Chamber
Plenary, 26 Feb 2003
26 Feb 2003 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Looked-after Children (Education)
As sure as eggs are eggs, the minister will recall that members on the Conservative benches have supported the Executive's efforts where we have thought them to be justifiable. Today is one of those occasions.
If anything, the difficulty with the debate is that it is a tad premature—no doubt because we are moving towards an election and we are running out of time. I admit to feeling a tad uncomfortable about defending the Executive's position. Perhaps that is because of my aching feet or because the SNP amendment is so off-beam. The truth is that there is not enough evidence available for any of us in the chamber, including the Executive, to be able to measure how successful the £10 million has been.
The report, "Learning with Care", produced by Her Majesty's inspectors of schools and the social work services inspectorate, laid the foundation for progress—there is no doubt about that. However, the investment of funds still has to show the direct effect of improving attainment. One might expect it to make a difference, and we are all hopeful that it will.
The key has been the decision to start measuring the attainment of looked-after children as a group. We await the next results so that we might compare them with the horrific revelation that 60 per cent of looked-after children do not achieve any qualifications, and then try to reduce the percentage to 40 per cent or 50 per cent. That is what we are all working for. When the new figures are available, we will be able to decide whether the £10 million has worked and whether any of the other changes have been delivered. Subsequently, I hope that we will be able to move on to further recommendations.
I draw some points from the "Learning with Care" report, about assessment in particular. Paragraph 1.8 states:
"It was unusual for any form of assessment to have been carried out on the 50 sample children at the time they became looked after. It was even more unusual to find an assessment which addressed educational needs."
Although care plans have been a statutory requirement since 1997, they were in place for only a minority of children in two of the authorities that were inspected. Where there were care plans, they did not usually address educational needs and goals in any detail. Schools were not normally supplied with a copy of the care plan.
If anything, the difficulty with the debate is that it is a tad premature—no doubt because we are moving towards an election and we are running out of time. I admit to feeling a tad uncomfortable about defending the Executive's position. Perhaps that is because of my aching feet or because the SNP amendment is so off-beam. The truth is that there is not enough evidence available for any of us in the chamber, including the Executive, to be able to measure how successful the £10 million has been.
The report, "Learning with Care", produced by Her Majesty's inspectors of schools and the social work services inspectorate, laid the foundation for progress—there is no doubt about that. However, the investment of funds still has to show the direct effect of improving attainment. One might expect it to make a difference, and we are all hopeful that it will.
The key has been the decision to start measuring the attainment of looked-after children as a group. We await the next results so that we might compare them with the horrific revelation that 60 per cent of looked-after children do not achieve any qualifications, and then try to reduce the percentage to 40 per cent or 50 per cent. That is what we are all working for. When the new figures are available, we will be able to decide whether the £10 million has worked and whether any of the other changes have been delivered. Subsequently, I hope that we will be able to move on to further recommendations.
I draw some points from the "Learning with Care" report, about assessment in particular. Paragraph 1.8 states:
"It was unusual for any form of assessment to have been carried out on the 50 sample children at the time they became looked after. It was even more unusual to find an assessment which addressed educational needs."
Although care plans have been a statutory requirement since 1997, they were in place for only a minority of children in two of the authorities that were inspected. Where there were care plans, they did not usually address educational needs and goals in any detail. Schools were not normally supplied with a copy of the care plan.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
NPA
The next item of business is the debate on motion S1M-3943, in the name of Cathy Jamieson, on the educational attainment of looked-after children.
The Minister for Education and Young People (Cathy Jamieson):
Lab
In January last year, I made a statement to the Parliament on the education of our looked-after children in Scotland. I am pleased to have the opportunity to...
Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
I am interested to hear the news that the minister conveys to the chamber. She said that she would leave copies of the information that has been gathered fro...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
The information should be available. Several local authorities provided updated information at the last minute, which will be available from SPICe as the day...
Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab):
Lab
Does the minister agree that Ballikinrain School in my constituency is not only a model school but one in which an integrated approach to outreach work helps...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
I visited Ballikinrain School and was impressed by how the school adapts its work to the continuing agenda for change. The school is particularly interested ...
Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con):
Con
On what we can do to help children, I am interested in the progress and the achievements that are being made in certain areas, but does the minister agree th...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
I agree with Lyndsay McIntosh on that point. I will talk about that important area in a couple of minutes.It is important to recognise that, as a result of p...
Mrs McIntosh:
Con
I am familiar with the concept.
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
We should also recognise that young people in the care system might need extra support. Study support groups in schools, for example, are a welcome resource ...
Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
As the minister reminded the chamber, it was more than a year ago that she made a statement to Parliament announcing plans and setting out the minimal requir...
Mr Monteith:
Con
Will the member tell me how those statistics compare with the previous statistics?
Irene McGugan:
SNP
To the best of my knowledge, they have not improved.Most 16 and 17-year-old care leavers have experience of truancy and exclusion. Less than 1 per cent of th...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
I remind the chamber of the comments I made in my statement: this is the first time that we have collected such statistics.
Irene McGugan:
SNP
But one year later, are they satisfactory? We must focus on the problem. We heard almost the same thing a year ago—we discussed the same issues and the same ...
Dr Jackson:
Lab
Will the member give way?
Irene McGugan:
SNP
I would like to move on a little bit.The minister made it fairly clear in her contribution that she places at least some responsibility for the situation on ...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
Surely even Irene McGugan accepts that the £10 million was an additional resource for looked-after children.
Irene McGugan:
SNP
The £10 million was specifically about providing materials and resources to help with homework; it was not specifically about helping children to receive ful...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
Does the member accept that, as I outlined in my speech, the issue is not simply for social work departments? Looked-after children are the responsibility of...
Irene McGugan:
SNP
Absolutely. I have no difficulty with that. However, it remains the case that social workers are generally the lead workers in any group of workers who suppo...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
Does the member accept that foster carers were among the people who received additional support through the looked-after children money? Does she also accept...
Irene McGugan:
SNP
I am pleased to know that the minister will continue to meet foster carers, but I know some foster carers who were insulted to receive, as their share of the...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
Will the member give way?
Irene McGugan:
SNP
I am in my final seconds. We recognise that if social workers and teachers work together, they will deliver a better outcome for children. There is an implic...
Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
As sure as eggs are eggs, the minister will recall that members on the Conservative benches have supported the Executive's efforts where we have thought them...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
There is a danger that consensus might break out between Brian Monteith and me, which is unusual. Does he accept that, despite the fact that we want to work ...
Mr Monteith:
Con
The minister can safely predict that, if strong action is required to be taken with local authorities, she will have the backing of the Conservatives, and my...
Cathy Jamieson:
Lab
I am happy to reassure Mr Monteith on that issue. The draft proposals on additional support for learning will ensure that a greater number of young people ar...
Mr Monteith:
Con
That response is interesting. There is a worthwhile debate to be had on that topic, but I hope that it will not be rushed and that we will have adequate time...