03/11/03 - Working together to improve looked after children's education services

Cumbria's successful approach to inclusive education for young people ‘looked after’ by the Councilhas been recognised nationally.  Eileen Gentry, Cumbria County Council’s Senior Educational Psychologist for Looked After Children’s Education Service (LACES), was recently invited to exhibit the County’s work at the 15thConference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in Edinburgh where key partners share good practice to help improve the services for children and families.  The work being presented is a joint project between Social Services and Education service working with young people in care.   

Education Ministers from 52 Commonwealth Countries attended the conference including the Commonwealth Secretary, General Don McKinnon and Jack McConnell, the First Minister of Scotland.  

The conference, 'Closing the Gap: Access, Inclusion and Achievement’, brought together representatives from the education and social services sectors to focus on the need to ensure all children and young people have access to high quality education; that their education is fully inclusive and that it enables them to maximise their achievements as individuals.

County Councillor John Mallinson, Cabinet Spokesperson for Care & Social Services is delighted that Eileen was asked to contribute to such an important event.  He says,

"It is great news that Cumbria's work in this area has been recognised and that other areas now want to learn from Cumbria's ideas.  The invitation is a very positive endorsement of the work being done within the County to support the education of children in public care ensuring that we close the achievement gap.  Support for the integration of these services has the potential to improve outcomes for children and families in Cumbria which is a priority for this Council.  

Work is already underway to identify potential barriers to integration along with possible solutions.  Some of the barriers already identified include communication and I.T. issues, current Government targets that are different for each service, legal and confidentiality issues.  There is already a strong case for joint working between Education and Social Services and we need to build on existing best practice to ensure service improvement for children and families in the County.”   

Eileen Gentry says   

“The Action4education project shown at the conference builds on work of the Children’s Rights Officer, Lindy Ketchen, alongside young people in care, who learn job skills as they work as consultants with other young people, and officers within both departments.   We are particularly proud of the young people participating in this project, who have developed confidence and presentation skills, as well as a wider understanding of issues affecting education.  The conference gives them an opportunity for the work in Cumbria to be recognised internationally, and gives them a chance to understand some of the obstacles faced by children in other nations.”