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Government guidance and associated research acknowledges
that children who are placed long distances from their families and
communities are more vulnerable to abuse, placement breakdown,
interrupted schooling, unmet health needs and losing contact with
family and friends. (eg. DH/Utting Report, 1997; DH/DfEE/Home
Office - Guidance on the education of young people in public care,
2000; Social Exclusion Unit, A better education for children in
care, 2003).
DCSF is developing a new performance indicator, which seeks to
raise awareness of the need for local authorities to place children
as near to their families and communities as possible:
These areas of concern are particularly relevant within Kent
due to the large number of looked after children placed in the
county by other local authorities.
- Children must not be placed in an out of authority placement
without first ensuring that their care, health and education needs
will all be met in the new placement (DH/DFEE/Home Office 2000,
page 60, paragraph 11.4). The placing authority should therefore
liaise with relevant agencies and service providers in the
authority where a placement is being considered as part of the
assessment process, to determine the suitability of a particular
placement. This might include ensuring that not only is a suitable
education place available but that the young person has access to
appropriate curriculum opportunities, study support, Connexions
Adviser, etc.
- The placing authority must formally notify the local authority
where a placement is being considered before the placement
commences. A copy of the child's Personal Education Plan should be
attached to the notification form. For children with additional
educational needs, the placing authority will need to provide copy
of any Statement of Special Education needs or individual Education
Plans (and supporting reports and annual reviews), and up-to-date
medical and psychological advice.
- The placing authority should also negotiate agreement on
admission to a school before the child is placed where possible, to
minimise disruption to the child's education. In order to ensure
proper consultation with the host authorities education service,
the placing authority must provide full information on the child's
educational needs at an early stage.
- The placing authority should make every effort to monitor and
review arrangements for the child's education, by liaising with the
relevant Education Officers and designated teacher, ensure an
up-to-date Personal Education Plan is in place for the child,
attending review meetings for statements of SEN or individual
Educational Plans and monitoring the educational component of care
reviews.
Before contacting us you can
check postcodes online (link opens in a new
window), via the Office For National Statisitcs website, to find
out if Kent is the correct local authorty to contact. For
example, Medway and Bromley are not covered by
KCC. |