Legal News

Welsh Assembly (WA) Education Secretary Kirsty Williams has said that children in care must have the same educational opportunities as their peers.

Ms Williams said that there had been a 6% improvement in the GCSE results of children growing up in care and went on to outline her plans for action to continue to raise educational attainment among looked after children.

An annual report on the three-year plan for children in care highlights the progress being made by the Welsh government, including an improvement in GSCE results.

In 2016, a total of 23% of children who are in care achieved the equivalent of five GCSEs at grades A* to C in English or Welsh first language and mathematics – a 6% increase on 2015 grades.

The Welsh government has also worked with Cardiff University – CASCADE to create a new online hub to share information and resources focusing on children in care, to help improve their educational outcomes.

The WA Education Secretary has committed to looking at the training available to schools and further education colleges with a responsibility for children who are looked after, as well as getting local authorities to review the roles of key workers with a responsibility for children who are looked after.

The Welsh government is also committed to working with the third sector to consider better ways of supporting children who are often difficult to engage in education and making better use of the data available to help looked after children.

The Education Secretary recently announced that the Pupil Development Grant would be extended to provide support to three-year-old looked after children during their early years in schools, as part of more than £90 million in funding this year to help disadvantaged pupils.

Kirsty Williams said:

“Central to our national mission of education reform is for all children to do well and reach their potential, whatever their background.

“Looked after children must have the same opportunities as their peers – we have seen an excellent improvement in the GCSE results of those in care and we have committed more funding to build on this, but I want to go further.

“Children often enter care come from a background of family crisis or breakdown – while we can not change their personal experiences, we will continue to support them through their education and prepare them for adulthood.

“Research shows that, all too often, simply by being ‘in care’ the expectations placed on these young people reduce – we are taking action to face this issue head on and will continue to do so.”

Duncan Lewis Child Care Lawyers

Duncan Lewis Child Care Lawyers can advise parents on a wide range of child care law and family matters, including parents’ duties under the Education Act 1996 and SEND.

Duncan Lewis can also advise on Section 38 enquiries, pre-proceedings meetings, children taken into Local Authority care and Court of Protection cases.

There are Duncan Lewis offices across England and Wales – and Duncan Lewis advises on family and child care matters under UK law and Islamic law, as well as being able to advise on cross-border family issues, such as child care arrangements, leave to remove and international parent-child abduction.

For expert legal advice on family and child care matters, call Duncan Lewis children lawyers on 0333 772 0409.