The role of the foster carer in promoting the educational aspirations of children and young people

1. The role of the foster carer in promoting the educational aspirations of children and young people Nuala FitzpatrickJudy Walsh The Fostering Network

2. The Fostering Network • Four Nation – England, Northern Ireland, Scotland & Wales • Membership organisation • Services • Projects • Campaigning/Policy/Media • Works with everyone involved in fostering

4. Care for a child/young person as a member of their family Organise and attend additional appointments for CYP Facilitate contact with birth family members Facilitate contact with other people who are part of CYP life Support/promote education & learning opportunities Participate in meetings/visits re care of the CYP Participate in meetings/visits re role as a foster carer Participate in learning and development Undertake recording A foster carer’s role

5. A foster carer’s role in education • A pro-active approach from early years • Education/learning normal part of day to day life • To have high aspirations • Build relationships with schools, teachers, colleges & tutors • Part of the PEP • Involved in choosing schools or colleges and other educational opportunities

6. A foster carer’s role in education • ‘In discharging their duty to promote the educational achievement of looked after children the responsible authority should – as an integral part of the care plan – help to ensure that a looked after child of whatever age has the opportunities to achieve educational outcomes comparable to his or her peers. This should be done in particular by working pro–actively with the child’s carers and teachers to encourage the child to have the highest expectations of what they can achieve’ • Volume 2 Care planning, placement and case review Regulations 2.67 DoH

7. The context • Too many CYP in foster care move too often • Lack of remedial help • Too many excluded from school • Experience inadequate education • Some young people highly motivated to achieve educationally

8. The young people • Compressed and accelerated transitions to adulthood • Outcome groups: • Moving on • Survivors • Victims Reference What works for young people in care ? Mike Stein 2004

9. Your views • Timeline exercise • In your experience how have foster carers supported young people in further or higher education? • What are the barriers?

10. The barriers • Foster carers own educational experience – lack of aspiration • Lack of understanding/complexity of educational system • Fragmented experiences of CYP - changes in people/services • Uncertainty of status for UASC • Emphasis of direct relationship between FE and student at this age

11. Involving Foster Carers in Further or Higher Education A case example: Northern Ireland

12. Fostering Achievement

13. Foster Carers Workshops Advocacy and Support Home visits Working with Professionals

14. Young People • Credits – Laptops, Driving Lessons, Subject Tuition • GCSE revision classes • Teen Summer schemes • Vocational Programmes

15. University of Ulster • Open Day • Sports Week • Achievement Awards

16. What needs to happen? • Entitlement to a home base with foster carers beyond 18 and throughout university • Supplementary education • Training - teachers and social workers • Empowering and equipping foster carers to promote educational achievement

17. Any Questions?