Looked after Children and Educational Attainment - Essay Example

Titus Rock Manickam Order No. 191769 19 November 2007 Looked After Children and Educational Attainment The aims and objectives of the Department forChildren, Schools and Families across Great Britain is to ensure that all children and young people stay healthy and safe, secure an excellent education and the highest possible standards of achievement, enjoy their childhood, make a positive contribution to society and the economy, and have lives full of opportunity, free from the scourge of poverty. (Department for children, school and families) [1] As against these objectives, the growing incidents of juvenile delinquency and children suffering lack of the aforesaid facilities as a result of family problems are proving to be a damp squib to the government’s claims and visions, resulting in the formation of a large group of “looked after children.” A child becomes “looked after” when he or she fails to get the protection and nurture expected within normal home situations, due to family breakdown or any other reason leaving the child bereft of proper parental care. Children and young people can also become "looked after" for many reasons such as physical and/or emotional abuse, sexual abuse, some may have suffered the death of a parent, or have parents who can’t look after them properly because of illness or other family circumstances; others may have disabilities and many different needs, and a small number are looked after and accommodated due to offences they have committed. The child may be taken in to be looked after voluntarily, or as a result of court proceedings and has been bailed. Most looked-after children are placed with foster families. Others live in childrens homes, and some with their parents, usually as part of the transition from public care back to their respective homes. All children who are looked after and required to live away from their families, will experience the trauma of being separated from these families. Many looked after children and young people do not treat the issues of educational attainments and purpose of living with the same importance that their peers in the normal families accord. (Integrated children’s services) [2] Under the Children Act, 1989, the term looked after children (LAC) refers to children, below 18 years of age, in public care, who are placed with foster carers, in residential home or with parents or other relatives. Looked after children are those subject to normal care or under emergency protection where the local authority has acquired parental responsibility. Status of the Looked After Children Some looked-after children do well at school, and by many standards their average attainment show improvement. However, overall it remains low as compared to the wider school population although the annual improvement curves showed upward trends in almost every aspect during the years 2003 to 2006. Statistics and experience prove that the services and support provided to these children are inadequate. Educational performance of a child is largely dependent on his or her emotional wellbeing and status, and these are found wanting in large measure. The child’s self-esteem counts on his or her attainments in academic, non-academic and extra-curricular activities. For this purpose it is necessary for regular, formal, and informal interactions between those representing the local authorities, foster carers and social workers involved with LAC. It was found out by research that looked after children were not receiving the care and attention they need. (A Report of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee) [3] In order to raise educational attainment of looked after children to a level equal or close to their peers, it is necessary to provide support to schools and other institutions concerned with the upbringing of these children, provide support facilities to such institutions by a number of ways which includes regular and additional help such as transfer and preparation for examinations, additional help to those who have fallen behind so that they catch up, provide help to teachers and governors who can influence in matters of policies and programmes besides taking care of the children. It is also important to keep the children provided with textbooks, notebooks, stationery, library, computers, sports facilities including musical instruments, etc. that go towards all round development of the child physically, mentally and emotionally. (Kent County Council; Initiatives, Priorities and Next Step) [4] Presently, around 60,000 young people are living in public care foster homes, separated from their families. Just like their peers do, these children too need schools where they can learn and grow. According to recent research studies, the educational performance of these children does not equal those who grow up in their own homes or with adoptive families. Without parental support and care, many of them have had their education disrupted and fallen behind. Also, for every one looked after child, there are scores who are among rough sleepers, prisoners and runaways. The silver lining is that their presence is being felt and their educational requirements are being addressed, and initiatives are being made to improve them. It is critically important to have high expectations and aspirations for these young people. Reasons for underachievement The Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills have the awesome responsibilities of initiating drives to gather these young people, provide them with shelter and education and oversee their progress as useful citizens of tomorrow. These Departments have taken several steps like Education Projects and Social Exclusion Unit (SEU) in this direction. The overall national figure for children having special educational needs is three percent. However, in the case of LAC, the figures rises to 27%. The reasons put forward by the SEU for this underachievement are instability arising from causes such as frequent changes of foster home or school, spending too much time out of school, lack of help for those children who get behind with their education, lack of trained carers, and the need for extra help with emotional, mental or physical health issues. The important needs of these children are access to school, out of school activities, facilities where they could pursue sports, talents and hobbies of their choice, healthcare, and ready and easy access to their foster parents or caretakers. (Kent County Council, Guide for School, teachers, governors) [5] There are good people and organizations who may not be directly involved in providing shelter and succor to children and young people, or to their families, but are focused on meeting the needs of these children by means of their motivation and resource, and are indirectly involved in providing assistance in some way or the other for the welfare and progress of these looked after children, and are eager to improvise. (Research in practice, Raising the Educational Attainment of Children in Care) [6] Prospects in later life According to the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS), the problems faced by care leavers are associated with social exclusion, such as unemployment, teenage pregnancy, homelessness, drug and alcohol dependency. Moreover, when young people leave care, their financial and emotional support is removed too early and too fast, making it difficult for them to cope with the sudden turn of events. What is the Government doing? The government seems to be doing precious little except publishing annual statistics and forming different projects and schemes to address the various problems. The issue is social and needs to be handled by highly motivated social organisations and individuals. Whatever the government or any organisation or individual can do will only address the physical and mental aspects to some degree. It can never replace the divinely ordained care of the mother and father. In the overall scheme of things, one is left wondering why the government has not given a thought to involve the church. (Looked after children, The struggle for stability: Department for Education and Skills) [7] Sources: 1. Department for children, school and families, http://www.dfes.gov.uk. 2. Integrated children’s services, http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/chserv/looked.htm. 3. A Report of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/46932/0023974.pdf. 4. Kent County Council; Initiatives, Priorities and Next Step, kent.gov.uk/.../looked-after-children/initiatives-prior-nsteps.htm. 5. Kent County Council, Guide for School, teachers, governors, kent.gov.uk/…/looked-after-children/guide-for-school-teachers-governors.htm. 6. Research in practice, Raising the Educational Attainment of Children in Care, rip.org.uk/publicresponses/docs/Raising the Educational Attainment of Children… 7. Looked after children, The struggle for stability: Department for Education and Skills, findoutmore.dfes.gov.uk/2006/10/lookedafter_chi.html. Read More