2. The LOL Team...
• 26 young people
aged 16-25
• Experience of being
fostered or as
a son/daughter
in a fostering family
• Based in London
and North East
The Main Team
Manager
Judy Walsh
Project participation workers
Erina Naluwaga
Sara Dawson
Sarah Godden
Ali Hossain
Project administrator
Jane Sayner
Cheryl
– MA in Historical studies
Welcome
to REVO 06!
“…For a number of reasons young people leaving care have
significantly poorer outcomes than their peers in relation to
education, training and development. There is evidence that
many care leavers enter and stay in low-skilled work and are
dependent on benefits.” (June 2009, from care2work, NCAS)
Care-experienced young people have been named and described
as many things, with people usually associating a young person being
in care as an automatic negative. However, no matter one’s experience
of the care system, it ultimately lies in the individual’s hands to make
a success of themselves and not to let their past determine their future.
Education (in any form) is a gateway to success. Even if – for whatever reason –
university is not an option, it is important to educate yourself about all that you
can, the best you can.
Did you know only 20 per cent of young people in care go on to any form
of higher education? Let’s make a change and raise the statistics, and gain
control of our own futures!
This issue will look at education and some of the reasons why young people
in care may have difficulties at school/college and university.
Enjoy!
Erina – REVO Editor
Front cover photo by Natalie.
My past does not
dictate my future
3. We had a DJ skills workshop and
an extreme sports day in the North
East, as well as a dance and graffiti
workshop in London. There’s still lots
more to come this summer!
Following the success of Train the
Trainers in Middlesbrough in June,
we’ve decided to run the course in
London (Stage 1 Tuesday 3 August,
Stage 2 Tuesday 24 August).
It is a fantastic (and totally free!)
opportunity for young people to get
some really useful training, not to
mention a great chance to meet other
young, care-experienced people.
Our photography workshops are going
brilliantly; the LOL team together
with young people from London and
the North East are working towards
exhibiting some of their impressive
work at City Hall, London, following
on from an exhibition at the IFCO
conference in Brighton in July.
If you haven’t been to a photography
workshop yet it’s not too late to get
involved! Next workshops: 10 August
(North East) and 25 August (London).
In the North East there will be a family
fun day on Wednesday 11 August with
a healthy care theme, and a showcase
event on Sunday 29 August featuring
the work that the young people from
the creative board have been involved
with over the last six months including
films, dance and photography.
For general information on any of
these events please contact
jane.sayner@fostering.net
Jane
Team News
Leading Our Lives has been involved in some
really exciting stuff recently.
SONS AND
DAUGHTERS’ WEEK
The Fostering Network’s annual campaign to recognise and celebrate the role
of sons and daughters of foster carers is happening again this October.
We are encouraging fostering services to run events and activities in October,
so speak to your fostering service and find out what they’re doing to celebrate
what sons and daughters do as part of a fostering family.
4. 03/09/10Your local authority should:
• Keep your personal PEP (personal
education plan) up to date and
involve you in writing it up.
• Make sure your school takes your
SEN (special educational needs)
statement into consideration.
• For some people, provide transport
between home and school – this is
something worth enquiring about.
• Do everything in their power to keep
you at the same school – even if you
move home, especially when you
are in years 10 or 11.
• Provide education out of school
if you are excluded or ill.
REVO 06 EDUCATION
come and see us on
the big stage
In 2003 the Government’s social exclusion unit put forward
five reasons for the low achievement of fostered children
and young people:
1. Instability of their placement.
2. Spending too much time out of school.
3. Lack of support to catch up on work.
4. Carers who are not providing sufficient support
for learning and development.
5. Not getting extra help with emotional, mental
or physical health issues.
Friday 3 September 2010
In the last few months Leading Our Lives
has been working very hard putting
together a live theatre production.
The show will be a drama piece
looking at fostering and how it
impacts on the lives of all young
people involved. There will be dance,
live singing and poetry; we will also
be exhibiting work that has been
done in the photography workshops
and our award winning MTV film.
The show will be held at Stratford
Circus Theatre (London) between
7.30pm and 9.00pm. For more information and to
book a seat please call Jane on
020 7620 6448 or alternatively email
erina.naluwaga@fostering.net
5. Education is the passport to the future,
for tomorrow belongs to those who
prepare for it today Malcolm X
Strive for what you believe in, set goals
and you will achieve them Jay Z
There has been a huge improvement
in the past 10 years.
There has been more of an emphasis
on making sure young people in care’s
educational needs are prioritised,
with more of a statutory framework
put in place. Local authorities have
also taken steps, such as taking on
virtual school heads.
What is a virtual school head?
A virtual school head works across
schools and authorities making sure
young people’s needs are being met
and that they are given a fair chance
to realise their full potential. They
work more along the strategy and
policy side of things. However, I feel it
is important that you don’t lose touch
with the young people so I make it
my goal to get to know, if not meet,
as many young people as possible.
What do you feel are the main
issues/barriers?
Despite improvements such as each
school having a designated teacher,
some schools still don’t recognise the
needs of young people in care and
lack general awareness. I feel that
young people in care do not receive
adequate support with regards to their
mental health and emotional needs.
What improvements could be made?
There needs to be more useful
resources for young people in care,
and the people around them need to
recognise the significance of being in
care and how that can have a knock-
on effect on other, if not all, areas
of their life. The impact of growing
up in care may be underestimated.
Matthew
Virtual school head
The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000
The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 introduced significant opportunities
for local authorities to support the educational achievements of young
people leaving public care, and there is evidence that the legislation has
at least in part achieved its objectives.
It is evident that many more care leavers are progressing to university,
though the extent of this is not fully known as the nationally published
statistics measure a snapshot around young people’s 19th birthdays
(and some care leavers go on to university at a later age).
In the London Borough of Richmond, numbers of care leavers have steadily
risen from one young person in 2001 to 28 this academic year – this represents
about 35 per cent of care leavers in the borough aged 18 and over.
What I think has made the difference in terms of service delivery:
• All young people at university have a
personal adviser who keeps regular
contact and supports them in their
practical and emotional needs.
• Nominations for council flats are
usually delayed so that young people
can live with other students when
at university.
• Young people have sufficient
financial support so that they
do not have to work to afford
basic necessities.
• Young people at school receive
dedicated support from our onsite
education team so that GCSE and
A level results are maximised.
• Additional academic support is
available for young people who
need it and contact with tutors
is maintained with the agreement
of young people.
Trevor
Leaving care team manager
6. Being in foster care has its ups and downs.
Ups – it helped me become the
strong and independent person
I am today.
Downs – it made receiving an
education very difficult.
I was moved into independent living
half way through my second year
of A levels. This had quite a negative
effect on my studies as I didn’t do
as well as I hoped. For the best part
of the year I had to sort out my flat
(decorate, sort out finances, find a GP,
sort out travel to college and much
more). For more than two months my
daily routine was: go to college from
my foster carer’s home, go to my part-
time job after college, after work go
to my flat to clean and decorate then
back to my foster carer’s.
It felt good moving into my flat. I had
done everything by myself and I was
proud. However disappointment came
crushing down very quickly when I
didn’t make the grades I was predicted.
I received two Bs and a C, which isn’t
too bad, right? Wrong! I needed two
As and a B at least to get my bursary.
I am a positive person so I thought
“Ok, I’ll just get a student loan. Surely
it won’t be that difficult?” Wrong
again! I missed out on my place at
university because my social worker
was too disorganised.
She had lost the forms she needed
to sign and failed to tell me this until
I called to ask when it would be
a good day for me to pick the forms
up and hand deliver them to the
university. I had one week left so
I thought that if I picked up new forms
she would be able to sign them on the
day and then I would be able to hand
them in. It didn’t happen. My social
worker went on annual leave.
I gave up on going to university and
worked for a year. I became quite
depressed for a while as receiving
a higher education had always been
a priority. Not being able to go
because of social services negligence
made me angry but it also made me
more determined. I managed to get
a place at the Open University and did
my degree and master’s on a part-
time basis while working full time.
I would urge local authorities to be
more supportive of young people in
care. Statistically they don’t do as well
in education as other young people
because of the difficulties they face
on a daily basis. Most of the time young
people try very hard to do well and
it is the lack of support and guidance
that fails them. Please don’t let it
happen again and again and again!
Natasha
Care leaver
For Real…?
My name is Natalie, I am almost 23 years of
age and would consider myself an experienced
support carer of fostered children.
My parents have a fostered child who
has been with us for nearly five years.
At present, he is in his first year
of secondary school which is about
an hour’s journey away from home.
There was a lot of concern with the
family about the efforts made to
place him in a school closer to home,
in light of his behaviour record.
As a child in care the difficulties with
his early childhood were very much
known, and so I was saddened to see
my mother worry about his safety and
progress in ‘big school’.
The diligence and care both my parents
have shown towards the young person
and the educational facilities have
proven to be an asset for him.
He has faced numerous challenges
at this current school, but with the
seriousness of his position at school
reiterated to him by us, and the
effort he has put into improving his
behaviour, he has managed to prove
to the social workers and teachers
alike that he is worth the trouble!
Natalie
Daughter of foster carer
He who opens a school door,
closes a prison Victor Hugo
7. THE Frank buttle trust
The Frank Buttle Trust’s Quality Mark for
Higher Education was launched in 2006.
It was developed to help address the issues that students from a care
background might have to deal with when they go to university, such as
limited – if any – financial support, nowhere to stay during the holidays,
and no family support to fall back on.
Universities and higher education colleges awarded the Quality Mark have
proved that they are providing an excellent service for care leavers who
are studying with them. Currently there are over 60 institutions across the
UK that have been awarded the Quality Mark. The Frank Buttle Trust and
partners are currently working on developing a similar quality mark for further
education colleges.
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deserunt mollit anim id est laborum
YP ?
After break, the young person
is back in class and learning but...
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Young person (YP)
and young person in care (IC)
YP IC
*#!
The teacher sees and sends them
to the headmaster.
They are bored and decide
to throw paper planes...
YP
IC
The young person in care’s foster
carer is called and sent home!
HOME#!
IC
DETENTION
I must not throw planes in class
I must not throw planes in class
I must not throw planes in class
I must not throw planes in class
I must not throw planes in class
YP
The young person
receives detention
during break time.
Both are called into the ofiice...
HEAD
YP
...the young person in care
is at home and missing out
on their education!
IC
THE
CON-
SEQUENCE
IC
This cartoon is an illustration of a young
person in care being singled out. The idea
was developed by a group of young people
at a creative board meeting in the North East.
8. Choose
GCSEs
School
and Revision
GCSE Exams
Jobs Apprenticeships College
JobsUniversity
Higher
Education
Chosen Trade
(Skilled or Unskilled)
Higher Position
in your Job Role
Creating Foundation
for your Career
Assessment of
Learned Trade
Graduate
Scheme
Masters
Degree
Jobs
Career/Jobs
STEPPING STONES!
• In September 1999 the Government established 11 objectives for children’s
social services in England. One of these is ‘to ensure that looked-
after children gain the maximum life chance benefits from educational
opportunities, health care and social care’.
• Free music lessons are available under the Charges for Music Tuition
(England) Regulations 2007: no charge may be made in respect of a pupil
who is looked-after by a local authority (within the meaning of section 22(1)
of the Children Act 1989. Find more info at:
www.teachernet.gov.uk/publications
• Every young person in care should have a Personal Education Plan
(PEP), which should help you set a plan of action and targets you would
like to achieve.
• Every school has to have a designated teacher who deals with all matters
concerning young people in care in that particular school. Get to know this
person – done properly they can be invaluable.
• Some schools now offer an alternative to GCSEs. These are called diplomas
and are available for those aged 14-19. The courses are slightly more practical
than GCSEs, and include construction, engineering, hair and beauty,
and sport and leisure. Ask your school/college about this:
www.connexions-direct.com/whichwaynow
• Young people in care and full-time education are now entitled to a minimum
of £2,000 to support them during university.
SAY WHAT?
9. Education Jargon buster READER’S LETTER
Congratulations boys we are
very proud of you both
SEN – Special Educational Needs.
Statement – shorthand for a child or
young person who has a statement
of special needs. The statement is a
collection of reports by different people
which summarises the educational
needs of the child or young person
and outlines the particular help or
support they require. Over a quarter
of fostered children and young people
need additional support to make the
most of education.
Designated teachers – a named
person in each school who is
the first port of call for anything
concerning looked-after children
or young people.
SENCO – a Special Educational
Needs Co-Ordinator; a teacher in
the school responsible for monitoring
all the pupils who need additional
support and for making sure that the
arrangements for this work.
Educational psychologist – is involved
if a pupil has learning difficulties to
make the assessments as to the kind
of help they need (this would be one
of the reports for the statement).
EWO – Education Welfare Officer;
becomes involved if a child or young
person has poor school attendance.
PEP – personal education plan. Each
fostered child or young person has a
personal plan that covers all aspects
of their education, which forms part
of their care plan. It must be drawn
up within 20 days of the child or young
person entering or changing school.
VHT – a Virtual Head Teacher/Virtual
School Head; a head teacher who is
not in charge of an actual physical
school but for the needs of looked-
after children in a local authority.
Compulsory schooling – the ages
between which you have to go
to school.
Curriculum – the subjects you are
taught at school and how you are
taught them.
KS1/ KS2/KS3 – Key Stages 1, 2
and 3; the curriculum is divided
into formal stages and children and
young people have tests at the end
of each stage, ages 7, 11 and 14.
Dear Revo
We are fostering two unaccompanied 15-year-old asylum seekers.
They are both keen on karate and we have recently been to watch
one of them reach his first grading to become a red/white belt. Though the
other was not quite ready for his grading, he has made great progress the
last couple of weeks and we expect to watch him do his grades next month.
We feel this is worth a mention in your magazine as when they arrived
in November 2009 they had absolutely no English at all.
They started karate in January for only one hour a week after being in the
country for just a couple of months. All the moves in karate have Japanese
names so not only are they trying to understand the instructions in English
but they were also having to learn the Japanese names for the moves.
So congratulations boys, you have really done well and we are both
very proud of you.
Pat
Foster carer
Reference and resources
Education – Anne Collis, published by The Fostering Network 2008 (part of the Pathways series).
Teachers in the Know – The Who Cares? Trust, an interactive DVD for teachers about the care system.
Choice Matters – The Who Cares? Trust Interactive DVD.
10. Design: verystudio.co.uk
WORDSEARCH
See how quickly you can find these 10
alternative courses (diplomas)...
SuDOKU
Make your own sudoku puzzles at:
SudokuMaker blogspot.com
K Y S W Y S F D J G X A F Z T
T P G V Z T E I N L E V A R T
R D L T U S I I N Q N A T U C
O Q T S I L T L Z A E L I B F
G X W G J U O W A J N D S E C
N T N A P H G C O T Z C G A W
I J R M C A C Z Z Y I P E U T
R X O B U S I N E S S P Z T R
E C I Y P Q K O U H U J S Y P
E L V U X G T N N X G P Q O W
N T N O I T C U R T S N O C H
I I F Z F W R Y Z Y T G I C V
G G S I O W U O L L W Y S S E
N Y C O Z U A Q P B T Y A F Y
E Q A A C M U A J S I T U M B
4 8 9 3
5 8 9 6 7
2 3 1 4 7 9 8
2 7 8 9 4 5
1 2 3 8 7
9 8 7 6 3 4
6 7 2 3 9
8 9 7
1 2
BEAUTY, BUSINESS, COMPUTING, CONSTRUCTION,
DESIGN, ENGINEERING, FINANCE, HOSPITALITY,
SPORT, TRAVEL
These qualifications are available to young people
aged 14-16 – ask your school/college for
more information as courses can vary.
7 6 4 2 8 9 5 1 3
5 8 9 6 3 1 4 2 7
2 3 1 4 7 5 9 6 8
3 2 7 8 9 4 6 5 1
1 4 6 5 2 3 8 7 9
9 5 8 7 1 6 3 4 2
6 7 2 3 5 8 1 9 4
8 1 5 9 4 2 7 3 6
4 9 3 1 6 7 2 8 5 answers
11. e revo@fostering.net
t 020 7620 6412
w fostering.net/leadingourlives
p Revo Newsletter
87 Blackfriars Road
London, SE1 8HA
THE BIG QUESTION / results
Should sons and daughters of foster carers, along
with care-experienced young people, be independent
members of fostering panels?
90 per cent of those who responded said YES.
Au revoir
This is the last edition of REVO, as the Leading Our Lives
project finishes in September. A big THANK YOU to all
who contributed.
We’d like to know what you think of the magazine.
Contact: www.fostering.net/leadingourlives to share your
views and have the chance to win one of 10 £15.00 High
Street vouchers.
CONTACT...
