Support provided by Kent County Council

In order to raise educational attainment of looked after children to a level equal or close to their peers, Kent County Council has put in place a series of county-wide initiatives outlined below:

• providing support to schools and ensuring a co-ordinated response to children’s needs through a team of Virtual School Kent Assistant Heads
• support to schools in Partnerships where there is a high proportion of looked after children
• provide extra help at key points in children's education (e.g. during key stage transfer and when preparing for exams)
• offer extra help so that children who have fallen behind can catch up
• provide support to designated teachers and governors for looked after children  in Kent schools who can influence policy/practice in their schools and who are aware of their particular children’s needs
• offer multi-agency support and training for designated teachers, governors, foster carers and social workers
• organise a Children's Champion sub-committee to ensure the needs of looked after children and care leavers are championed by elected Members
• promote joint-working across education, social care, health services and with other local authorities, to ensure a co-ordinated approach to meeting the needs of looked after children
• implement the Looking After Literacy project (in association with the National Literacy Association and the Who Cares? Trust) by providing books, notebook computers and additional support
• raise children's literacy and ICT skills by providing computers and equipment to foster placements
• develop education support staff posts within Kent's fostering teams
• coordinate dedicated health workers, Connexions Personal Advisors and lead AEN (additional educational needs) Advisors.
• advise young people and parents of support and advocate services available to them ie., Partnership with Parents and Upfront Children’s Rights Service

Aims and next steps

We aim to:

• improve the achievement of children and young people looked after by KCC at all Key Stages. A project plan is being developed to ensure the Council meets the requirements arising from the Children Act 2004 duty to promote the education of looked after children
• continue supporting schools to help them effectively respond to children’s needs
• improve how we record information so that our communication is better
• set up intensive programmes for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in 6 secondary schools and 3 FE colleges
• improve access to early years services for younger looked after children
• develop local library schemes to motivate looked after children  to read and learn 
• continue offering guidance for social workers and foster carers on matters concerning looked after children in school appeals
• continue offering specialist support to schools and partnerships where there is a high proportion of Looked After Children.