How can we support Looked After Children in education?

Ofsted expects each educational organisation to have a named appropriately experienced staff member has been designated to support learners and apprentices who are looked-after children. In gathering evidence about supporting learners and apprentices who are known (or previously known) to social care teams, inspectors evaluate the extent to which leaders:

ensure that an appropriately experienced staff member has been designated to support learners and apprentices who are looked-after children
ensure that learners and apprentices who are looked-after children have a personal education plan and high-quality support to improve their progress and achievement
ensure that the designated safeguarding lead and other leaders use their knowledge of the learner/apprentice to inform decisions about promoting their welfare, such as providing additional academic support or supporting them to maintain their well-being
share information with the local authority, including for statutory assessments of learners’ and apprentices’ social care needs
work with social workers, personal advisers and other professionals to provide effective multiagency planning and support for learners and apprentices.

Looked after children are also often referred to as children in care, a term which many children and young people prefer.

A child stops being ‘looked after’ when they are adopted, return home or turn 18. However, local authorities in all the nations of the UK are required to support children leaving care at 18 until they are at least 21.

Why is there a focus on looked after children performance in education?

In the last five years the population of looked after children in the UK has increased by 8%.
Around one in 10 pupils in 2024/25 have been a child in need in the last 6 years.
18% of children in care for more than 12 months achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths at Key Stage 4, compared to 65% of peers
One in three care-experienced children receive a caution or conviction between ages 10 and 17.
Care-experienced children are more likely to experience mental health difficulties, with around half meeting criteria for a diagnosable disorder
There are approximately 80,000 children in care

Between the ages of 16 and 21, all eligible, relevant and former relevant children must receive a pathway plan from the council, which is reviewed every six months. Care leavers are entitled to the support of a Personal Advisor. Additionally, the council is required to publish up-to-date information about the services available for care leavers, as well as other provisions that may assist them in preparing for independent living and adulthood; this is referred to as the ‘local offer’. Upon reaching the age of 21, care leavers have the option to request further support, and if they choose to do so, the Pathway Plan can continue until they turn 25.

The Pathway plan is created with the young person and includes: