Government launches a review of children in need

Social workers and others working with children in need called to give evidence on what makes a difference to educational outcomes

By Luke Stevenson on March 19, 2018 in Children

The government is consulting on how the educational outcomes for children in need can be improved.

Launched last week, the call for evidence seeks the opinions of social workers and others working with children in need on what makes a difference to their educational outcomes, and what could work in practice to improve them.

The review comes as research shows children in need are three times more likely to have special educational needs than their peers.

The analysis said it was the first time “how far children in need fall behind their peers in the early years” had been evidenced, and that the gap “widens throughout school and beyond”.

‘Strong evidence base’

The Department for Education said the purpose of the review is to develop a “strong evidence base, going beyond the data to look at what is happening in practice”.

“At different stages in a child’s life, or when requiring different levels of statutory social care support, children’s needs will require a different response. At each of these stages, a child may work with a variety of professionals who offer support to a child and to their family, to improve a child’s circumstances,” it said.

The department is interested in collecting evidence for:

how support is delivered or commissioned to help children;
how this support is measured and evaluated; and
how it will influence educational outcomes.

The consultation closes on 1 June 2018.

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2 Responses to Government launches a review of children in need

Margaret March 19, 2018 at 2:51 pm #

They trot this one out but do bugger all! They won’t this time either it’s a conn “let’s pretend we care about children looked after”. “Hang on it’s going to cost – forget it, table it for next year”
They abuse and refuse these children any hope or opportunity. Why in this day and age is it still acceptable for a looked after child to have less educational opportunities than every other child! Wake up
Donna March 21, 2018 at 11:27 pm #

The education slips in looked after children because education is not important from a social workers point of view. When my child started to slipping I addressed the issue at a lac Meeting & was told education means nothing it’s not what they are here for. When these so called professionals don’t care as long as they are getting paid They don’t care if your child does well they rather go the court & tell lies behind closed doors. As a parent I took matters into my own hands I got my child a private tutor paid for it myself with no assistance from social workers then the social workers accused me of bullying my child. For looking after the child education needs. So if you ask me you need to get better system that the child teachers can speak out if they think a child education is slipping due to social workers involvement instead of the teachers being afraid to speak out against the harm these
So called social workers are subjecting kids to. I was luck I fought the system & won to the degree that the trust had Paid compo for wrongful removal of my child. My child was lucky because if it was left in social workers hands the child would have slipped off the rails.