Educational outcomes and experiences: What factors drive differences in educational outcomes for children experiencing the ‘care system’ across caring environments (e.g. foster care, kinship care, at home, and residential care, including secure care) and how do outcomes compare for children in informal kinship care arrangements (including those subject to Section 11 orders)?
Background
The Independent Care Review made clear that education is central to ensuring care experienced children feel loved, safe and able to reach their potential, highlighting that many barriers to learning stem from wider experiences of trauma, instability and stigma rather than education alone. Education Outcomes for ‘Looked After’ Children reporting[4] highlights persistent gaps in outcomes between pupils experiencing the ‘care system’ and their peers in terms of attainment, attendance, exclusions and destinations upon leaving school. A better understanding is needed on underlying drivers for these persistent gaps.
Next steps
Get in touch with [email protected]
Related UKRI funded projects
-
Understanding the Impacts of Time in Care on Educational Attainment of Young Adults Aged 16-18 in England
In many countries, the educational attainment of looked after children is far below that of the general child population. However, how being in care influences children's educational attainment is not clear. In this proj...
Funded by: ESRC
Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
Why might this be relevant?
This project specifically focuses on understanding the impacts of time in care on educational attainment, which directly addresses the question about factors driving differences in educational outcomes for children in the care system.
-
The shaping of mental health and the mechanisms leading to (un)successful transitions for care-experienced young people
One in 30 UK children are taken into care before their 18th birthday and placed with foster carers, in residential care, or are adopted. Children who are removed from their families are a very vulnerable group. Many have...
Funded by: SPF
Lead research organisation: University of Sussex
Why might this be relevant?
This project delves into the mental health and transitions of care-experienced young people, which is a crucial aspect of understanding educational outcomes and experiences in the care system.
-
Care pathways and outcomes: The teenage years
Across the UK, when children enter care, they live in a range of different placements, such as foster care, kinship care (with relatives or friends), adoption or with their birth parents. However, adoptive placements are...
Funded by: ESRC
Lead research organisation: University of Ulster
Why might this be relevant?
While this project focuses on care pathways and outcomes during the teenage years, it does not directly address educational outcomes. However, it provides valuable insights into the overall well-being of care-experienced young people, which is relevant to the broader context of the question.