Educational support for looked after children

Wolverhampton Looked After Children Education (LACE)

The Looked After Children Education (LACE) team promotes the education of children and young people in public care.

This includes school age children/young people who are subject to a care order (full or interim) as well as those who are accommodated.

LACE also works together with other agencies (e.g. social services, schools, connexions, health services, etc.) to improve the social, emotional and behavioural development of looked after children.

LACE team

The LACE team consists of a:

Senior educational psychologist (team leader)
Assistant educational psychologist
Teacher / advisor
Social inclusion pupil support workers
Administrative assistant

It is responsible to the head of social inclusion within the access and inclusion division of lifelong learning. The activity of the LACE team in promoting the education of looked after children is coordinated with that of social services and other agencies through the multiagency looked after children Education Steering Group which meets each month.

Roles and responsibilities

The roles and responsibilities of the LACE team are to:

Provide reports on what children/young people might need to help them succeed
Provide advice and support to school staff, social workers and carers regarding strategies and approaches for meeting individual pupil's educational needs
Engage in therapeutic work (counselling and mentoring) with looked after children
Provide training to social workers, foster carers, designated teachers for looked after children and others involved in the education of looked after children
Advocate on behalf of looked after children on issues such as admissions and exclusions as well as continuity of an educational placement
Monitor and support the children's Personal Education Plan (PEP)
Monitor the attendance record of looked after children and make a quick response to patterns of regular non attendance
Run out of school hours projects.