Information for designated teachers, headteachers, governors, specialist coordinators and anyone working in a school with children who are in care.
What schools need to do
Many young people in care do well in their education. But as a group, children in care don't achieve as well at school as their peers, so schools need to provide them with more support and pay extra attention to their needs. Schools can get extra funding and support to help them do this.
All school staff who work with young people in care should read this pdf guide for education settings on children in care (111 KB) . It has information about:
- when a young person becomes a child in care
- if a child at your school goes into care
- if a child in care joins your school
- if you have a child in care at your school
Designated teacher for children in care
Statutory guidance from the Department for Education Go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/designated-teacher-for-looked-after-children (opens new window) says that all maintained schools and academies must have a designated teacher (DT) for children in care (CiC).
Designated teachers:
- support the education of CiC
- ensure that all CiC get coordinated support at school
- regularly review Personal Education Plans
- are the main contact for outside agencies
- work with the named governor for CiC on an annual report for the governing body
List of designated teachers
We keep a list of DTs in each setting where a Bristol child in care or care leaver is educated.
We rely on education settings to let us know who your DT is.
If your DT leaves or changes, call The HOPE on 0117 903 6282. Tell us:
- the name of your setting
- your new DT's name and email address
Training for designated teachers
Find out about training courses for DTs on our training page.
Named governor for children in care
All maintained schools and academies should have a named governor for children in care.
The named governor should liaise with the designated teacher (DT) on an annual report for the governing body. The named governor or DT must email this report to The HOPE on thehope@bristol.gov.uk.
A template of the report is in the document Children in Care Annual Report (107 KB) .
Our pdf audit template (238 KB) will help you check the content and quality of your annual report.
Post 16 annual report
We also have a document Post 16 annual report template (29 KB) .
Schools who are already doing an annual report for pre 16 students can choose whether to include the post 16 students within this or to complete a separate post 16 annual report.
The named governor or DT must email this report to The HOPE on thehope@bristol.gov.uk.
Training for named governors for children in care
Training courses for named governors.
Children in care with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
If a child in care at your school has SEND you should talk to your SENDCo for advice and support.
You should also refer to Bristol City Council's information for education professionals working with children with SEND.
There's government guidance about SEND code of practice Go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25 (opens new window) for children and young people in care up to the age of 25.
Pupils who display challenging behaviour because of trauma
Children and young people in care often have pdf attachment issues (8 KB) . The document explains how they can affect a child at school and has strategies schools can use.
Also see this pdf attachment disorder presentation (630 KB) .
Safeguarding
Children and young people in care can be very vulnerable and may need extra support to keep them safe. Each child is individual and will have different strengths and difficulties. Education settings must follow Keeping Children Safe in Education (2020) Go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2 (opens new window), statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education, to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Schools also need to follow the requirements set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018) Go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2 (opens new window) and the Teachers' Standards Go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teachers-standards (opens new window).
If you have a child in care at your school you must talk to your colleagues about:
- any specific needs that the child or young person might have
- confidentiality issues for the child
- pdf safeguarding and child protection procedures (670 KB)
The HOPE's Designated Safeguarding Lead is Leanne Bishop. Contact her on:
- 0117 903 6282
- leanne.bishop@bristol.gov.uk
More able and talented children and young people
It's important to consider children in care (CiC) when thinking about your more able and talented cohort. Every setting should consider having a named More Able and Talented Coordinator.
You should:
- make sure you give the more able and talented CiC the opportunities that match their abilities
- include CiC achieving national average results on the more able and talented register, if your setting keeps one
- look out for children in care with particular talents and uneven cognitive profiles, such as high numerical ability with low literacy levels
- liaise with the school's designated teacher for CiC to include all more able and talented actions on the child's PEP
- ensure more able and talented CiC are able to attend events, making any necessary travel arrangements
Ofsted and children in care
Ofsted inspections look at children in care as part of their focus on vulnerable groups. See their pdf advice about children in care (28 KB) .
Sharing practice for schools
Examples of good practice around children in care and education:
