Policy & Practice: Policy into practice - Schools must bring stability to chaotic lives

It doesn't take a feat of imagination to realise why children in care are disproportionately likely to become unemployed and/or end up in prison. Sadly, a backdrop of growing up in care is currently synonymous with an increase in instability and truancy. This is exacerbated by a lack of additional help with learning and development. At any one time 60,000 children are in care and 48 per cent left school without any qualifications in 2003, compared with only five per cent of all other children. It's such stark statistics that sparked the Social Exclusion Unit's report a year ago, A better education for children in care, and an approach that includes enhanced Personal Education Plans to ensure all children in care get the support and stability at home they need to fulfil their potential.