In May it was revealed that the Government was in danger of missing targets for the educational achievements of looked-after children set for 2006, despite small improvements last year (Children Now, 4-10 May).
The new duty on local authorities to promote the educational achievement of looked-after children, part of the Children Act 2004, comes into force next week, on 1 July. It is a key plank of the drive to improve outcomes.
But the Association of Directors of Social Services, the Association of Directors of Education and Children's Services, the Confederation of Education and Children's Services Managers, and the Local Government Association all say draft statutory guidance on implementing this duty merely "reiterates what already exists".
The British Association of Social Workers has also called on local authorities to "properly cost" what is required to meet the educational needs of looked-after children.
It claimed that in some cases funding ran out midway through a support package, causing "enormous stress to the child and to those involved in supporting them".
The joint response from the ADSS, LGA, ADECS and Confed to the Government's consultation on educational achievement adds that firm regulations are needed to ensure all children's homes have education policies that help the local authority meet their obligation to raise educational attainment.
And more references to involving children in the development of personal education plans should be made in the guidance, say the associations.
They also criticise the Department for Education and Skills for not acknowledging that the best educational outcome for many looked-after children, due to their background and circumstances, "is not necessarily to achieve the same grade as his/her non-looked-after peer".
The Government's drive to get local authorities to reduce the number of out-of-authority placements for children in care is also highlighted. Placements within an authority but far away from a child's home can increase the risk of family isolation and the instability of the child's school place, as well as making it harder for the local authority to act as a corporate parent, warn the associations.
The ADSS, LGA, ADECS and Confed continue to be critical of the failure to include schools alongside councils in the statutory duty to promote the educational achievement of looked-after children, a battle fought and lost before the Children Act 2004 received royal assent.
Tony Hunter, president of the Association of Directors of Social Services, said: "The requirement needs to be on all the partners if we are going to deliver."
The DfES rejected criticism that schools were omitted from the consultation.
- www.adss.org.uk.
