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Contents

1. The Personal Education Plan (PEP)
2. When a Child First becomes Looked After
3. When a Child Moves Into a New Local Authority
4. When a Child Joins a New School
5. When a Child has no School Place
6. Celebrating Success
7. Reviewing and Updating PEPS
8. When a Child is Absent from School
9. School Exclusions
10. When a Young Woman becomes Pregnant

1. The Personal Education Plan (PEP)

The Personal Education Plan (PEP) is the central platform for the education of Looked After Children, and is incorporated within or attached to each child’s Care Plan.

All Looked After Children of compulsory school age must have a Personal Education Plan (PEP), whether or not currently in education.

The Personal Education Plan should be initiated as part of the Care Plan before the child becomes Looked After (or within 10 working days in the case of an emergency placement), and be available for the first Looked After Review meeting.

Decisions by participants should aim to achieve small, concrete, observable improvements. These should be significant and realistic and involve positive changes to the current situation. It 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 leisure interests and educational achievement.

Recommendations from the planning meeting should go to the Care Plan Review for approval - changes of school, increased expenditure, etc.

If the pupil is subject to a Statement of Special Education Needs (SEN), any recommendations relating to school and the content of the statement must go via the annual review of the statement (which can be brought forward if necessary).

• Chronology of education and training history which provides a record of the child's educational experience and progress in terms of National Curriculum levels of attainment, including information about educational institutions attended and the reasons for leaving, attendance and conduct record, academic and other achievements, any special educational needs, an indication of the extent to which the child's education has been disrupted before entering care or accommodation;
• Existing arrangements for education and training, including details of any special educational provision and any other provision to meet the child's educational or training needs and promote educational achievement;
• Any planned changes to existing arrangements and provision to minimise disruption;
• The child's leisure interests;
• Role of the appropriate person and any other person who cares for the child in promoting the child's educational achievements and leisure interests.

Avoidance of disruption in education

The Nominated Officer must approve of any change of placement affecting a child in Key Stage 4, except in an emergency/where the placement is terminated because of an immediate risk of serious harm to the child or to protect others from serious injury.

In those circumstances, the Local Authority must make appropriate arrangements to promote the child's educational achievement as soon as reasonably practicable.

• The child's wishes and feelings have been ascertained and given due consideration;
• The wishes and feelings of the parent(s) have been ascertained where the child is accommodated (where possible) and where appropriate where the child is subject to a Care Order);
• The educational provision will promote educational achievement and is consistent with the PEP;
• The Independent Reviewing Officer has been consulted;
• The Designated Teacher at the child's school has been consulted.

Other than in Key Stage 4, where the Local Authority proposes making any change to the child's placement that would have the effect of disrupting the arrangements made for education and training, they must ensure that other arrangements are made for education or training that meet the child's needs and are consistent with the PEP.

The social worker must also ensure that parents are involved in these events as far as is appropriate, and that copies of the child’s school reports are sent to the parents.

2. When a Child First becomes Looked After

Notification

Before or as soon as a child becomes Looked After, the child’s social worker must notify the school the child attends. The notification will be initially by telephone and must then be confirmed in writing.

The social worker should also notify the Principal Education Welfare Officer. If the child is known to have a statement of special educational need or to be under assessment the Head of SEN and Additional Needs must also be informed.

If the child is placed outside RBKC, the authority into which the child is placed must also be notified.

The First Personal Education Plan - non-residential schools

The first Personal Education Plan(PEP)should be in place within the first 10 school days of a child coming in to care.

A meeting must take place as soon as possible with the school, the carer and the social worker; and should involve the child as far as is appropriate and possible.

Where the child has no school place, the Head of the Virtual School should be alerted.

The meeting should usually be chaired by the social worker as the PEP forms part of the Care Plan.

Its purpose is to draw up the first PEP.

The first PEP should:

• Identify the child’s immediate needs (e.g. to maintain the current school place, make transport arrangements, find a new school, obtain short-term interim education)
• Establish contact between carer, school or other education staff and social worker - the basis of a working partnership
• Establish boundaries of confidentiality
• Agree how and when the next (full) PEP is going to be drawn up.

The First Personal Education Plan - residential schools & educational placements

The first Personal Education Plan (PEP)should be in place within the first 20 school days of a child coming in to care.

A meeting must take place as soon as possible with the education and residential staff and should involve the child as far as is appropriate and possible.

The first PEP should:

• Identify the child’s immediate needs (e.g. literacy and numeracy, behaviour management, assessment of ability and knowledge)
• Establish contact between education staff and social worker - the basis of a working partnership
• Agree how and when the next (full) PEP is going to be drawn up.

Second and subsequent PEPs:

Second and subsequent PEPs should correspond with the Looked After Review cycle and PEP decisions and recommendations must be available to chairs at reviews.

Provision of education for pupils with Statement of Special Education Needs (SEN) can be changed only by amending the statement at an annual review.

3. When a Child Moves Into a New Local Authority

If a child is placed out of the borough but continues to attend the same school as before becoming Looked After, the Procedure outlined in Section 2, When a Child First becomes Looked After.

If the child is to be placed out of the borough and will need a new school, efforts to obtain a school place should (unless it is an emergency placement) begin well before s/he moves to a new placement.

Whenever possible a child should not be moved to a new placement until s/he also has a school place.

Looked After Children are often entitled to preferential treatment when applying for a school place – see Education of Looked After Children Guidance.

Where the child does not have a school place – see Section 5, When a Child has no School Place.

Pupils With Statements of Special Educational Needs

The Statement of Special Education Needs (SEN) Department of the Local Education Authority where the child lives (unless in residential accommodation) is responsible for the placement and provision for a pupil who has a statement of special needs.

Applications to schools are made by the LEA maintaining the statement. If the LEA agrees to adopt a statement then it will need to be amended. This needs to be planned for as early as possible as it can cause long delays.

4. When a Child Joins a New School

Choosing and applying to a school place is primarily the social workers responsibility but may be delegated to or shared with others (e.g. the carer, a local education authority officer).

Notification

At least one member of staff in the school - the Designated Teacher for Looked After Children or the Head Teacher - must be informed that the child is a Looked After Child. Other members of staff should be identified at the Personal Education Plan (PEP) meeting, taking into account the child’s wishes concerning confidentiality.

Pupils With Statements of Special Educational Needs

A pupil who has a Statement of Special Education Needs (SEN) applies to schools through the special needs section of the LEA maintaining the statement, not directly. Similarly, a change of schools at any other time needs the agreement of the LEA to approach the school and for the statement to be amended. This needs to be planned for as early as possible as it can cause long delays.

The social worker should ensure that he/she is aware of the current position of the statement and whether any additional support is provided and by whom.

The First PEP in a New School

The meeting should usually be chaired by the social worker.

A new or updated Personal Education Plan (PEP) should be in place within the first 20 school days of a child joining a new school.

Subsequent PEPs should correspond with the statutory review cycle. PEP decisions and recommendations must be available to Reviewing Officers at statutory reviews.

The first PEP in a new school should:

• Identify the child’s immediate needs (e.g. English as an Additional Language, literacy support, behaviour management)
• Establish contact between carer, school staff and social worker - the basis of a working partnership
• Agree who contacts whom about what
• Establish boundaries of confidentiality
• Share important information - perhaps including the Placement Information Record
• Ensure records are forwarded from previous school and/or carer
• Agree how and when the next full PEP is going to be drawn up (this needs to take account of the statutory review cycle because the PEP has to be ready before or at the Review; but also term dates, parents evenings, school target setting days, Individual Education Plan (IEP) Reviews, annual reviews of Statement of Special Education Needs (SEN)

5. When a Child has no School Place

Finding a school place is primarily the social workers responsibility but may be delegated to or shared with others (e.g. the carer, a local education authority officer).

Looked After Children in need of a mainstream school place are usually entitled to preferential treatment for admissions.

PEPs

Children without a school place should still have an up-to-date Personal Education Plan (PEP). It should address immediate educational needs and longer-term planning.

Children Placed Within the RBKC

Where the child does not have a school place because one cannot be found, or because a mainstream school is not appropriate to their needs, the child’s social worker should notify RBKC’s Principal Education Welfare Officer and alert the Head of the Virtual School. The local authority should identify a school place within 20 working days at the latest; and should be asked to provide alternative education if a school place cannot be found immediately or is not appropriate.

Children Placed Outside RBKC

Where the child does not have a school place because one cannot be found, or has been placed at very short notice, the child’s social worker should notify the education authority in the area where the child is placed and request that a school be identified for the child as soon as possible. That local authority should identify a school place within 20 working days at the latest; and should be asked to provide alternative education if a school place cannot be found immediately or is not appropriate.

Pupils With Statements of Special Educational Needs

A pupil who has a statement of special needs applies to schools through the special needs section of the LEA maintaining the statement, not directly. It requires the agreement of that LEA to approach the school and for the statement to be amended. This needs to be planned for as early as possible as it can cause long delays.

6. Celebrating Success

Please read in conjunction with: Promoting the Educational Achievement of Looked After Children Procedure.

Children’s educational (and other) achievements should be acknowledged at one or more of the following times: at Care Plan Reviews; at school-based meetings; after school reports; after exams; as and when achievements need to be recognised.

7. Reviewing and Updating PEPs

Second and subsequent Personal Education Plans (PEP) should correspond with the Looked After Review cycle and PEP decisions and recommendations must be available to Reviewing Officers at reviews.

PEP Decisions

The participants should agree what action they will each undertake to achieve the improvements in the child’s education that they have identified through the consultation/preparation process.

PEP Recommendations

Proposals that would lead to significant changes in arrangements (e.g. a change of school, a request for a statutory assessment of Statement of Special Education Needs (SEN)) and/or to increases in Family Services expenditure (private tuition, a jointly-funded placement) should be made in the form of recommendations to the Looked After Review.

8. When a Child is Absent from School

The carer must notify the school and the social worker immediately if the child does not attend school for any reason.

In any case where the child has been absent from school for more than 10 days, the social worker should liaise with the school, the child, carers and others to address:

• the reasons for the absence
• how to ensure the child returns to education as soon as possible
• whether and how the child can be helped to catch up on what s/he has missed.

Where necessary Missing Children Procedure, should be followed.

9. School Exclusions

NB Where a looked after child is excluded from school, the child's social worker must inform the child's Independent Reviewing Officer.

Where a child is excluded from school for a fixed period, the school will provide work for the child. The social worker must liaise with the carer about suitable arrangements for supervising the child’s doing the schoolwork during the day.

The reasons for the exclusion will be communicated by the school to the 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.

The Social Worker must seek advice as to whether to appeal - a permanent exclusion should always be appealed unless there are clear reasons not to.

When a child is permanently excluded but is remaining in the same foster or residential placement, the social worker will liaise urgently with the LEA in which the child is living to find an alternative school placement.

10. When a Young Woman becomes Pregnant

Becoming pregnant is not in itself a reason to stop attending school, nor to cease education.

Where a young woman becomes pregnant, the social worker must ensure that the young woman remains in education if at all possible and arrange for her to receive support from LEA in which she lives and/or the LEA of the school she attends.

End