To discuss the services provided in relation to Education of Looked After Children.
Minutes:
Documents
· Presentation on Education of Children looked after (CLA)(copy filed with signed minutes)
Discussion
· Categories of children looked after:
o Powys CLA educated in county
o Powys CLA educated out of county
o Powys CLA with a statement placed out of county
o COLA (Children of Other Local Authorities) educated in Powys Schools
· Number of CLA and COLA educated in Powys schools is approximately 125 but unequally distributed amongst clusters:
o Llandrindod cluster 31 (with a CLA in every school in the cluster and the most CLA in the Llandrindod site of Ysgol Calon Cymru)
o Special schools 16
o Llanfyllin cluster 15
o Welshpool cluster 11
o All other cluster have less than 10
· A school has to be given 15 days’ notice before a CLA is placed in that school
· Foster carers do not have parental rights. Parental rights are retained by the local authority
· Cross border moves are an issue as England and Wales work to different codes of practice. If a child is mid assessment when they move the assessment will have to be started again under the new code of where they are now living
· Delays in finding appropriate schools occur when Education, Health and Care plans are not up to date
· Different curriculums are followed in England and Wales and schools would find it hard to receive children from another country at GCSE level as not all subjects are offered and additionally different exam boards will offer a different curriculum
· Schools would know how to contact the named co-ordinator (at present Michael Gedrim). Recruitment for a new co-ordinator has commenced
· In England a system of Virtual Schools for CLA is in place. This co-ordinates the education of in county CLA and COLA. This model does not exist in Wales but Powys is looking to use a remodelled PRU service to have some input into the education of CLA.
· It will not be possible for the local authority, with only one officer, to be represented at all meetings relating to education of CLA and COLA
· At present Social Services staff write the Personal Education Plan with input from education professionals. This is recorded on the Social Services database WCCIS which education staff cannot access
· The Pupil Development Grant for CLA has been devolved to the regional improvement partnership for education ERW for 2018-19. At present ERW are waiting for Welsh Government for confirmation how this money can be spent. This money is assigned for schools to support school improvement and is different from the similar scheme in England where the Pupil Premium is used to support individual pupils. English Schools ask for the PDG LAC to be released for individual pupils and it is understood that ERW is considering holding some of the aggregate PDG LAC grant back for this purpose. This is considered unnecessary as English Schools would be in receipt of Pupil Premium for these pupils. COLA children would be eligible for PDG LAC and the school would not be asking for a Pupil Premium to be paid for these pupils. Consideration needs to be given regarding a fair distribution of PDG LAC to Powys schools given the unequal distribution of CLA across Powys schools and particular concentration found in Ysgol Calon Cymru
Cllr P Pritchard left 12.25
· CLA education at Key Stage 5 (A level) is not reported on as there is no requirement for children to be in school at this stage
Outcomes
· That the Chair of Learning, Skills and Economy Scrutiny Committee be asked to press for early release of the PDG LAC to the Local Authority and for prompt and fair distribution to schools with children looked after
· That the Chair of Health, Care and Housing Scrutiny Committee take a request to Joint Chairs for detailed consideration of the availability of support services to children looked after and children in need of care and support across the authority including but not limited to psychologists, education psychologists and speech therapists.