Schools Responsibilities for Promoting the Education of Children in Care

Since September 2009, the governing bodies of all schools are required under the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 to appoint a designated teacher to promote the educational achievement of children in care who are on the school roll.  Following the Children and Social Work Act 2017, this act extends the designated teacher’s duties to promote the educational achievement of previously looked after children too.  The designated teacher’s responsibilities include:

• Promote a culture of high expectations and aspirations for children in care and previously looked after children where the personalised learning needs of every child matters and their personal, emotional and academic needs are prioritised
• Ensure school staff understand the things which can affect how children in care and previously looked after children learn and achieve and how the whole school can support their educational achievement
• To be a central point of initial contact within the school
• Have lead responsibility for the development and implementation of the children in care personal education plans (PEP) within the school
• Ensure that the Pupil Premium Plus funding is deployed effectively
• Ensure that children in care and previously looked after children have a voice in setting learning targets
• Monitor the progress of children in care and previously looked after children within the school
• Act as an advocate within the school for children in care and previously looked after children