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LPSA Target 11: Looked After Children

• To improve the performance of looked after children.

Confidence in achieving at least 60% stretch:

Medium

Targets

• Indicator 1 - LAC KS2 cohort achieve: 55% Eng 45% Maths 67% Science
• Indicator 2 - LAC KS3 cohort achieve: 45% Eng 40% Maths 42.2% Science
• Indicator 3 - 92.5% average school attendance all LAC
• Indicator 4 - 75% of LAC in care 2.5 yrs living in same place 2+ yrs or adoption
• Indicator 5 - 70% LAC 1^st April in 17^th year (aged 16) engaged in EET at age 19

How and when targets are measured

• Indicator 1 - Through the Personal Education Plan (PEP) and reviews, Personal Advisor tracking teacher assessments throughout the year.  Annually, following national curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 2.  Results for current cohort will not be available until next quarter report.
• Indicator 2 - Through the Personal Education Plan (PEP) and reviews, Personal Advisor tracking teacher assessments throughout the year.  Annually, following national curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 3.  Results for current cohort will not be available until next quarter report.
• Indicator 3 - Weekly absence reports from schools to LA; follow up where appropriate by Personal Advisor and Education Welfare Officer with school, social worker and carer.  Annually at 30 Sept through the OC2 return to DCSF.
• Indicator 4 - Progress is monitored through the LACYP forum, which is also the Healthy Care Partnership Group.  Report annually as at 31 March through the OC1 LAC return to DCSF.
• Indicator 5 - Connexions destinations tracking; Care Leavers EET monitoring group combining Connexions and After Care Service and chaired by a senior manager.  The EET of individual 16, 17, and 18 year olds are tracked and obstacles to EET identified and action plan formulated.  Report annually as at 31 March through OC1 return to DCSF.

Progress planned at this stage

• Indicators 1& 2 – Continuing the progress towards better collation and tracking of education progress and relevant information at individual pupil level for all pupils in the cohort, with six weekly report to LPSA lead; this is further progress towards the development of the ‘virtual school’. In relation to Indicator 2, and following the delay caused by staffing difficulties and timing of the fostering and adoption inspections, it is hoped to make towards progress the opportunity for carers to access training in relation to supporting children with their school work through a family learning programme, initially with carers of secondary children, supported by family placement officers.
• Indicator 3 – Negotiations are taking place to contract the services of an external provider, Welfare Call Ltd, to monitor the attendance of all children in care (formerly looked after) in Wiltshire as well as those placed out of county. Funding for this service is being provided through the LPSA pump priming grant. The provider will contact schools on a daily basis to check the attendance or absence of each child and will follow up with carers as necessary. Feedback reports on a daily, weekly basis will be provided to the council to enable quick follow up action to be taken to prevent further absence or associated risk of placement breakdown.
• Indicator 4 - Planned work through the Commissioning Strategy which includes continued investment in house fostering and adoption services to improve recruitment and retention of carers. Recruitment strategy includes targeting carers who have experience and skill and a willingness to provide stable placements to older young people with a range of challenging behaviours. Solo fostering scheme has been commissioned from external provider. The implementation of the LACYP Placement Strategy particularly improved recruitment and retention of in house foster carers and approval of adopters. In addition, a focus on establishing secure educational placement whenever a new fostering placement is being negotiated has been important.
• Indicator 5 - Working group to review cohort and identify those who need support for EET and who is lead professional.
• A conference ‘Working Together for the Education of Looked After Children’ is being planned for June 2007, with the aim of bringing together foster carers, designated teachers and social care staff. The programme will include an address by the Director for DCE, a drama presentation and interactive workshops facilitiated by a theatre company  and additional workshops facilitated by young people, foster carers and Local Authority staff.

Progress achieved at this stage

• Indicator 1 -  Provisional results for Key Stage 2 Level 4 for 2007 are as follows: English 50%, Maths 43.8%, Science 56.3%. Averages for 2006 and 2007 are: English 47%, Maths 44% and Science 64%.
• Indicator 2 –  Results for Key Stage 3 Level 5 will not be available until mid to end August.
• Looked After Children who are currently in year 5 and year 8 are being identified and their needs assessed through PEPs and EP baseline assessments to provide early  identification of any additional support that may be required for when they commence their final year towards SATs and sit them in May 2008.
• Indicator 3 – Total attendance of all children in care for the period September 2006 to early July 2007, based on information available was 94.06% (data not available for 38 children) with total authorised absence of 3.80% and total Unauthorised absence of 2.10%. In spite of officers’ best efforts, it has been confirmed that because of delays and some difficulties with ICT, it was not going to be possible for the ‘real time’ connectivity link with schools to be in place for the beginning of September 2007. In order to give the council the best opportunity of achieving the LPSA target for this Indicator, the decision has been taken to contract the services of an external provider, Welfare Call Ltd, to monitor the attendance and absence of children in care. Currently operational considerations are being worked through and contract details negotiated to ensure that the service is available from the first day of the next academic year.
• Indicator 4 - Outcome of 70.6% was reported to DCSF for 2006/07 to 31 March 2007 through OC1. Reviewed through the LAC Forum and Commissioning Strategy.  Two part time adoption support workers have been appointed to strengthen the adoption support service across the county.
• Indicator 5 - An outcome of 60% was reported to DCSF for 2006/07 to 31 March 2007 through OC1 which is an improvement on last year’s performance. A small multi-agency group which includes representation from youth development service, connexions, LAC education support team, Children’s Rights Officer and Head of Care have met to look at contributions which partners can make for young people at and towards transition and to improve educational opportunities. A further meeting has agreed the implementation of two pilot projects, one of which links youth development workers specifically to encourage the engagement of children in residential care at Towpath Road.
• In June a conference, Joining Together for the Education of Looked After Children, took place in Wiltshire, organised by the Local Authority with the aim of bringing together social workers, designated teachers and foster carers. A drama presentation and various workshops relating to or underpinning issues linked to the education of children in care were held allowing discussion and exploration across different perspectives. Conference evaluations were very positive.

Significant problems encountered/predicted

• There is still a shortfall of foster carers able to provide stable placements for young people with challenging behaviour both in house and in the independent sector.  

Recovery actions in hand (where applicable)

• Continuous recruitment drive to employ more skilled carers and providing ongoing support to ensure carers are better equipped to manage people with challenging behaviour.

External assistance required

None at present.

Comments

None.

Contact Details

By Post

Maxine Gibson
Education Welfare Office
LET Salisbury
The Hollows
Wilton
Salisbury
SP2 0JE

By Telephone

01722 743907

By Email

maxinegibson@wiltshire.gov.uk

Opening Hours

Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm

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