This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Special schoolbooks fund for kids in care
22/10/2001
A new fund to provide books, equipment and homework materials for every looked after child in Scotland was established today.
More than 11,000 children in care will receive between £500 and £2,500 worth of education materials, Education Minister Jack McConnell said.
The sum of up to £10 million will address a funding anomaly which currently prevents some of the country's most vulnerable children from benefiting from extra equipment funds.
Making the announcement on a visit to St Philip's School, Airdrie, Mr McConnell said:
"Every child in Scotland must be given the opportunity to reach his or her full potential - to do that we must ensure that we work to close attainment gaps.
"They must have access to the most effective learning resources. For some time now, children across Scotland have been able to benefit from extra money for books and equipment.
"However existing distribution arrangements have meant that funds have not been targeted on the young people who need it most - our looked after children. In particular, those who are educated outwith local authority schools have lost out.
"Children in care attending residential schools or living in children's homes need to have the education we expect for everyone. Homework facilities and up-to-date books and equipment are needed for these children even more than the majority. This is a one-off investment and it will make a difference for those who need it most.
"I have seen first hand the variations in the quality and choice of resources available to children in care and I am determined to end this funding anomaly."
The £10m fund is available for 2001-2002. It will be paid to and through local authorities. Each council will shortly receive a letter setting out how much money is available to them, based on the numbers of Looked After children in their area. Distribution will be based on £500 per child looked after in a family home and £2,500 for looked after children in local authority or independent homes, or in residential or secure accommodation. Where children are looked after or educated in non-local authority establishments, the grant conditions require the Council to pass on funding.
The Executive believes the resources available can be used to boost educational attainment in a number of ways. For example, up-to-date textbooks might be needed in one area, or language laboratory equipment in another. Or the money could provide computers for residential homes so that children can complete their homework more effectively.
'Learning with Care', published in March this year by HMIE and Inspectors of Social Work found that looked after children are at a particular educational disadvantage. In comparison with their peers looked after children tend to be behind in their attainments, leave school with fewer qualifications and be more at risk of being excluded from school. The following month Mr McConnell wrote to all local authorities to ask what action they were taking to address these issues.
Children are defined as being looked after by local authorities when they are:
- provided with accommodation under section 25 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 [broadly lost or abandoned children, those for whom no-one has parental responsibility, or where carers are unable to provide suitable accommodation or care], or
- subject to a supervision requirement from a children's hearing, or
- subject to an order, authorisation or warrant according to which they have responsibilities under chapter 2, 3 or 4 of Part II of the Act. This may include a child protection order, a child assessment order, an authorisation from a justice of the peace to a place of safety, removal to a place of safety by a police constable, warrants to keep a child in a place of safety made by a children's hearing or sheriff and a parental responsibilities order which gives the local authority responsibilities towards the child.
The most recent figures show that there are 11,309 looked after children in Scotland, with 1,585 in residential accommodation and 9,724 looked after at home or in the community.
St Philip's is an independent residential centre for the care and education of secondary school age boys who are looked after children. It is one of the schools run by the Catholic CORA Foundation. There are 36 places in three separate units. Each unit has a manager and team of social cares workers. Educational facilities are shared with 24 pupils who attend the St Francis Day Unit on the same site.