Success for Looked After/Care Leavers in FE

1. Success for Looked After/Care Leavers in FE Reducing An Achievement Gap

2. Why bother? • 65,520 children were looked after at 31 March 2011, an increase of two per cent on 2010 and the highest  number since 1987. The vast majority, 74 per cent, were in a foster placement. • The proportion of care leavers not in education, employment or training has increased from 32 per cent in 2010 to 33 per cent in 2011.  • 'Outcome Indicators for Children Looked After (OC2)' showed that in 2009 only 15 per cent of looked after children achieved five good GCSEs compared to 70 per cent for all children. • In 2007, 27% of the prison population, and half of all prisoners under 25, had been in care. • In 2007, 80% of all Big Issue sellers and half of all prostitutes had been in care. • Overall, the main reason why they were looked after is because of abuse or neglect (54 per cent). This percentage has increased each year since 2008 when it was 48 per cent. • If there was ever a vulnerable group and an achievement gap, this is it.

3. Step 1 – Make a commitment • In for the long haul? • Making an impact in this arena needs Senior Management commitment. You have to make that happen. Either because you are that Senior Manager or by convincing SMT’s that this is right and noble thing to do. • Be the Champion.

4. Step 2 - Contact Children’s Services • Local Authorities are too individually structured to be able to make general recommendations, but find the following • Head of Children’s Services • Head of After Care/Post 16 Service • Virtual Head for Looked After Children • Wine and Dine them, explain what you can do for them, but you need to know who their clients/your LA/CL learners are. • Ask about their Corporate Parenting Strategy, what charter they have, guarantees for support, care planning processes. Highlight how colleges, and your college in particular, are perfectly placed to help them deliver this. • Can they co-ordinate a group to be in place across their authority?

5. Step 3 – Create a multi-disciplinary team approach • LA/CL needs a complex and cross traditional student support boundaries/service areas. • Welfare, Careers, ALS, Finance all need to come together to examine ways and create the packages of support required to help them achieve. • These processes don’t just work for LA/CL, they work for all “vulnerable/at risk” groups.

6. Step 4 – Create your package of support • Create a standard package of support for your LA/CL learners • This should involve both material support and pastoral support • Material Support: – Travel costs, equipment costs, HE trips costs, starter packs, reward schemes • Pastoral Support: - Careers input, counselling, ALS, Peer support, Sport and enrichment • Guaranteed Bursaries and LSF funds can cover these costs.

7. Step 5 – Create a Designated Person for LA/CL • They, like you, need to be a Champion. • They need to be able to access all the support, without having to justify their decision-making • They should be skilled in ways to increase motivation, scaffold learning and advocacy • They are in addition to any other forms of support provided

8. Step 6 – Find ‘Em • Identify your cohort • Information from local authority or other support processes • Copies of Care Plans • Questions on Application Forms or included in Interview Checklists • “At risk” surveys • Tutorial Support processes • Everyone knows.

9. Step 7 – Track ‘Em • Monitor attendance on a half-termly basis as a minimum. Contact their guardian or “Corporate Parent” • Monitor their educational attainment and progress • Meet with them in addition to any other tutor support around every 6 weeks.

10. Step 8 – Inspire ‘Em • Increase their feelings of self-worth by always giving them a “medal and mission” at each meeting. • Create specific college awards that are solely for those with this background • Highlight the existence of specialist bursaries for them in HE. • Remind them of the journey they have gone through to get where they are.

11. Step 9 – Advocate for ‘Em • They will “get into trouble” and cause you “pain” • Remember where they have come from, what they have gone through and done without. • Ask to be invited to all disciplinaries that involve LA/CL. Ask that backgrounds are taken into account. • Be responsible for monitoring the action plan. • Find them alternatives if they must leave their chosen programme. • Attend Case conferences, (or send reports)

12. Step 10 – Shout it from the Rooftops • Congratulate them on their achievements • Produce reports about success rates and progression to the Board of Governors and SMT. • Report back to the Children’s Service about the successes you have had and the progression of each individual student and as a cohort. • Inform the Social Worker, After Care worker, Foster Parent. Build your reputation.