Recommendations & Conclusions
21 items
5
Conclusion
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
It is welcome that the Department has announced a further year of funding for the extension of Virtual School Head duties to include all children with a social worker. Children with a social worker face significant barriers to education, but unlike looked-after children, have not had the benefit of a …
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It is welcome that the Department has announced a further year of funding for the extension of Virtual School Head duties to include all children with a social worker. Children with a social worker face significant barriers to education, but unlike looked-after children, have not had the benefit of a Virtual School Head to champion their progress and outcomes. Virtual School Heads will be able to make a difference by intervening early in the child’s life to address barriers to poor education outcomes and support their progress.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of the extended role of Virtual School Heads and states that longer-term plans for the role, including whether to put it on a statutory footing, are under active consideration, informed by independent research.
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Department for Education
6
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
The new Virtual School Head duty to promote the education of children with a social worker must be given a statutory footing by 2023, with statutory guidance to accompany this. The statutory powers of Directors of Children’s Services towards the education of children with a social worker should be delegated …
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The new Virtual School Head duty to promote the education of children with a social worker must be given a statutory footing by 2023, with statutory guidance to accompany this. The statutory powers of Directors of Children’s Services towards the education of children with a social worker should be delegated to the Virtual School Head. Local authorities must be held accountable via Ofsted for allocating education funding for children with a social worker, and tracking its impact on their education outcomes.
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Government response AI summary
Longer-term plans for the extended role of the Virtual School Head, including whether to put it on a statutory footing, are under active consideration and will be informed by the work of their independent research partner, the Rees Centre at the University of Oxford.
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Department for Education
10
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
The case for extending Premium Plus is clear. The Department must extend Pupil Premium Plus funding beyond age 16 to ensure looked-after pupils are receiving the support they deserve to succeed throughout their education.
Government response AI summary
The Department ran a pilot to extend Pupil Premium Plus style funding to looked-after children and care leavers in further education, and the evaluation will inform next steps. Further details about the continuation of the funding will be provided in the autumn.
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Department for Education
11
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
When rolled out nationally, post-16 Pupil Premium Plus funding must be calculated using the same funding formula as for the pre-16 cohort. Virtual School Heads must ensure Post-16 Pupil Premium Plus funding is used on specific, evidence- based interventions to improve progress and outcomes of looked-after pupils. Given that 41% …
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When rolled out nationally, post-16 Pupil Premium Plus funding must be calculated using the same funding formula as for the pre-16 cohort. Virtual School Heads must ensure Post-16 Pupil Premium Plus funding is used on specific, evidence- based interventions to improve progress and outcomes of looked-after pupils. Given that 41% of care leavers aged 19–21 are not in education, employment or training, Virtual School Heads should also ensure post-16 Pupil Premium Plus is being used to commission careers mentoring and advice. (Paragraph 38) Getting looked-after children into the best schools: the state as not-so- pushy parent
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Government response AI summary
The Department ran a pilot to extend Pupil Premium Plus style funding to looked-after children and care leavers in further education, and the evaluation will inform next steps. Further details about the continuation of the funding will be provided in the autumn.
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Department for Education
15
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
The Schools White Paper sets out a new backstop power for local authorities to direct trusts to admit children. This is a very welcome step forward. It would enable the local authority to immediately secure an education place for the looked-after child, putting the onus on the school to justify …
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The Schools White Paper sets out a new backstop power for local authorities to direct trusts to admit children. This is a very welcome step forward. It would enable the local authority to immediately secure an education place for the looked-after child, putting the onus on the school to justify its rationale for appealing against admitting the child. We call on the Department to introduce this new backstop power without delay.
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Government response AI summary
The department agrees on the importance of the power to direct trusts to admit children and will commence implementation as soon as parliamentary time allows.
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Department for Education
23
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
Ofsted must make outcomes for looked-after children a limiting judgement on a school. If a school is not delivering good or outstanding progress and outcomes for looked- after pupils, it should not be able to gain a good or outstanding judgement. Ofsted should amend its education inspection framework to reflect …
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Ofsted must make outcomes for looked-after children a limiting judgement on a school. If a school is not delivering good or outstanding progress and outcomes for looked- after pupils, it should not be able to gain a good or outstanding judgement. Ofsted should amend its education inspection framework to reflect this.
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Government response AI summary
The government is considering the care review recommendations for greater accountability for VSHs on the educational attainment of children in care and care leavers up to age 25 through Ofsted’s ILAC framework.
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Department for Education
26
Conclusion
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
All looked-after children should be receiving full-time education in a DfE registered school—it is unacceptable for local authorities to settle for unregulated education provision as an alternative.
Government response AI summary
The government agrees in principle that all looked-after children should receive full-time education in a DfE registered school, but needs to be assured that such a move is in children’s best interests, and to ensure that the wider offer of education is available and appropriate …
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Department for Education
27
Conclusion
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
The 2022 Schools White Paper proposes a new statutory framework to govern children’s movements to ensure that education placements are made in the child’s best interests, especially where the child is vulnerable. Looked-after children, who are particularly at risk of moving between schools and missing education, must be prioritised within …
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The 2022 Schools White Paper proposes a new statutory framework to govern children’s movements to ensure that education placements are made in the child’s best interests, especially where the child is vulnerable. Looked-after children, who are particularly at risk of moving between schools and missing education, must be prioritised within this new framework.
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Government response AI summary
The government recognizes the instability that placement moves can cause for looked-after children and that these children would particularly benefit from the proposals in the Schools White Paper, which will be considered as part of its wider work to develop an implementation strategy to the …
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Department for Education
28
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
The 2022 Schools Bill sets out a new duty for local authorities to maintain a register of children not in school. Alongside this, the Department must issue guidance to clearly outline how it will hold Directors of Children’s Services to account where the looked- after children they are responsible for …
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The 2022 Schools Bill sets out a new duty for local authorities to maintain a register of children not in school. Alongside this, the Department must issue guidance to clearly outline how it will hold Directors of Children’s Services to account where the looked- after children they are responsible for are not in school.
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Government response AI summary
The government accepts the need to hold Directors of Children’s Services to account and will consider this as part of their wider work to develop an implementation strategy to the care review.
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Department for Education
29
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
As part of the proposed register of children not in school, the Department must set out how it will collect and publish data on how many looked-after children are falling through the gaps by missing education or being ‘educated’ in unregulated education provision. This data should form part of a …
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As part of the proposed register of children not in school, the Department must set out how it will collect and publish data on how many looked-after children are falling through the gaps by missing education or being ‘educated’ in unregulated education provision. This data should form part of a regular statistical release, published at minimum, annually.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need for more detailed data and will consider this as part of its wider work to develop an implementation strategy to the care review.
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Department for Education
30
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 places a duty on local authorities to provide children with suitable full-time education. However, there is no Departmental guidance outlining how this responsibility should be implemented, and no clear consequences for non-compliance. Given that Ofsted has identified that 9% of a sample of …
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Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 places a duty on local authorities to provide children with suitable full-time education. However, there is no Departmental guidance outlining how this responsibility should be implemented, and no clear consequences for non-compliance. Given that Ofsted has identified that 9% of a sample of 2,600 children in children’s homes are attending unregulated ‘education’ provision, and a further 6% are not in education, employment or training, it is clear that the law is not being complied with. (Paragraph 72) 48 Educational poverty: how children in residential care have been let down and what to do about it
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need for local authorities to fully discharge their duties and will consider this as part of its wider work to develop an implementation strategy to the care review.
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Department for Education
32
Conclusion
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
The Department has banned unregulated accommodation for children under 16. We hold deep concerns that children aged 16 and 17 can still be placed in unsafe, unsuitable accommodation without care or oversight. No looked-after child should be living in a setting without some form of regulation by Ofsted. It is …
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The Department has banned unregulated accommodation for children under 16. We hold deep concerns that children aged 16 and 17 can still be placed in unsafe, unsuitable accommodation without care or oversight. No looked-after child should be living in a setting without some form of regulation by Ofsted. It is right that the Department will be introducing a set of mandatory national standards, overseen by Ofsted, for governing unregulated settings for 16- and 17-year-olds.
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Government response AI summary
The government recognises the need to balance children's accommodation needs with safeguarding and is introducing national standards for supported accommodation for 16- and 17-year-olds, to be overseen by Ofsted, with implementation intended from April 2023, which will be considered as part of the implementation strategy …
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Department for Education
33
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
The Department must aim towards banning unregulated provision for looked-after children once it has addressed placement sufficiency issues using the mechanisms outlined by The independent review of children’s social care. In the meantime, while these reforms are being undertaken, the new set of standards for unregulated provision should be implemented …
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The Department must aim towards banning unregulated provision for looked-after children once it has addressed placement sufficiency issues using the mechanisms outlined by The independent review of children’s social care. In the meantime, while these reforms are being undertaken, the new set of standards for unregulated provision should be implemented on a sliding scale so as to provide regulated care, with flexibility for children for whom greater independence is in their best interests.
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Government response AI summary
The government states it is committed to improving the placement system and will consider this as part of its wider work to develop an implementation strategy to the care review.
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Department for Education
34
Conclusion
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
41% of looked-after children are placed outside of their local area, and 8,098 children had at least two placement moves over 12 months. A system that is working well does not boast these numbers. Frequent placement moves are destabilising for the child, and all too often result in missed education, …
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41% of looked-after children are placed outside of their local area, and 8,098 children had at least two placement moves over 12 months. A system that is working well does not boast these numbers. Frequent placement moves are destabilising for the child, and all too often result in missed education, especially when the child is placed outside of their local area.
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Government response AI summary
The government recognizes the importance of placements being close to the child's home and will consider this as part of its wider work to develop an implementation strategy to the care review.
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Department for Education
35
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
Where this is in the child’s best interest, every looked-after child should be cared for in a local care placement, receiving their education at a good or outstanding local school. The Department must take greater responsibility for overseeing the placements system and for driving funded system change to reduce the …
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Where this is in the child’s best interest, every looked-after child should be cared for in a local care placement, receiving their education at a good or outstanding local school. The Department must take greater responsibility for overseeing the placements system and for driving funded system change to reduce the current dependence on out-of-area placements. A national approach to commissioning of care places must consider the location of children’s homes in relation to local good and outstanding schools. Except in exceptional evidence-based cases, children should not be moved to residential placements where they cannot reasonably access good or outstanding local schools.
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Government response AI summary
The government accepts the recommendation in principle and states that this will be considered as part of their wider work to develop an implementation strategy to the care review.
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Department for Education
36
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
Current national-level data is not available to illustrate the scale of gaps in education for looked-after children. It should be a priority for the Department to ensure this data is collected and published, so that responsible parties can be held to account when looked-after children are missing education.
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Current national-level data is not available to illustrate the scale of gaps in education for looked-after children. It should be a priority for the Department to ensure this data is collected and published, so that responsible parties can be held to account when looked-after children are missing education.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need for more detailed data and will consider this as part of its wider work to develop an implementation strategy to the care review.
Read full response →
Department for Education
37
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
The Department must make it a priority to collect and publish national data on how often school places are not being provided within the statutory 20 school days timeframe for looked-after children under an emergency care order. The lack of data means there is currently no visibility into the scale …
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The Department must make it a priority to collect and publish national data on how often school places are not being provided within the statutory 20 school days timeframe for looked-after children under an emergency care order. The lack of data means there is currently no visibility into the scale of the issue.
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Government response AI summary
The government recognizes the need for more detailed data on looked-after children who are missing education and states that this will be considered as part of their wider work to develop an implementation strategy to the care review.
Read full response →
Department for Education
38
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
The Department has set out a new legal requirement for local authorities to maintain registers of children not in school. The Department must issue clear guidance to local authorities on the definition of a child missing education, to ensure that all looked- after children not in the roll of a …
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The Department has set out a new legal requirement for local authorities to maintain registers of children not in school. The Department must issue clear guidance to local authorities on the definition of a child missing education, to ensure that all looked- after children not in the roll of a DfE registered school are recorded. (Paragraph 95) Educational poverty: how children in residential care have been let down and what to do about it 49
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Government response AI summary
The government accepts the recommendation in principle and states that this will be considered as part of their wider work to develop an implementation strategy to the care review.
Read full response →
Department for Education
44
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
The Government’s 2022 SEND Green Paper sets out proposals for a more inclusive education system with enhanced mainstream provision for learners with special educational needs. As these reforms are taken forward, the Government must set out its plan to ensure greater numbers of children in residential care—who are currently 20 …
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The Government’s 2022 SEND Green Paper sets out proposals for a more inclusive education system with enhanced mainstream provision for learners with special educational needs. As these reforms are taken forward, the Government must set out its plan to ensure greater numbers of children in residential care—who are currently 20 times more likely than children nationally to be in special education—will be supported to enter and to thrive in good and outstanding mainstream schools, where this is in their best interests.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the recommendation to support children in residential care to thrive in mainstream schools and states it will publish its response to the Green Paper consultation in a National SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan later this year.
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Department for Education
48
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
Careers and employability outcomes for care-experienced young people up to age 25 should be a core part of the Virtual School Head remit. Every Virtual School should have a designated careers lead whose function is to promote and support the career outcomes of looked-after young people. This should be done …
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Careers and employability outcomes for care-experienced young people up to age 25 should be a core part of the Virtual School Head remit. Every Virtual School should have a designated careers lead whose function is to promote and support the career outcomes of looked-after young people. This should be done through the extension of Pupil Premium Plus funding past age 16, which would resource career leads to commission bespoke careers mentoring and support for every looked-after child from primary up to age 25. Virtual School Heads should work with local charities and businesses to identify community support and mentoring opportunities.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges current support through PEPs, bursaries, leaving care teams and the care leaver covenant, and will give purposeful consideration to the committee’s recommendations as part of the department’s work to respond to the care review’s recommendation for VSHs.
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Department for Education
54
Recommendation
Second Report - Educational poverty: ho…
Deferred
The Minister for Children and Families agrees that the Staying Close pilot has produced “very, very good evidence”. Without further delay, the Department must roll out Staying Close nationally as a statutory entitlement. Care leavers must have the right to opt-out of participating in Staying Close if they wish. Ahead …
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The Minister for Children and Families agrees that the Staying Close pilot has produced “very, very good evidence”. Without further delay, the Department must roll out Staying Close nationally as a statutory entitlement. Care leavers must have the right to opt-out of participating in Staying Close if they wish. Ahead of leaving residential care, each young person should have a mandatory meeting with the key adults responsible for their care and continuing education to ensure that participating in Staying Close is in their best interest. (Paragraph 127) Early intervention funding
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Government response AI summary
The government has announced funding to extend the Staying Close programme and has asked WWCSC to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme to inform further roll-out. The government will respond to the recommendation that Staying Close should be a legal entitlement, in the comprehensive implementation …
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Department for Education