Virtual School for Children Looked After (CLA) - Protocol for monitoring, intervention and support for Post 16 CLA and Care Leavers.

Aim – To promote the inclusion, well-being and improve the educational outcomes for Children Looked After and Care Leavers attending Colleges and 6th Forms in schools and academies.

The Duty

The most recent statutory guidance from the DFE – Promoting the Education of Looked After Children (July 2014) states: “Local authorities have a duty under the Children Act 1989 to safeguard and promote the welfare of a child looked after by them. This includes a particular duty to promote the child’s educational achievement, wherever they live or are educated. The authority must therefore give particular attention to the educational implications of any decision about the welfare of those children.” This duty also applies to ‘eligible’ children. An ‘eligible’ child is a child who is looked-after, aged 16 or 17 and has been looked after by a local authority for a period of 13 weeks or periods amounting in total to 13 weeks, which began after they reached 14 and ended after they reached 16.

The statutory guidance states that the Virtual School Head should ensure that there are effective arrangements in place to work with a range of professionals who will play a role in supporting the education of looked after children. This includes “encouraging and supporting social workers and carers to have high expectations in helping looked after children to achieve their full potential in education from pre-school to post-16 education, employment and training.”

Personal Education Plans (PEPs)

The statutory guidance states that “All looked after children must have a care plan, of which the PEP is an integral part. The PEP (pre-school to age 18) is an evolving record of what needs to happen for looked after children to enable them to make expected progress and fulfil their potential. The PEP should reflect the importance of a personalised approach to learning that meets the identified educational needs of the child, raises aspirations and builds life chances.The quality of the PEP is the joint responsibility of the local authority that looks after the child and the school. Social workers, carers, Virtual School Heads, designated teachers and, as appropriate, other relevant professionals will need to work closely together. All of those involved in the PEP process at all stages should involve the child (according to understanding and ability) and, where appropriate, the child’s parent and/or relevant family member.”

The protocol outlines how the statutory guidance will be achieved.

Statutory Guidance says / Virtual School will ensure that / Colleges and 6th Forms will ensure that
The Virtual School Head should ensure that there are effective arrangements in place to work with a range of professionals who will play a role in supporting the education of Looked After Children. / An up-to-date list of Designated Teachers for CLA andDesignated Person for CLA and Care Leaversis maintained to assist with their own internal communications and networking. / The Designated Person for CLA and Care Leavers is identified as the key point of contact for Children Looked After and Care Leavers.
The Virtual School Head should make schools aware of their responsibility to ensure that designated teachers have had the appropriate training to undertake their role as set out in the statutory guidance for governing bodies on the role of the designated teacher for
Looked After Children. / Regular training is provided via annual PEP training and Designated Teachers Forum meetings in each district. Bespoke training packages for individual schools and Colleges is available eg Attachment and Trauma and the needs of CLA and Care Leavers. / The Designated Person for CLA and Care Leavers attends the training offered and has opportunities within their work place for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) with regard to CLA and Care Leavers.
The PEP is maintained as part of the preparation and review of the pathway plan and builds on the young person’s educational progress. / A Post 16 PEP, guidance on completing the PEP and a sample Post 16 PEP is available on the Virtual School website: / The Designated Person for CLA and Care Leavers support and host Post 16 PEPs meetings when required. The Post 16 PEP should be reviewed and updated each term and PEP meetings held every 6 months.
Each pathway plan review scrutinises the measures being taken to help the child prepare for when he or she ceases to be looked-after by considering:
• the young person’s progress in education or training; and,
• how he or she is able to access all the services needed to prepare for training, further or higher education or employment. / Information, advice and guidance is available to social workers and Pathway Advisers, Independent Reviewing Officers, carers, colleges and schools with regard to the pathway plan in terms of the education. / The Designated Person for CLA and Care Leavers liaises with the young person’s social worker and personal adviser with regard to the pathway plan in terms of the education.
Links are made with further education (FE) colleges and higher education (HE)
institutions and that care leavers are supported to find establishments that understand and work to meet the needs of looked after children and care leavers. / Termly minuted Care Leavers meetings take place. The attendees are Targeted IAG contract (Inspira), Virtual School Head, CLA Achievement Teacher and/or CLA Inclusion Officer, a leaving care adviser, social care manager and designated person from the Colleges in the area. / The Designated Person for CLA and Care Leavers and the Targeted IAG contract (Inspira) Adviser ensures that impartial progression guidance to further study/training and employment (including links to HE/Employers) is available. The Designated Person for CLA and Care Leavers attends the termly care leavers meetings.
Each eligible care leaver knows about the 16-19 Bursary Fund. / Through the completion of the post 16 PEP learners are made aware of and supported with ease of access to financial support sources. This information will also be noted within their pathway assessment/ plan. / Learners are made aware of and supported with ease of access to financial support sources.This information will also be noted within their pathway assessment/ plan
Each eligible care leaver receives a bursary of £2,000 when going on to study a recognised HE course and that arrangement for the payment of the bursary are agreed by the young person as part of the overall package of support that a local authority provides to its care leavers. / Through the completion of the post 16 PEP learners are made aware of and supported with ease of access to financial support sources.This information will also be noted within their pathway assessment/ plan. / Learners are made aware of and supported with ease of access to financial support sources.This information will also be noted within their pathway assessment/ plan.

While at School or College the Virtual School will continue to monitor the students' progress, so that any problems can be identified and put right as soon as possible.

  1. What if School or College have a cause for concern about the CLA/Care Leaver?

The Designated Person for CLA and Care Leavers must contact,via telephone or email, in the first place the CLA/Care Leaver’s social worker and/orpersonal adviser. If necessary a team around the young person takes place including the CLA/Care Leaver’s social worker and/or personal adviser, Targeted IAG contract (Inspira) Adviser and the Virtual School.

  1. What if a CLA/Care Leaver is to be removed from a course?

Unless in exceptional circumstances, a CLA/Care Leaver should not be removed from a course without a professionals meeting to discuss the situation.

  1. Who helps and supports vulnerable young people at times of transition?

Transitions will be discussed at the termly care leavers meetings. This is one arena in which plans for transition are discussed. If there is a cause for concern a team around the young person would take place as in Question 1.

  1. Who support the CLA/Care Leaver if they are applying to university?

The Colleges and Schools, the carers, the social worker, the personal adviser, the Virtual School and the Targeted IAG contract (Inspira) Adviser.

  1. Who ensures applications for Further Education, Higher Education, apprenticeships, employment and training are completed?

Supported by the Targeted IAG contract (Inspira) Advisers, the Colleges and Schools should ensure that applications are completed. The Designated Person for CLA and Care Leavers should keep the carers, the social worker, the personal adviser and the Virtual School up to date with the process.

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