Tim Jordan Deputy Headteacher t.jordan@hemelschool 01442 390100

1. Tim JordanDeputy Headteacher t.jordan@hemelschool.com01442 390100 Joanne Honey Education Support Officer Adoption UK Joanne.honey@adoptionuk.org.uk Mobile: 07384 814699 Effective Communication With Schools

2. Research - The Fostering Network (August 2015; 2019) • Foster carers not regarded as professionals/equal partners by many educational and social work professionals • Foster carers feel they often had personal/historical information about a child which could be useful to a school but barriers put up to sharing of this information by school and / or social workers • Only 30% said that school, social worker and carer worked well together – in the worst cases, the carer reported being ignored in favour of the social worker • Only 59% of respondents had had an input into PEPs, with some not even invited to the meetings!

3. Research - The Fostering Network (August 2015; 2019) • Those who were invited to meetings often didn’t have a say in how pupil premium plus money should be spent to benefit their child. • issues concerning parity and equity of support and access to resources and opportunities • CLA respondents valued people who demanded they get to school, encouraged them to learn, achieve & do better, helped with homework, drove them to after-school clubs, ensured they had opportunites to meet friends, had access to pens, books, computers & were able to attend school trips/activities. They spoke of being lucky to receive attention and care that might be taken for granted by other children and families in society.

4. Research - Adoption UK (2013) • 2/3 of respondents (adoptive parents) were ‘happy or very happy’ with the support received from education professionals while ¼ found the support ‘very unhelpful’ • 55% of respondents found education professionals an ‘important’ source of support (#4) • Research by Adoption UK in 2012 found a strong indication that professionals need better training in early childhood development, how trauma can affect this development and about the effects of abuse and neglect

5. Research - Adoption UK (2013) • 79 per cent of adopted children who responded feel routinely ‘confused and worried at school’; • Almost 70 percent of adoptive parents who responded feel their child’s progress in learning is affected by problems with their emotional wellbeing in school; • Almost three quarters of young respondents agreed: “Other children seem to enjoy school more than me”; • Two thirds of secondary age children who responded said they felt bullied at school for being adopted; • Three quarters of young respondents said they did not feel their teachers understand how to support them.

6. Common Experiences “I was quite pushy and I know that not all foster carers are as assertive and confident as me” “She’s been with you since she was very young so she should be fine now.” “ They are not far enough behind” “He is fine at school – he just needs structure”. “He is working at expected levels” “May I have a word?”

7. Differences Between CLA & PCLA

8. Selecting/Transition • Attachment aware & understand trauma • Who am I? • Meet Headteacher, SENCO and DT • Experience with CLA/PCLA • Flexibility e.g. homework, behaviour policy • Seek out others experiences • Insist on as much as info as possible from previous carers/SW’s • Know who the CLA/PCLA Governor is • Detailed transition plan • Social stories

9. Meetings • Ensure there is an agenda • Notes – summarise after and circulate • Be clear on challenges and offer strategies • Keep records • Take support • Emotions • Insist on being included in the termly PEP meetings for CLA • Ask to see Section 5 of the PEP so that you can see how the money is being spent on your child (CLA) (PCLA) Ask how PP+ being spent – expect to be involved and also that the spend is evaluated for effectiveness – report which should be avail.

10. General • Share reports – Who? How much? • Overview document • Key contact • Avoid classroom door discussions • Email/phone • Provide resources • Flag concerns early • Flag possible curriculum hotspots • IEP/PEP – be involved • Hi-light developmental age • SEMH

11. General • Contact the school to share how the weekend/holidays/contact have been/how the day has gone • Contact the school with info which may help remove barriers to getting to school, encourage them to learn, achieve & do better, homework, after-school clubs, school trips and activities and friendships. • School stays at school • Don’t undermine the school • Don’t align with the school • You are their safe base Educate yourself…..

12. Communication from Schools to Carers Do schools do the following?: • Afford the same status to PCLA as CLA • Monitor and scrutinise children looked after and previously looked after children • Have a governor for PCLA and CLA • Train staff to understand and respond to whole school trauma / attachment-aware / acute childhood experiences • Prioritise emotional and mental health • Include content on foster care, adoption and kinship care in personal and social education programmes?

13. Communication from Schools to Carers Do schools do the following: • Contact you with examples of bad and good behaviour • Contact you after weekends/holidays/contacts etc. • Helpful, personalised info about how to get child to school • Helpful, personalised information about how to encourage your child to learn, achieve and do better • Helpful, personalised info about how to help them with homework • Helpful, personalised info about after-school clubs • Provide pens, books, computers where needed • Routinely include your child in, and pay for, school trips and activities where relevant?

14. Final Thoughts… • Need: • Foster carers and adoptive parents have better knowledge of children they care for / have adopted than anyone else • Foster carers and adoptive parents are first educators of their children • Foster carers and adoptive parents are ambitious for their children and can raise their aspirations and must work with others to help achieve their potential. • ANY QUESTIONS?

15. References • It takes a village to raise a child: Adoption UK survey on adoption support, Adoption UK, 2012 • Listen Up – Speak Out! A Survey of Adoptive Parents in Northern Ireland, Adoption UK, 2013 • What is needed to enable looked after children to achieve in education? A Report of a consultation to identify what foster carers in Wales say they need to enable the young people in their care to progress with their education. The Fostering Network, August 2015 • Understanding the educational experiences and opinions, attainment, achievement and aspirations of looked after children in Wales, Mannay, Staples, Hallett, Roberts, Rees, Evans and Andrews, November 2015 • Bridging the Gap: Giving adopted children an equal chance in school, Adoption UK, June 2018 • State of the Nation’s Foster Care, The Fostering Network, February 2019

16. Further info…. https://www.adoptionuk.org/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=fcdce72a-a619-4505-8eea-49a5f6bfbf48 https://www.adoptionuk.org/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=4009b42a-287c-4592-8523-45c575ee8380 https://www.adoptionuk.org/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=6f749fd5-48d5-47ce-a282-9d497541a9fe https://www.adoptionuk.org/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=e2ff27f0-6747-4882-b084-9fb03a5fac2d https://www.adoptionuk.org/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=da4533b6-75e1-4a16-9aa0-0158735d08e1 https://www.pac-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Meeting-the-needs-of-adopted-and-permanently-placed-children-A-guide-for-school-staff.pdf

17. Further info…. https://www.pac-uk.org/our-services/education/education-resources/ https://www.adoptionuk.org/Pages/Category/education-resources https://www.naotp.com/ https://educationandadoption.wordpress.com/ https://beaconhouse.org.uk/ http://www.notfineinschool.org.uk/ https://www.adoptionuk.org/blog/priority-school-admissions-faqs https://www.adoptionuk.org/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=c2d0ad9f-cb4b-4a01-8c0d-cb2f7814fbdd “What About Me? Inclusive Strategies to Support Pupils With Attachment Difficulties Make It Through The School Day” Louise Bomber