What is meant by the term "Looked After Child?”

 Children are described as ‘looked after’ if they have a care order or if they are accommodated on a voluntary basis by the Local Authority. Often this will be with foster carers, but some looked after children might stay in a children’s home or boarding school, or with another adult known to the parents and children’s services.

The Children and Young Persons Act 2008, requires schools’ Governing Bodies to appoint a

Designated Teacher for Looked After Children, underpinned by statutory guidance.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/designated-teacher-for-looked-after-children

At Rocklands School, the Designated Teacher for Looked After Children is

Louise Mitchell (louise.mitchell@rocklands.manorhall.academy)

The Designated Teacher ensures the school register for Looked After Children is kept up to date.

They ensure that the school holds a current Personal Education Plan for each Looked After Child.

If there is not an up-to-date PEP in place, they ensure that the child’s social worker is contacted and asked to arrange a PEP meeting.

They monitor the progress of all Looked After Children within the school and inform senior staff and governors.

They report annually to the governing body on progress.

They ensure that the school has suitable catch up programmes to support Looked After Children who may have been out of school for a long period.

They ensure that staff are informed, trained and updated on Looked After Children issues.

They maintain a culture of high expectation regarding Looked After Children ‘ as if they were our own children’ .

• Pupil Premium Plus can provide:

  Looked-after children (LAC) defined in the Children Act 1989 as one who is in the care of, or provided with accommodation by, an English local authority	£2,300
  Children who have ceased to be looked after by a local authority in England and Wales because of adoption, a special guardianship order, a child arrangements order or a residence order	£2,300

  However, some children may get more, some less, depending on an assessment of their individual needs.
• Children and young people will be eligible as soon as they enter care.
• Pupil Premium Plus must be used to improve outcomes and raise attainment.
• The Virtual School Head Teacher is responsible for making sure there are effective arrangements in place for allocating Pupil Premium Plus funding to benefit children looked after by Staffordshire Local Authority, wherever they are placed.
• How the grant is to be used must be clearly identified in each young person’s Personal Education Plan [PEP] in consultation with the designated teacher and the social worker, plus contributions from the carer and other relevant professionals.

Further information is available from the link below.

This site offers a variety of support and information to those involved in the education of Looked After Children in our county.