Scandal of council’s performance on Supporting the Education of Looked after Children:
During a debate at the County Council meeting on 25 July, Liberal Democrat Councillors condemned the Council’s performance on supporting the education of young people being looked after by the Council.
The Council’s Corporate Plan aimed to increase the percentage of West Sussex Looked After Children gaining at least one GCSE from 60% to 68%. The target was not reached.
Lib Dem group leader, Morwen Millson, said, “The Council has been concerned about the educational achievement of this group of children for almost eight years and yet has still not achieved just 68% of all Looked After Children attaining just one GCSE. As Corporate Parents we continue to fail our most vulnerable young people.
Deputy Leader Dr James Walsh said : ” The Council is failing disgracefully to support this most vulnerable group of children. Their life-chances are being taken away from them, as they will be virtually unemployable without even single a low-grade GCSE to show from their education. Many are truanting, and little action is taken. We must not let this go on, and urgent action is needed now”
I also spoke on this matter and said, “As a corporate parent visitor to one of the Council’s Children’s Homes, it is clear to me that there needs to be much greater co-ordination between those responsible for the care of each child and school staff if the educational achievement by our looked after children is to be improved.”
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