Decision details

Tracking of Care Leavers - Overview of New Process

Decision Maker: Children's Services Scrutiny Committee

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Decisions:

The Chair welcomed Audrey Swann, Head of Education for Looked After Children, to the meeting.

 

The report presented explained that it was the Local Authority's responsibility as corporate parents to support Lancashire's children looked after (CLA) and Care Leavers, and to enable them to become independent and successful adults. A key element of this was access to education and training that would lead to positive outcomes. A review of the current offer of support was in process to develop more effective systems and practices.

 

Regarding persons who were coming up to 18 and had been in care all their lives, Members enquired if the Council was encouraging them to aim high and pursue university once leaving school. Of the 171 school leavers a high proportion of these had only been in care a short time. Those who came into care late, appeared to do less well educationally. There was around 35 young persons in university at the moment. Each young person who entered higher education was allocated a bursary of £2000 over 3 years from the Council. It was reported that the Council had a commitment to support a person in care, who went to university up to the age of 25.

 

It was noted that when children in care moved or dropped out, the Council faced a number of challenges in getting those young people back into education as quickly as possible.

 

The Council had a duty to utilise the statutory Personal Education Plan process and meetings to identify reasons why a child in care was not thriving in school. Those involved in every PEP meeting included the social worker, carer and the school.

 

The Committee was informed that connections had been established with the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) through the Employment Support Team to aid care leavers with employability, skills and apprenticeships. The Employment Support Team had been working individually with young people who had been referred to them and that a case worker would be assigned to a young person. The Team had also established contacts with businesses and job centres. In addition to this, opportunities were provided for care leavers to work for the Council.

 

The Committee was informed that County Councillor Andrea Kay, Chair of the Children's Services Scrutiny Committee and County Councillor Ian Brown, Chair of the Corporate Parenting Board were developing a pilot scheme in the Wyre District looking at alternative pathways to support children looked after and aid their aspirations, liaising with the armed forces, the police, the fire and rescue service, Fleetwood Town football club and the YMCA to see how apprenticeship opportunities can be formulated for them.

 

Resolved: That;

 

  i.  The report be noted.

  ii.  Committee members identify potential opportunities in their own divisions/district to increase supported employment and training for children looked after and care leavers across Lancashire.

 

Date of decision: 18/10/2017

Decided at meeting: 18/10/2017 - Children's Services Scrutiny Committee

Accompanying Documents: