Written question WQ84814

Every child in Wales has the right to expect an excellent education. We all recognise that good educational attainment can provide the gateway to future stability, security and an independent, fulfilling life.

When a child enters care, consideration must be given to the child’s educational needs, including the learning environment. Each looked-after child will have a care and support plan, which includes an assessment of their developmental needs and a personal education plan.

Many children living in children’s homes will attend a local maintained school and will benefit from the educational support provided to all children, and additionally the specific support provided for looked-after children in education.

We have supported looked-after children in education by more than £5m annually through the Pupil Development Grant for looked-after children (PDG-LAC). The Regional Education Consortia administer this grant in collaboration with local authorities and schools.

PDG-LAC funding is based on £1,150 per looked-after child; however the funding is not ring-fenced for each child. This approach enables consortia, working with partners, to determine the most effective, strategic interventions to support care experienced young people regardless of care or school placement changes.

In addition, governing bodies of a maintained school must designate a member of staff as having lead responsibility for promoting the educational achievement of children who are looked after. The designated person is responsible for ensuring the needs of looked after children are met within the school. In addition, each local authority has a looked-after children in education (LACE) coordinator. They are there to make sure that looked after children get any additional support they need.

Approximately two-thirds of children who are looked after have special educational needs. It is critical we ensure that these children are able to access the right kind of educational support.

The introduction of the new Additional Learning Needs (ALN) system will provide reformed educational support to looked-after children in Wales. The Act provides for the introduction of new, statutory plans for all children with ALN, known as Individual Development Plans (IDPs). The plans will set out the child’s additional learning needs and the provision that must be secured in order to address those needs. In relation to looked-after children, the Act places a duty on local authorities to incorporate a child's IDP into the Personal Education Plan (PEP) which forms part of a child's overall care and support plan.

The requirement to incorporate an IDP into a PEP enables a looked after child's additional learning provision and any wider educational provision made for them to complement each other. Additionally, as it forms part of the child's care and support plan which sets out other matters, including those relating to health and emotional and behavioural development, it ensures a holistic approach not just to the planning of educational provision but also planning and care of the child as a whole.

Although many children living in children’s homes attend a local maintained school, for some learners because of the nature, extent and diversity of their individual needs or impairments, attending an independent school on the same site as the care setting may be more appropriate.

All independent schools, including residential schools are required to comply with the Independent School Standards (Wales) Regulations 2003. The standards include the quality of education, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils and welfare, health and safety of pupils.

As part of our commitment to improving educational outcomes for looked after children; following extensive research into an integrated approach to improving educational outcomes for looked after children, the Minister for Education and Welsh Language and the Deputy Minister for Social Services have agree to take forward implementation of a Virtual school model. We have provided grant funding via an expression of interest process to interested local authorities to progress this work.