance for Young People in Public Care will be achieved. This target was to: ‘Improve the educational attainment of children looked after, by increasing to 75% by 2003 the proportion of children leaving care at 16 or later with a GCSE or GNVQ qualification’ (ibid.: 6, 2.8).

The new target decided upon following research carried out by the Social Exclusion Unit (SEU) (SEU and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2003) aims to ‘substantially narrow the gap between the educational attainment and participation of children in care and that of their peers by 2006’. The measures of success for this target are:

■ ‘outcomes for 11 year olds in English and maths are at least 60 per cent as good as those of their peers;

■ the proportion who become disengaged from education is reduced, so that no more than 10 per cent reach school-leaving age without having sat a GCSE equivalent exam; and

■ the proportion of those aged 16 who get qualifications equivalent to five GCSEs graded A*–C has risen on average by 4 percentage points each year since 2002; and in all authorities at least 15 per cent of young people in care achieve this level of qualification’ (SEU and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2003).

The SEU research also found that 6 out of 10 children in public care have been bullied and ‘that they are 13 times more likely to be permanently excluded than their peers’ (ibid.: 1). Not surprisingly, therefore when compared to national figures for all children, those in public care are almost nine times more likely to hold a Statement of Special Educational Needs. For the school year 2001/2002, it is estimated that 9,200 (27 per cent) of young people in public care held a Statement of Special Educational Needs (DoH: 2001, OC1). Alongside these issues of low achievement, bullying, special needs and exclusions, another recent report focused on ‘The mental health of young people looked after by local authorities in England’ (ONS, 2003). This report found that young people in public care, aged between 5–15 years old are four to five times more likely to have a mental disorder compared with children from private households. The report focused on emotional disorders, hyperactivity disorders, and conduct disorders, and found that the difference between young people in public care and those from private households is greatest in the case of conduct disorders (Including Special Children, 2003: 30, 156).

Undoubtedly during the past few years government legislation, policies and surveys from the Departments of Health, Education, Social Services and National Statistics Office, have produced a number of significant and focused developments identifying and evaluating issues, so that action can be taken to tackle the stigma and drawbacks often associated with being in public care. A collaborative approach to care for these young people by all the agencies involved is clearly essential, but the government recognizes that it is through education that life-long achievements and improvements can be met. As David Blunkett, then Secretary of State for Education said: ‘We want to change attitudes towards education and foster a realization that education matters to everyone’ (The Who Cares? Trust et al., 1999: 4).

Case study

Joanna lives in a residential care home and is waiting for a foster family to be found for her. She is attending a local mainstream secondary school and is in Year 9. Her home authority is looking for a foster placement within their county boundaries, but Joanna wants to stay where she is so that she can still attend her school. She has made friends, has a good support system in place and is making outstanding academic progress. Joanna, her carers and the teachers at the school attend a Statutory Social Service Meeting (including the review of Joannas Personal Education Plan) during which they discuss the reasons why they feel Joanna should remain at her present school. They therefore feel a foster family should be sought that lives within the schools catchment area.

Discussion

■ Do you think Joanna should remain at her present school? If you do, list the reasons why you think it is beneficial for her to remain.

■ The following describes what happened as a result of this meeting. How do the reasons below match with the ones you considered important? Discuss.

It was agreed at the meeting that in the interests of her education and social development Joanna should remain within the catchment area of her present school. The reasons given were:

■ Joanna had made a number of good, supportive friendships.

■ Being in Year 9 she had just selected her options for GCSEs and was beginning focused course work.

■ She needed a stable, well-established learning environment for Years 10 and 11 (GCSE work).

■ The teachers and support staff were effectively supporting her emotional, social and academic needs. A specific member of staff was always available to support Joanna if she had peer issues or other concerns. In the past two years Joanna had built a strong relationship with this member of staff and trusted her.

■ The staff also worked collaboratively with the carers and social services in a positive manner, again making Joanna feel safe and cared for.

This is an example of how colleagues can work collaboratively in the interest of the young person’s social, emotional and educational needs.

Discussion

■ How do the young people in public care fare in relation to all the children in your educational setting?

■ Why do you think the achievement of young people in public care is low compared to all children of the same age?

■ Why are the statistics high for the number of young people in public care with a Statement of Special Educational Needs, who have been bullied and have been excluded?

■ Do you think schools and/or the government or local authorities could do more to improve the barriers to learning and achieving for this specific group of young people?

مواضيع ذات صلة

What could be found in a Therapeutic Education program?

Social skills

Motivation

Teaching strategies

What next educators?

So how can an educator help a learner with challenging behavior?

Why is challenging behavior such a problem in schools?

Consistency

Unpredictability

The social web

The ecology of behavior

What does it mean to the educator?