Education, Training and Employment Policy

Manx Care is committed to ensuring that all of our Looked After Children and care experienced young people (wherever they are placed), are engaged in education, employment or training commensurate with their ability and aspirations and are helped to make significant progress towards achieving their recognised career ambitions, so they grow up prepared for the future.

Manx Care promotes and safeguards the child/young person’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

High priority is given to meeting the educational needs of each child or young person in foster care and ensures that he/she is encouraged to attain his/her full potential.

It is important to help foster carers to meet a child’s educational needs in ensuring that they are able to maximise their abilities, skills and talents within the education or work setting and that they are supported to overcome any gaps in this area they may have. Of key importance will be the need to ensure that each child develops the key skills of literacy and numeracy. The home and the school share this responsibility and must work together to support these objectives for the child's educational progress.

The Family Placement Service has a duty to promote the educational achievement of Looked After Children.

Manx Care, as corporate parent, has a collective responsibility to overcome any potential barriers to education which may exist for children in foster care.

• Barriers could include:
• Lack of effective advocacy;
• Lack of stability due to moves and school changes;
• Prolonged periods of exclusion;
• Low expectations and assumptions;
• Failure of services to share information;
• Adverse experience linked to trauma.

Foster carers are key to breaking down the barriers by valuing and supporting the education which children receive. They are expected to take specific interest in the child’s education and progress, to have contact with the education setting regularly being proactive to support and work with the school, to aid planning, review progress and take part in and contribute to the child’s Personal Education Plan.

The Personal Education Plan (PEP) allows the social worker, foster carer and Designated Teacher at the child's school or, where the child has no school place, the education service, in conjunction with the child, to set out what needs to happen to meet the educational needs of the child.

All Looked After children of compulsory school age must have a PEP, whether or not currently in education. 

The PEP should set clear objectives and targets for the child, covering four main areas:

• An achievement record (academic or otherwise); 
• Developmental or educational needs; 
• Short term targets;
• Long term plans and aspirations.

The PEP provides essential information to ensure that appropriate support is in place to enable the child to achieve the targets set. It is also a record of the child's interests and achievement.

The PEP is part of a young person’s care plan, the:

Social Worker is responsible for ensuring that a date is set for an initial PEP meeting and that review meetings occur within agreed timescales. An Initial PEP meeting should be arranged within 10 days of a child coming into care or within 10 days of a new school term if the child becomes looked after during a holiday period. PEP meetings should be held termly before the deadlines set for each term.

The Social Worker has the responsibility of inviting relevant attendees following consultation with the young person. The young person’s views should be sought on anyone they may or may not want to be present but the meeting should include the child (in line with their age and understanding), their parents (if appropriate), a relevant carer, the Social Worker and the Designated Teacher for the child. Other people may also be relevant, for example where there is a therapeutic lead or Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) or where the day support service within St Christopher’s is actively involved. 

Designated Teacher will either attend the meeting or will make sure an appropriate alternative member of staff is in attendance. If a Designated Teacher chooses to delegate this role then they must ensure the alternative member of staff is appropriately trained in relation to the PEP process and has some knowledge of the child/young person. They will make sure that the PEP is progressing and being used within school to make sure the child is moving towards targets. When the child does not attend the school they are enrolled in eg they attend the ESC, the Designated Teacher from the school they are enrolled in remains responsible for the PEP. They should be in attendance at the meeting. The Designated Teacher must ensure they are up to date on information held by all education establishments the young person attends including the ESC and the Day Support Service. A decision will be required in conjunction with the young person about who else from those establishments should be at the meeting and who will provide update reports only. It is important there is a balance of attendees at the meeting so as not to overwhelm the young person.

The PEP is a shared plan and as such at the PEP meeting the Social Worker should chair the meeting and the Designated Teacher should take the key points and actions unless agreed prior to the meeting that these roles will be reversed.

To enable children to progress with their education, Education should be a priority in the home, this should include foster carers regularly helping with:

• Reading development (Literacy skills): by reading to, or with, or listening to the child read, helping to pronounce new or unfamiliar words, explaining meaning - looking in a dictionary, learning together;
• Number development (Numeracy skills): by supporting and practising multiplication tables, simple number bond, mental arithmetic, playing number games round a meal table;
• Ensuring regular and punctual attendance at school. Avoiding absence from school for any reason other than illness;
• Medical appointments should be organised to be outside of the school day, as should any LAC reviews;
• Family holidays should only be taken during the school holidays. Under the Schools Attendance Legislation any requests to take a child of compulsory school age out of school during term time can only be granted in exceptional circumstances and does not include requests for holidays with an 'educational experience';
• Supporting and encouraging children to engage with extended school work and out of school activities, and to engage in home learning; 
• Liaising with the social worker, school, designated teacher on major decisions related to school work and any social or school issues;
• Attending parents evening at school in consultation with the child’s social worker;
• Reflecting high expectations for education and communicating these to children, to help them build confidence and self-esteem to reach their full potential; 
• Providing necessary uniform and school equipment, the cost of which will be covered by fostering allowances;
• Ensuring the child goes to school with the right equipment needed for that day;
• Providing a suitable quiet space for the child to concentrate and study without distraction or disturbance; 
• Facilitate safe secure access to home computer resources for the child if over the age of eight, and access Foster Carer Internet Safety Training if required. 

An exclusion from school seldom takes place without some warning indicators first being noted. Early intervention can prevent problems escalating. The foster carer, with the help of the social worker should be prepared to advocate on behalf of the child to ensure they are getting the support they require to maintain their place in school.

Where a child is excluded from school for a fixed period, the school will provide work for the child for the first five days of the exclusion. The social worker must liaise with the foster carers about suitable arrangements for supervising the child doing the schoolwork during the day and ensuring the child does not go out during school hours. With effect from the sixth day the school should provide a place for the child to be educated.

The school will communicate the reasons for the exclusion to foster carer and the social worker. Whoever is the most appropriate one to do so will discuss this with the child. The social worker should inform the parents, if appropriate.

The social worker, in consultation with the child and parents, must seek advice as to whether to appeal against the decision to exclude the child.

If the child is in primary school and receives a fixed term exclusion or is in secondary school and is suspended for more than five days, the social worker should ensure a reintegration meeting is held within the five days to discuss his/her return and how best this can be supported.

The foster carer has responsibility for ensuring the child is appropriately monitored and supervised during the first 5 days of exclusion. The child should not be unaccompanied by their formal adult carer in a public place during school hours. At the end of the period of exclusion the foster carer together with the social worker will be requested to attend a meeting at the school. This is the time to establish and agree a Pastoral Support Plan which is aimed at preventing further problems and monitoring behaviour that resulted in the exclusion.

The educational achievement of all Looked After Children is of paramount importance. The Department works robustly to ensure that the educational opportunities available to such vulnerable young people are maximised and that nothing detracts from a Looked After Child making the expected progress compared to their peers.

When a child is permanently excluded but is remaining in the same foster home, the social worker will liaise urgently with the education service to find an alternative school placement. Again, for the first five days of the exclusion the school will provide work and the child must not be out in public during school hours. From the sixth day the Department of Education and Children will arrange for a place for the child to be educated. 

In the case of permanent exclusion a meeting of a committee of governors will be held within fifteen days to review the decision. If the committee decides to uphold the decision to permanently exclude, an appeal can be made within fifteen school days. The appeals form can be completed by the social worker or anyone who has Parental Responsibility for the child.

Knowing how to apply for a job or a college place, and having a good sense of a person’s strengths and weaknesses are all important things for young people to know, but these can be lacking for care leavers. They may not have been taught about employability skills, and may not have had a part-time job while they were in care.  

Their foster carer should support them in the following

• Completing job or college application(s) forms;
• Purchasing smart clothes that they can wear;
• Support the young person in attending the interview;
• Support them in their attendance at work or college.

Young people may also be applying for jobs or courses that have significant additional costs, for example protective clothing, tools or even the ability to drive.

A young person leaving care can apply via the Leaving Care Service for funding to enable them to have driving lessons in addition should any costly items be required for employment purposes a Special Funding request can be completed by their social worker.

As a foster parent, you are a key influencer when it comes to helping the young person make employment and study decisions.

Young people need support if they are to succeed in the workplace and foster parents are probably the person they will turn to.

As a foster carer you can support them to build a long term employment plan, keep motivated and build the resilience to take the knock-backs and learn from the experience.

Foster carers can assist young people by offering advice and support them in the following;

• Understand what type of job they are looking for;
• Are they looking for a part-time job while they are studying or are they seeking a full-time position?
• Are they searching for specific jobs or are they casting a wide net?
• Help the young person understand how everyday traits and behaviours, such as communication and team work skills, can help them succeed in the workforce;
• Understand the local jobs market, taking time to get informed about the current jobs market can help in your discussions with the young person;
• Spread the word. Tell people you know that your child is looking for work. You never know what opportunities are available until you start talking about it;
• Encourage the young person to approach local employers directly. This could mean physically visiting employers or emailing their résumé. Their résumé must be tailored to each employer and job;
• If the young person is struggling to secure paid work due to a lack of workplace experience, consider suggesting unpaid work experience or volunteering to build their confidence and workplace skills. Even a short-term work experience or volunteering placement can be a great way to build skills and experience to strengthen future applications.