Virtual School Designated Teacher Briefing March 2018
Updates: DfE Ofsted Virtual School
New Guidance issued
Revised Statutory Guidance- February 2018 • Sections 1 to 7 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017 made changes to the legislative framework for CLA and previously-looked after children, and care leavers • Sections 4 to 7 expand the role of VSHs and designated teachers to include certain previously looked-after children (those who left care through adoption, special guardianship or child arrangement orders or were adopted from state care outside England and Wales). • Revised guidance reflects VSH and designated teachers new role and developments in policy, research and practice for these young people. • The new duties for VSH and designated teachers will come in to force from September 2018. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/designated-teacher-for- looked-after-children https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-the-education-of- looked-after-children
Levelling up Opportunity • A plan to improve social mobility through education • Ambition to tackle injustice at each life stage: • Close the ‘word ‘gap in Early Years • Close the attainment gap • High quality post-16 education • Rewarding careers https://www.gov.uk/government/.../improving-social-mobility-through-education
Ofsted Update
Ofsted Update • From Jan 1 st . • For good schools, the way inspections can be conducted has changed. The focus of this is around the timing of inspections over 3-5 years. • 1 day inspection and deemed good then there can be 3- 5 years before the next inspection. • 1 day converts to 2 day because of concerns. Next inspection depends on outcome. • 1 day does not convert but there are concerns = letter stating a S5 inspection in the future. • 1 day does not convert but there is a sense the school is better = letter and a S5 inspection within 2 years.
OFSTED and Early Years • OFSTED are interested in Early Years PEPs. • Good Level of Development and the steps taken to achieve this or plan for this. • High expectations and aspiration for the children among staff.
Virtual School The Bright Spots Survey : Working with Coram Voice and the University of Bristol to improve the wellbeing of children and young people in care by identifying and promoting practices that have a positive influence on them. – Now Live – Humble apologies for the short notice! The CLASEF: – Part 3 now due on 25 th May 2018 – A revised and streamlined version will be available from September 2018. – Colleagues in Ofsted have welcomed the CLASEF
Transition: From Primary to Secondary Katharine Passmore (Virtual School Phase Lead for Primary)
Transitions • From pre – school settings to Reception • From Primary to Secondary • Hold joint PEP meetings in Summer Term • Enhanced transition between Primary and Secondary following last year’s pilot
Lifelong Links Katie Jolly (Lead coordinator Lifelong Links)
Hertfordshire Family Group Conference Lifelong Links Finding family connections for children and young people in the care system Ben Carr Katie Jolly Family Group Conference Manager Lead Lifelong Links Family Group Conference Coordinator (Independent)
Question … ? • How many connections to family and friends do you think you have? • What support do they offer? • What are the outcomes for children growing up in long term care?
Headlines • ‘Relationships and long term social connection is the cornerstone to child and family welfare.’ Isabelle Trowler, Chief Social Worker for Children and Families, Putting Children First, DfE, July 2016 • ‘The greatest failing of the care system … is it too often breaks, rather than builds, relationships for children in or on the edge of care,’ Care Inquiry 2013 • ‘The single factor most closely associated with positive outcomes for children is meaningful, lifelong connections to family.’ www.familyfinding.org
The reality Children aged 10 to 17 years are the single biggest age group of looked after children. They are also the age group most likely to be subject to multiple placements. This instability has multiple impacts on young people: • some cease to invest in building relationships with their new carers, thus inadvertently sabotaging the placement • many use social media to search for relatives putting themselves at risk of further rejection or abuse • the confused identity of young people in care can lead to them making attempts to run away from care
When young people leave care they often … • lack informal support networks to fall back on emotionally and economically • attempt to return to their families, in an unplanned way • too often this can result in loneliness, isolation, self-destructive behaviours, homelessness, vulnerability to exploitation, poorer educational and economic opportunities and teenage pregnancy • and a mismatch between the people who young people leaving care think are key kin and those who social workers identity
What is Lifelong Links • to improve outcomes, the DfE Innovation Programme has funded a three year trial in the UK called Lifelong Links • Lifelong Links is based on the USA Family Finding model and Family Group Conferencing from New Zealand • Lifelong Links aims to identify between 30 - 40 individuals who have a connection to the child and bring them together into a Family Group Conference, so that a plan of support can be put together for the child / young person… • …so that they can offer a lifelong commitment of positive support, provide an explanation of historical events, and reinforce identity, belonging and a sense of self for the child
The trial’s aims • to increase the number of supportive, lasting relationships for children in care • reduce the number of placement breakdowns • improve emotional and mental wellbeing • improve educational engagement and attainment • reduce incidents of running away • reduce harmful and risky behaviours including substance misuse, self-harm and criminal activity • improve long term outcomes for children leaving care including an increase in training and employment and reduced likelihood of their own child being removed
US Family Finding evaluations - key findings • Iowa found that a significant number of young people receiving family finding services achieved relational permanence (81%) (long term connections) • San Francisco project found that 50% of children new to care and offered family finding had no placement changes compared to 33% for the control group (placement stability) • Orange County, Florida identified that: – 99% of children learned more about their family – 97% had increased contact – 89% developed life-long connections
UK Lifelong Links in 2017 Family Rights Group and local authorities have developed a Lifelong Links model in 9 sites across the UK, of which Hertfordshire is one The following criteria for offering Lifelong Links applies: 1. child or young person is under 16 2. has been in the care system for under 3 years, accommodated under section 20 or full care order 3. no plan for adoption, return to parents or be placed with wider family In Hertfordshire we currently have 130 children and young people who fit this criteria and we are looking to offer the service to 65 of these in 2017/18, 75 in 2018/19 and 85 in 2019/20
Hertfordshire case study Background • Tom is 12, lives in Hertfordshire, settled at mainstream secondary school • Tom was accommodated into local authority (LA) foster care in May 2015 under section 20, then under Interim Care Order in December 2015 • LA applied for Full Care Order, which was granted June 2016, supported by mum • Tom is now on his Fourth Placement • only family known to services pre Lifelong Links: mum, maternal grandmother, great aunt, uncle & half- brother on dad’s side • mum did not want LA to approach maternal grandmother due to age & ill- health; she said there were no other family members involved (at the time of proceedings) • parents both died of substance misuse, mum in late 2016, dad in 2010 • family came forward for contact at mum’s funeral
Hertfordshire case study • we met for five sessions, Family tree before focussing mainly on mobility search mapping • Tom was very engaged and happy to work with me • has good recall about homes & school, but limited information about family • also met deputy head and mentor • network search snowballed from meetings with maternal uncle, aunt & cousins in Suffolk & great aunt in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire case study Tom’s family tree (maternal grandfather) after search
Hertfordshire case study Tom’s paternal family Tom’s family tree (maternal tree grandmother)
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