Government doubles education support funding for children in care

From April 2014/15, local authorities will receive £1,900 of government funding annually for every looked-after child they are responsible for to invest in additional education support, such as specialist tuition or one-to-one coaching.

This "pupil premium plus" will see the funding allocated for looked-after children more than double from the current annual rate of £900 per child, the standard pupil premium amount allocated to disadvantaged children in school.

In addition, looked-after children will be eligible to receive the funding as soon as they enter care, allowing councils to put support in place immediately, as opposed to having to wait six months or more before doing so.

The Department for Education says this will see an additional 10,000 looked-after children being able to benefit from accessing pupil premium support.
 
Funding to pay for the expansion will increase from £40m in 2013/14 to £100m in 2014/15.

Virtual school heads, who oversee education support for looked-after children in every local authority, will be expected to monitor how the pupil premium plus money is being spent.

Timpson said: “Children in care face unique challenges at school and often struggle to keep up with their peers at both primary and secondary level.

“It’s vital that these vulnerable children are given the targeted support they need and the education they deserve to help them get on in life.

“I’m delighted to announce that we’re more than doubling funding to support the education of children in care whilst at school and that from next year they will receive this extra support from the moment they enter care.”
 
Only half of children in care achieve the expected level in both English and maths at Key Stage 2, compared with 79 per cent of non-looked after children; while only 15 per cent of children in care achieved five A*-C GCSEs or equivalent, compared with 58 per cent of non-looked after children.
 
Through the Children and Families Bill, the government is also making it mandatory for every council to have a virtual school head – an individual who champions the education of children in care and acts as their overarching head teacher.
 
For the first time, children adopted from care and those who leave care under a special guardianship order or residence order will also attract the pupil premium plus.
 
Children’s charities welcomed the announcement, but said it was vital that checks are done to ensure the funding is used effectively.

Enver Solomon, director of evidence and impact at the National Children’s Bureau, said: “We know that children in care face multiple challenges at school and often struggle to do as well as their peers. Increasing the financial support through the pupil premium has the potential to really improve their education, and ultimately transform their life chances. 

“However, it will need to be closely monitored to ensure that the money reaches the children it is intended for and that schools do not use it for other means.”

Natasha Finlayson, chief executive of The Who Cares? Trust, said: “Children in care face huge challenges in their lives which mean they are at risk of being left behind their classmates when it comes to education.? It’s crucial that they are given the individual support they need to succeed at school, and this additional funding will help schools to meet their needs.

“However, we would urge schools to consult with the individual children and their carers to make sure the money is spent in the best possible way for each child.”