Background
Children and young people in public care historically seriously underachieve compared with their peers.  DCSF and DoH are working jointly to address this through a number of measures.

Responsibility
Schools and governors should ensure that school policy and procedure is consistent with measures set out in statutory guidance on the education of children and young people in public care.

Roles and Actions

• Local authorities (LAs) are required to
  • provide personal education plans to help young people access the services and support needed to help meet their short and long-term educational goals
  • place a child within 20 school days into a full-time, local, mainstream school unless the circumstances of the child make this unsuitable
  • establish protocols for sharing information
• Schools are required to
  • designate teachers to act as a resource and advocate for these children, liaising with social services and other key partners

Guidance
The GovernorNet article, Education Matters, provides information and access to a resource from the The Who Cares? Trust.  This publication is focused on Education and other professionals with responsibility for children in public care.  See the link in Background Reading below.

The GovernorNet article on the Vulnerable Children Grant may also be useful.  See the link in Background Reading below.