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Contents

1. Responsibilities of Social Workers Concerning the Promotion of Education
2. Responsibilities of Carers Concerning the Promotion of Education
3. Responsibilities of Designated Teachers

1. Responsibilities of Social Workers Concerning the Promotion of Education

The social worker for the child must:

1. Have overall responsibility to ensure that the child’s educational needs are met. 
2. Ensure the child’s school is informed of the legal status of the child by telephone/fax/e-mail in the first instance and followed by written confirmation of the information.
3. Inform/confirm to appropriate colleagues in the education authority and school, particularly the Designated Teacher, of the legal status of Looked After children in all correspondence. 
4. Ensure that a new Personal Education Plan (PEP) is drawn up as part of the Care Plan before the child becomes Looked After (or within 10 working days in the case of an emergency placement), i.e. so that it can be presented to the first Looked After Review post placement.  Social workers are responsible for initiating PEP meetings for children new into Care, or moving to a new school (see Personal Education Plans Procedure).  Where a child is without a school place, the LEA should be asked to provide an officer to liaise with the social worker in relation to the PEP;
5. Ensure that the child’s PEP reflects fully and accurately current educational provision and that targets set are relevant and achievable.  The social worker should ensure that tasks contained within the child’s PEP are implemented by the persons/agencies named as responsible;
6. Keep the Designated Teacher informed of any significant events, for example, court cases, contact sessions etc.;
7. Ensure that a child’s educational needs are addressed when considering any change of looked after placement;
8. Ensure the child’s school receive copies of relevant plans including the Placement Plan / Placement Information Records and that the day-to-day arrangements relating to school transport, clothes and dinner money are addressed.  Plans must include where appropriate, details of who will read to the child and supervise homework;
9. Ensure all Care Plans, Looked After Reviews and other planning processes for each child address his or her education.  All targets must be linked to the individual potential of the child;
10. Contribute actively to the assessment process leading to a Statement of Special Education Needs (SEN) and the annual review of the Statement;
11. Contribute actively to school re-integration meetings following any exclusion of a child in care.

2. Responsibilities of Carers Concerning the Promotion of Education

1. Contact the school immediately a child is placed and give relevant information;
2. Go to the school and introduce themselves to the class teacher and Designated Teacher;
3. Ensure that the child attends school every day;
4. Accompany the child to and from school, according to the child’s age and ability;
5. Seek support from the child’s social worker if problems occur;
6. Maintain regular contact with the school and try to attend parents’ evening and school functions e.g. school plays, sports day;
7. Ensure that the child has somewhere quiet to study and do homework;
8. Encourage the child to do their homework and offer help where appropriate;
9. Encourage all children to develop their own talents, interests and hobbies;
10. Encourage children to enjoy music and play musical instruments;
11. Ensure that all children join a library;
12. Build a supply of children’s books (these should include books that are anti-racist and anti-sexist and also books particularly relating to the experiences of being looked after);
13. Read to or with the child as appropriate to age;
14. Encourage children to watch educational television programmes and videos/DVD’s and go on outings to places of interest.  Use everyday situations to promote learning;
15. Encourage children to participate in school and after-school activities;
16. Keep information on the child’s educational circumstances and attainments with the child;
17. Check with the child how things are at school; discuss education on a routine/regular basis;
18. Encourage children to do well educationally, consider an appropriate career and go into further or higher education;
19. Act as an advocate on behalf of the child and intervene immediately if there is a problem with education. For example, contribute actively to school re-integration meetings following any exclusion the child;
20. Liaise with the child’s social worker (and other relevant people) in relation to educational issues;
21. Notify the school as early as possible during the first school day of absence;
22. Supply the school with evidence of the child’s illness;
23. Celebrate success and reward the child when they do well;
24. Contribute to the child’s Personal Education Plans.

Residential staff/foster carers can be the positive advocates for Looked After children.  They deal with the educational issues, problems and successes, on a day-to-day basis.  They are the link to teachers, parents and other professionals. 

The foster carer’s family placement social worker should help foster carers with all these responsibilities and offer support and training for carers to help them improve their role and the educational outcomes of the children they care for.

3. Responsibilities of Designated Teachers

The Designated Teacher should:   

1. Keep a list of the Looked After pupils in the school, with contact telephone numbers and make sure it is up-dated regularly;
2. Ensure all information is stored confidentially and shared on a “need to know” basis;
3. Act as a liaison person for other agencies and individuals in relation to Looked After pupils;
4. Advocate for Looked After pupils in schools;
5. Attend relevant training on Looked After pupils;
6. Ensure that members of staff in school have relevant information/training on Looked After pupils to enable them to positively promote educational issues;
7. Act as liaison officer in school making links where necessary with, for example, pastoral support staff, the SEN Adviser and the Reach Up Team;
8. Act as adviser for other staff in school and school governors on issues relevant to Looked After pupils;
9. Ensure that Looked After Reviews are seen as a priority and that an appropriate contribution to the meeting is made;
10. Ensure that all Looked After pupils have a Personal Education Plan that is regularly updated and that tasks are actioned (see Personal Education Plans Procedure);
11. Keep general circular's, legislation and information on Looked After children up to date;
12. Ensure that each Looked After pupil has a member of staff in school they can talk to;
13. Ensure speedy transfer of educational information from the school to all appropriate colleagues;
14. At the point of any school transfer including transition from primary to secondary level, ensure that the liaison teacher in the sending school passes all information to the Designated Teacher in the receiving school;
15. Ensure that any concerns or significant developments are promptly communicated to the allocated social worker or team duty officer;
16. Where possible contribute actively to school re-integration meetings following any exclusion the child.

End