PINS Theme: Looked After Children and Young People and Education
The experience of learning and educational outcomes for looked after children and young people remain a significant challenge in Scotland. To understand the current context and to help us consider what has been learned and how far there is to go PINS launches this new theme.
NEW - Top marks for Kibble from HM Inspectorate of Education
HMIE have praised the work carried out with young people who have significant social, emotional and behavioural needs by staff at the Paisley-based Kibble Education and Care Centre. The inspectors ranked the way the school met learning needs as ‘excellent’. Download the pdf HERE
‘Extra Support at School: The Rights of Looked After Children’ new briefing from Enquire
Enquire’s briefing paper explains the rights of looked after children under the Additional Support for Learning Act. The briefing will help professionals in education, social work and health in relation to GIRFEC and the corporate parent role, and will be useful for parents and carers in knowing how to ensure their child is getting help when they need it most. More HERE
Parliamentary debate on the educational attainment of looked after children
The debate held on 11January 2012 can be viewed online HERE
Corporate Parenting resource
The resource supports Local Authorities and NHS Boards to understand and fulfil their role. Who cares Scotland offers training and there are also a number of DVD clips with young people speaking about experiences of being looked after in relation to the GIRFEC indicators. More HERE
Scottish Parliament Committee launch inquiry into the educational attainment of looked after children
The Education and Culture Committee is examining why the educational attainment of looked after children has not improved significantly since devolution, despite the considerable volume of policy, guidance and legislation in this area. The Committee’s inquiry will consider how problems can be addressed. The Committee is seeking written evidence before 7 October 2011; it will take oral evidence in November. For more go HERE
Young people research advocacy services
Looked after young people have carried out an evaluation of Who Cares? Scotland's advocacy services. The research was designed, carried out, analysed and reported by the young people. As well as project findings the process is reported in an innovative illustrated comic. For more go HERE
Educational outcomes for looked after children
This new publication contains statistics obtained from linking, for the first time, looked after children's data provided by local authority social work services departments with educational data. It presents key findings on a range of educational outcome statistics. Go HERE
LACSIG: A new programme to improve outcomes for looked after children
The Looked After Children Strategic Implementation Group (LACSIG) has highlighted 5 themes which require action. These include culture change (including care planning and throughcare/aftercare), improving health and learning outcomes.
- A copy of the PowerPoint explaining the role of the group can be downloaded HERE
- A detailed paper outlining the context and what we know about the experiences of looked after children and young people is available for download HERE
The PINS site will feature further information about the work of the LACSIG group, watch this space for more.
If you have examples of practice, innovative approaches, learning and experience to share please get in touch by emailing info@pinscotland.org
