Published on:
12
July 2011
Looked after children in Clackmannanshire are being congratulated for their educational performance.
New statistics published by the Scottish Government show that our looked after children are doing better than the national average in a range of key educational outcomes.
Education is an important pathway to a better life for looked after children and Clackmannanshire Council is determined to raise the achievement of this group of vulnerable children. The Council agreed a Corporate Parenting Strategy in 2009 which included a commitment to improving educational outcomes for looked after children.
The Scottish Government publication: Educational Outcomes for Scotland's Looked After Children, 2009-10, shows that the attendance rate for looked after children in Clackmannanshire was 90%, compared to a national rate of 87.8%.
The exclusion rate was 222 exclusions per 1000 pupils in Clackmannanshire, compared to 365 exclusions per 1000 nationally.
And the average tariff score for looked after children in Clackmannanshire was 101, compared with a national average tariff score of 67. The tariff score is calculated by allocating points for each level of qualification - for example a Standard Grade level 1 counts as 38 points, where as a Standard Grade level 6 is eight points.
Councillor Sam Ovens is the Council's Champion for Looked After Children. He said: "Many children and young people in care have experienced great personal upheaval. This disruption to home life and education can prevent them from reaching their academic potential.
"Statistics show that nationally this group achieve considerably less well than other children in attaining qualifications. There is an urgent need to narrow this gap and improve educational outcomes for this group of young people to ensure that they get the same chances to be successful as everybody else. Education is crucial to the well-being and life chances for all looked after children. We have a corporate parenting responsibility for all looked after children and as for any parent, supporting their children's education is one of the most important functions we can make to their lives.
"Being a corporate parent is a challenging role for a local authority and one that Clackmannanshire Council takes extremely seriously. Our Corporate Parenting Strategy means the Council has put looked after children at the centre of our attention and that all our services are working together to meet their needs. These new statistics show that we are all focussed on improving the achievements and aspirations of our looked after children."
The Council also has a legal duty to act as a 'corporate parent' for each and every child and young person that is looked after, whether this is as a result of a voluntary agreement with their parents, or under an order agreed by the Children's Hearing system. There are currently 226 looked after children in Clackmannanshire. Of these, 92 are on supervision at home and 134 are looked after away from home.