At age 10 Luke didn't know his two times table. Chronic truanting and behaviour problems had thwarted all attempts to keep his education on track, and one-to-one schooling at his children's home had met with little success. A year on, however, and Luke's a different boy. Now in foster care, he has a 100 per cent attendance record at a mainstream school and enjoys after-school clubs. "I like school," he says. "I used to get bullied a lot, but now I've got more friends. My favourite classes are design technology and RE."
As well as the benefits of a stable home, his foster carer, Valda Creech, credits Luke's transformation on the combined efforts of education and social services at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. "We saw the potential," explains Creech, "but schools are wary of looked-after children.
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