Supporting Looked After Learners – A Practical Guide for School Governors

Looked-after children deserve the same life chances as any other child - ie to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution to society and achieve economic well-being. That is why local authorities have a duty under section 52 of the Children Act 2004 to promote the educational achievement of the children in their care.

However they will only be able to achieve this with the active cooperation of schools. The DfES has therefore published this guidance document to help school governing bodies ensure that their schools' policies and practices are fully inclusive of the needs of looked-after children.

The guidance is in sections, each dealing with a phase or area in a child's life where being looked after may require the school's governing body to consider what action it may need to take. Each section sets out the key problems and challenges that looked-after children, schools and the governing body may face. It offers practical advice, a set of key questions and a number of case studies that will help governing bodies and their schools to develop and implement policies and procedures that will be inclusive of looked-after children and ensure that they will fulfil their potential.