Looked After Children and Post-Looked After Children
At The Henry Beaufort School it is of the utmost importance that the needs of each of our LAC and PLAC students are met. In my role as Designated Teacher for these students, it is my duty to ensure careful and robust support is put in place to help each of these students to have a successful and happy education whilst at our school.
Below, I have answered some of the key questions about our provision for LAC and Post-LAC students:
1) Which students qualify as LAC and Post-LAC?
- A child ‘looked-after by a local authority’ is one who is looked after within the meaning of section 22 of Children Act 1989 or Part 6 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
- A previously looked-after child is one who is no longer looked after in England and Wales because s/he is the subject of an adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements order which includes arrangements relating to with whom the child is to live, or has been adopted from ‘state care’ outside England and Wales
- A child is in ‘state care’ outside England and Wales if s/he is in the care of or accommodated by a public authority, a religious organisation or any other organisation the sole or main purpose of which is to benefit society.
2) What financial support are these students entitled to?
Looked-after children and children adopted from care, on a special guardianship or child arrangements order are eligible for PP+ funding.11 This is additional funding provided to help improve the attainment of looked-after and previously looked-after children and close the attainment gap between this group and their peers.
3) How are these students supported at The Henry Beaufort School?
In my role as Designated teacher, I am a central point of initial contact within the school. This helps to make sure that the school plays its role to the full in making sure arrangements are joined up and minimise any disruption to a child’s learning.
For our Looked After Children, I meet with students, foster carers and social workers once a term to complete a Personal Education Plan (PEP). This ensures that the student’s academic and emotional needs are catered for throughout each year. At this meeting, targets are set to support the student at school and interventions (academic, pastoral or to support emotional wellbeing) are put in place using the PP+ funding. All PEPs are returned to the VS (Virtual School).
For Post-Looked After Children, a similar approach can be taken at the adoptive parents or special guardian’s request. During the first term, I will contact parents to see if they would like an Educational Plan for Adopted Children meeting (EPAC) to be conducted. These take on a very similar format to the PEP and again can occur up to 3 times per year.
In addition to this, I am available as a contact point for all LAC and Post-LAC students in addition to the HOY and tutor. I also conduct staff training on how to support our LAC/ Post-LAC students in school; continuing to raise awareness of this group of students and some of the barriers they may face at school.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me:
Miss C. Mourant