Agenda item

This report provides information about the Care Leaver’s education, employment and training and those not in education or training.

The Head of Education Standards, Safeguarding and Inclusion introduced the item by explaining it was a statutory requirement that the Council tracked the participation of all 16 and 17 year olds up until their 18^th birthdays. It was required that those figures be reported monthly. For care leavers or those who remain in care, this tracking continues until their 21^st birthdays. The objective was to identify those not participating and to offer appropriate support.

Young people in both the LAC and care leaver cohorts were more likely statistically to be in the Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) category. The overall rate of NEET in the borough was 2.5% compared to a NEET rate of 15% for LAC and care leavers. It was stressed that it was hard to understand this figure given no comparative data was available for 18 – 21 year olds.  It was explained that if you were a local care leaver you were statistically more likely to be NEET than if you were UASC. Similarly you were more likely to progress to University if you were UASC.  Typically those who were LAC or care leavers were more likely to attend colleges than school 6^th forms. Whilst it was known that those in these cohorts were more likely to take vocational courses due to GCSE attainment, what was being studied wasn’t tracked at this age.

A Panel Member highlighted the need for PEPs of local Looked After Children to be focused on attainment and aspiration. The Interim Head of the Virtual School stressed that this was being looked at with the switch to a more outcomes focused approach going forward. It was acknowledged that there was a need to focus on completing as well as starting plans well.

The Panel welcomed two young people who were members of EMPIRE (the new title for the Children in Care Council), and invited them to ask questions.

It was asked how it was possible to get good careers advice at school?  The Interim Head of the Virtual School explained that every school was responsible for giving every student impartial careers advice from the age of 12. They could therefore ask any teacher who was a careers adviser; they were encouraged to go to them and speak to them about their aspirations so they could help them plan. Additionally, it was highlighted that LAC could talk to others to receive careers advice; their foster carer, social worker and virtual teacher. Every school had a Designated Teacher who was responsible for linking with and supporting the work of the Virtual School. Also, every Year 11 student must be provided with a post 16 prospectus which would provide advice and guidance on where go for more help.

A foster carer on the Panel highlighted the difficulty of Looked After Children being put in a position of having to go and ask for this support; it was hard for any Looked After Child to go and ask for this support. The PEP contains information on a child’s aspirations. The Designated Teacher should be informed by this and use it as the basis for proactively offering support. It was noted that the Interim Head of the Virtual School would visit the Croydon Foster Carers Association to discuss this with them.

The Head of Service for Corporate Parenting explained to the young people that it was the role of their social workers to understand and support their wishes and feelings. As Head of Service she wanted to know what young people thought about the support being offered through the service. She asked the young people present to encourage and support other Looked After Children to come to the Panel to tell the influential people in the room what they wanted.

Another foster carer member of the Panel asked why it was not possible for the foster carer to get a copy of the PEP. The Executive Director of Children, Families and Education stated it was unacceptable that foster carers were not already receiving a copy of the PEP, that they should receive a copy and he would ensure that this would happen.

It was established that the careers offer in individual schools varied and was subject to review. The need for careers advice to be offered before GCSE selection was highlighted by the foster carers on the Panel. Whilst overall the quality of careers advice offered by schools was assessed as part of the Ofsted inspection framework, it was confirmed that careers advice for Looked After Children was part of the Virtual School offer.  Work was happening to increase capacity. Also dedicated roles were being established in the Virtual School to offer targeted post 16 support. A Panel member highlighted the importance of consistency; offering a single point or place of access for this support to ensure it was happening.