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Securing a Place at University: The Role of Social Workers

Learn about the important role of social workers in supporting care-experienced young people in their journey to secure a place at university. Discover key points, legal settings, and services that aim to provide effective advocacy. Ask questions and gain insights from an experienced social worker.

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Securing a Place at University: The Role of Social Workers

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  1. Securing a Place at University and the Care Experienced Young Person: The Role of the Social Worker. Luke Geoghegan: Head of Policy and Research BASW

  2. What we’re going to cover… • Your experience of social workers and a chance to ask difficult questions • Some important points • Context • Legal setting • Services • How things are organised • Effective advocacy

  3. Care experienced people at university are … AMAZING … yes, there are problems and challenges but all the more reason to provide support.

  4. Working with care experienced people: what’s your experience of social workers?

  5. Chance to ask / pose questions…

  6. Some important points • The risk of statistics • Distinguish between law (& statutory instrument/guidance), policy and practice. • Challenges with terminology: ‘looked after’, ‘in care’ ‘care experienced’, ‘undergraduate’

  7. Some context: about BASW … • Professional association for social workers. Resources, advice and representation, campaigns, continuous professional development. • 21,000 members • Represents all areas of social work, proportion of members work with children and families and proportion of these work with children and young people who are ‘looked after’

  8. Some context: about me … • Social worker • Worked with young people who are ‘looked after’ (‘in care’) between Jan 2009 – Dec 2016 who were aged (mainly) 10 – 18. • Long term interest in how young people succeed academically (and thus in the world of work) • With a particular focus on ‘care experienced’ young people • Been coming to NNECL conferences for three years.

  9. Some context … • Number of children ‘looked after’ continues to increase now at just under 75,000 • Drawn from low income families (Child Welfare Inequalities Project), more deprived more likely to be ‘looked after’ • Generally young people from low income families struggle more at university (IFS, 2014) • Care experienced in addition have legacy of ‘significant harm’ • Number of ‘care leavers’ about 10,000 per year (NAO, 2015) • Number of care leavers at university 12% = 1,200 per year

  10. Context: pre-18 (England) • All children and young people who are looked after must have a care plan (which covers education) by law • The plan is reviewed every six months by law • At fifteen becomes Pathway Plan and should include plans (including education post 18) by law • This responsibility is built into social work job descriptions • The school must have a personal education plan (PEP) for the child by law and it must be reviewed every term by law. • This responsibility is built into a teacher’s job description • Both Children’s Services and Schools are inspected by Ofsted on these criteria • In the disruption that often goes with being ‘looked after’ these events can be forgotten, but they do happen.

  11. Chance to ask questions…

  12. Context: the general legal duty (England) • ‘The duty of a local authority … to safeguard and promote the welfare of a child looked after by them includes in particular a duty to promote the child’s educational achievement’. • Section 52 (Children Act, 2004)

  13. Duties versus powers • Duties – must be done • ‘Powers’ – things that the local authority may do • Discretionary power to fund education for care leavers up to 24: ‘making a grant to enable him to meet expenses connected with his education or training • Section 24 B (2) (B) Children Leaving Care Act, 2000

  14. Children and Social Work Act 2017 ‘Educational achievement of previously looked after children’ – ‘a local authority must make advice and information available in accordance with this section for the purpose of promoting the educational achievement of each relevant child educated in their area’ A local authority in England must appoint at least one person for the purpose of discharging the duty imposed by subsection (above) (beware the weasel words!!!!)

  15. What might ‘care experienced’ young people receive ? • Some variation … • Priority Housing List (short term license renewable) • ‘Staying Put’ (but 55% of those who did stayed less than three months) • ‘Staying Put’ and problems of going away to university • University funding? No figures, huge range but sense ever less generous because of impact of austerity (NB it’s a power not a duty) • ‘Local Offer for Care Leavers’ – Children and Social Work Act, 2017. • https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/childrens-social-care/leaving-care/education-training-and-employment.aspx

  16. But dependent on age… • Duty is to 25 • Some entitlements can stay with you (housing) if you get them pre 25. • Some moment specific (e.g. Staying Put) • Others expire – start university after 25? – power rather than a duty.

  17. Some context: how work is organised • Organisational responsibility will be transferred to a different staff team at, or soon after, 18. • Any long term relationship with social worker severed (may be positive!) • At 18 the onus shifts from the social worker keeping in contact with the young person to the young person keeping in contact with the staff member. • If undergraduates are in contact with their ‘originating’ local authority the staff member responsible may be … • …. with the Virtual School or • … with the Care Leaver Team • …. or both.

  18. Social workers • Protected title (like doctor, police man) • Qualified and registered. • Jobs with ‘social worker’ in the title must employ qualified and registered social workers. • Lots of social workers not in jobs with ‘social work’ in title • Now a graduate profession but many (54%) not graduate • Work pressures (not an excuse) - 60% thinking of leaving profession.

  19. Care leaver team… • ‘Personal Assistants’ • PAs paid a lot less than social workers • May be qualified and registered social workers but working in a role where that qualification is not essential. • Manager may be qualified social worker.

  20. Effective advocacy • Undergraduates may want to be their own advocate • But may re-awaken bad memories / trauma – ‘just leave it’ • Advocacy organisations are great – but often under-resourced • May need that advocate to be you. • Using an advocate is normal.

  21. Effective advocacy • Goes for all big bureaucracies … • Find out what the ‘local offer’ is – this is your leverage • Emphasise the positive • Things are busy so don’t be anxious about persisting • Don’t be dragged into ‘internal organisational theology’ it’s their job to sort out who does what internally not you • Keep an audit trail (don’t rely on call centre / phone calls) • Still no joy? • If don’t get meaningful response escalate it.

  22. Contact details • Luke Geoghegan • Luke.Geoghegan@basw.co.uk

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