Councils fail to set care targets

28th May 1999, 1:00am

Share

Councils fail to set care targets

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/councils-fail-set-care-targets
EDUCATION authorities are failing to set targets for reducing exclusions and improving the academic performance of children in care - despite government goals.

A fifth of 61 behaviour support plans surveyed by education and training charity Rathbone CI did not mention looked-after children or set targets for them.

Ministers want 50 per cent of looked-after children to achieve a qualification - at least one graded GCSE - by 2001, and 75 per cent by 2003. Last year, 93.4 per cent of all England’s 16-year-olds achieved this standard.

A TES survey earlier this year found at least 47 councils had set targets for improving looked-after children’s performance without knowing how well they currently do.

The Government has also called on education authorities to reduce exclusions among looked-after children - up to 80 times more likely to be expelled from school than classmates who live at home. However, no specific exclusion targets have been set.

Carol Toms, Rathbone CI’s policy officer, said: “The targets the Government has set are very minimal, and local authorities are copying what it says.

“We think behaviour support plans should state the numbers of looked-after children, their exclusion rate, and the number with statements of special educational need.

“All schools should have a link teacher, and a tutor should be available to support children in residential care who are without a school place, for whatever reason.”

Authorities praised by the Manchester-based charity include Derby, which states that all its schools have a teacher responsible for looked-after children, and Redcar and Cleveland, which has an education link person in each children’s home.

Rathbone CI has a free helpline for advice and information on exclusions and behaviour issues, telephone 0800 9176790.

8 News TESJmay 28 1999 barry greenwood On-side: Manchester City captain Andy Morrison, who has had discipline problems on and off the field, with pupil Johnny Ramsden, 11

Want to keep reading for free?

Register with Tes and you can read two free articles every month plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters.

Keep reading for just £1 per month

You've reached your limit of free articles this month. Subscribe for £1 per month for three months and get:

  • Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content
  • Exclusive subscriber-only stories
  • Award-winning email newsletters
Recent
Most read
Most shared