Children we care for

We believe that schools are key in helping to raise the educational standards and improving the life chances of looked after children, and in tackling the causes of social exclusion through careful planning, monitoring and evaluation. Schools can also provide a source of continuity and “normality” for children who may have been subject to emotional distress, abuse, and disruption. School can be the place where children maintain friendships and a place where they feel safe and can be themselves. Raising levels of achievement has been strongly and clearly highlighted as a major part of improving the life chances of looked after children and schools play a pivotal role in this.

The Children Act (2004) places a duty to safeguard children in care, to promote their educational achievement and to ensure they are able to ‘achieve and reach their full potential’.  The collective responsibility of local authorities and schools to achieve this are set out under six principles:

• prioritising education
• having high expectations and aspirations
• inclusion- changing and challenging attitudes
• achieving continuity and stability
• early intervention- priority action
• listening to children

If you would like further information, please see our policies page which can be found here