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Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... aimed to receive up to 225 responses to the web survey and we contacted 352 participants in order to achieve this. Completed responses were less than we had hoped and the survey had response rates which ranged from 40 per cent for foster and residential carers to 17 per cent for social workers (Table 1.1). Clearly, we need to be cautious in our use of survey data as numbers are not as large as we would have wished and we do not know how respondents and non-respondents compare. ...
Context 2
... was one exception in Authority G, where exclusions accounted for 2 per cent of the relevant looked after population in 2006. Table 2.1 -Permanent exclusions 1 as a percentage of children looked after for at least 12 months, 12 months ending 30 September 2005-2008, England and pilot local authorities 2 2005 2006 2007 2008 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. 1 Where a child was permanently excluded more than once in the previous school year, each occasion has been counted. 2 Missing data: in all tables in this report '-' refers to a cell containing 5 or fewer cases or a percentage based on 5 or less. ...
Context 3
... the figures for attendance have seen an increase and then fall in the four-year period. Percentage of children looked after for at least 12 months who have missed at least 25 days of school, 12 months ending 30 September 2005-2008, England and pilot 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. 3 Missing data: in all charts, where no bar is shown this denotes a percentage of less than 5 or shows that fewer than 5 looked after children were recorded in the category. ...
Context 4
... B and Authority I figures for 2008 (74 per cent of children achieving Level 2) appear outstanding and show a definite increase on the previous years' results, but as only 20 children were eligible to take the test in each area, these figures may be the result of the usual variation in capabilities of individual children year on year. Table 2.2 -Number of children looked after for more than one year achieving Level 2 or above at Key Stage 1 as a percentage of all looked after children who are the correct age to sit the test: reading, 12 months ending 30 September 2005-2008 2005 2006 2007 Tables 2.2-2.9 and 2.11 N = total number of looked after children who are at the correct age to take the test.) ...
Context 5
... this measurement was not published in many areas because of the small numbers of looked after children involved. Table 2.3 -Number of children looked after for more than one year achieving Level 2 or above at Key Stage 1 as a percentage of all looked after children who are the correct age to sit the test: writing, 12 months ending 30 September 2005-2008 2005 2006 2007 In KS2 science, looked after children's national performance has improved each year in the four-year period ( ...
Context 6
... would hope that this report might help to achieve these aims. Number of children looked after for more than one year achieving Level 4 or above at Key Stage 2 as a percentage of all looked after children who are the correct age to sit the test: science, 12 months ending 30 September 2005- Number of children looked after for more than one year achieving Level 5 or above at Key Stage 3 as a percentage of all looked after children who are the correct age to sit the test: mathematics, 12 months ending 30 September 2005-2008 2005 2006 2007 Number of children looked after for more than 1 year achieving Level 5 or above at Key Stage 3 as a percentage of all looked after children who are the correct age to sit the test: science, 12 months ending 30 September 2005-2008 2005 2006 2007 ...
Context 7
... would hope that this report might help to achieve these aims. Number of children looked after for more than one year achieving Level 4 or above at Key Stage 2 as a percentage of all looked after children who are the correct age to sit the test: science, 12 months ending 30 September 2005- Number of children looked after for more than one year achieving Level 5 or above at Key Stage 3 as a percentage of all looked after children who are the correct age to sit the test: mathematics, 12 months ending 30 September 2005-2008 2005 2006 2007 Number of children looked after for more than 1 year achieving Level 5 or above at Key Stage 3 as a percentage of all looked after children who are the correct age to sit the test: science, 12 months ending 30 September 2005-2008 2005 2006 2007 ...
Context 8
... would hope that this report might help to achieve these aims. Number of children looked after for more than one year achieving Level 4 or above at Key Stage 2 as a percentage of all looked after children who are the correct age to sit the test: science, 12 months ending 30 September 2005- Number of children looked after for more than one year achieving Level 5 or above at Key Stage 3 as a percentage of all looked after children who are the correct age to sit the test: mathematics, 12 months ending 30 September 2005-2008 2005 2006 2007 Number of children looked after for more than 1 year achieving Level 5 or above at Key Stage 3 as a percentage of all looked after children who are the correct age to sit the test: science, 12 months ending 30 September 2005-2008 2005 2006 2007 ...
Similar publications
Citations
... A pilot of a virtual school model in England concluded that the role was beneficial in raising the profile and priority of looked after children's education, and may have contributed to improvements in attainment (Berridge et al., 2009). Subsequently, a report from OFSTED, England's inspection and regulation body for education, on the impact of virtual schools in nine local authorities, found that there was 'evidence of improving educational outcomes for looked after children in all local authorities visited' (OFSTED, 2012a, p. 6). ...
... As well as collaborative working between education and social work, a number of authors indicated the importance of developing networks across a broader range of potentially disparate groups, and contributing towards a shared language and vision, as features of the VSH role (e.g. Berridge et al., 2009;Rivers, 2018). Whatever the structure, the paramountcy of relationships resonates throughout the literature. ...
... The quality of relationships between VSHs and traditional head teachers is important in helping schools to offer more effective support (Sebba & Berridge, 2019). Virtual school heads create and improve relationships directly with learners (Berridge et al., 2009;Jackson, 2015), and with carers, schools and the local authority, as well as wide range of internal and external agencies (OFSTED, 2012a;Rivers, 2018), and at all levels of the system (Drew & Banerjee, 2019). Again, this parallels our findings from the VSHTs in Scotland, who described developing relationships with, and offering support to, teachers and other school staff, families (including foster families), and the staff of residential children's houses, as well as children and young people themselves; and in making connections with local community organisations to meet the needs of the children and young people. ...
The ‘virtual school’ is an approach to supporting care‐experienced children and young people in education. The Virtual School Head (VSH) has been a statutory role within the education landscape in England since 2014. In Scotland, where the education, social care and legal systems are distinct from those in England, there has been a recent increase in the number of local authorities utilising this concept. This research aimed to explore the role and remit of Virtual School Head Teachers (VSHTs) in Scotland, and to identify similarities and differences with those of VSHs in England, to uncover learning about the emergence of this concept and role in a new context. We conducted semi‐structured interviews with relevant post‐holders in Scotland, using key concepts from the published literature on virtual schools in England, and analysed these qualitatively to identify themes. We discuss some of the similarities and differences we identified, noting that while the purpose of the role, and the means by which it functions, were largely common to both countries, there were also nuanced differences. Key similarities included the importance of positioning within the local authority, and the development of relationships with social work. Differences were largely underpinned by the educational and legal contexts in which the post‐holders operated, and included control of budgets and specificity of remit. This research contributes to our understanding of the role of the VSHT in Scotland, and identifies some emerging features as the virtual school concept is translated to a new context.
... The conceptualization of outcomes is inherently political, because it shapes policy decisions about funding and priorities for welfare systems and professional services. This is clearly a crucial function -for example, awareness of educational disadvantage for young people in care in England led to the creation of specific policies designed to support them in school or into university (see Berridge, Henry, Jackson, & Turney, 2009;Jackson & Cameron, 2014). Consequently, failure to recognize the complex subjectivities of 'doing well' may result in lack of policy attention to supporting, for example, ordinary and 'mundane' aspects of quotidian lives or important relationships with friends or family. ...
This paper addresses the conceptualization of ‘outcomes’ for care experienced people through an in-depth longitudinal study of 75 young adults in Denmark, England and Norway. ‘Outcome’ studies have played a crucial role in raising awareness of the risk of disadvantage that care experienced people face, across a variety of domains including education and employment. These studies may have an unintended consequence, however, if care experienced people are predominantly viewed, and studied, through a problem-focused lens. The danger is that policy and research neglects other – perhaps less readily measurable – aspects of experience, including subjective understandings – what matters to care experienced people themselves. Our analyses are based on an in-depth qualitative longitudinal study, which explored meanings of ‘doing well’ over time among care experienced people (aged 16-32), all of whom were ‘successful’ in relation to traditional indicators of participation in education and/or employment (including voluntary work). Across countries, their accounts revealed the importance of attending to subjective and dynamic understandings of ‘doing well’, and the significance of ordinary, mundane and ‘do-able’ lives. Participants’ narratives highlight aspects of doing well that raise challenging questions about how traditional outcome indicators – and corresponding policy priorities – might better capture what young people themselves see as important. A narrow interpretation of outcomes may lead to misrecognition of what it means to do well, and so to a stigmatizing ‘way of seeing’ care experienced lives. A broader conceptualization of outcomes is necessary to recognize – and so to develop policy and services to support – the complex, dynamic relationality of doing well.
... terms of better understanding an individual's particular experience of opportunities and support, and their educational pathway.Recently, there has been an increased focus on seeking to understand and support the education of children and youth in care, particularly in Britain and the USA. This added emphasis and the resultant emergence of a number of policies and interventions, for example, the Virtual School Head programmes in England(Berridge, Henry, Jackson, & Turney, 2009) may have increased awareness and expectations regarding the education of children and young people in care among social workers, carers, and teachers. This increased awareness may have played a role in shaping the educational experiences of more recent cohorts of children and young people in care, for example, in light of evidence suggesting the potential impact that the timing of placement changes and school changes may have on educational outcomes(Jackson & Cameron, 2012;Pecora et al., 2006;Pecora, 2012).If we consider Ben's experience, he spent the majority of his time in foster care placements -a product, perhaps, of his time given that the focus has been on promoting foster care in Ireland over the past number of decades. ...
The central role of education in relation to promoting positive outcomes in adulthood is well-established in existing literature (Hammond & Feinstein, 2006; Nicaise, 2012). However, a growing body of evidence points to poor educational outcomes among young people leaving out-of-home care in the initial years after leaving care, that is, between ages 18 and 24 (Courtney & Dworsky, 2006; Gypen, Vanderfaeillie, De Maeyer, Belenger, & Van Holen, 2017; Jackson & Cameron, 2012). Less is known however, about the educational outcomes and pathways of ‘older’ care-experienced adults (that is, those over age 24) and the ways in which these pathways have been shaped and influenced over time. Research in this area, and that of young people leaving care in general (Stein, 2006b), has also failed to take account of wider theoretical perspectives when seeking to understand and unravel the complexities at play when it comes to the poor educational outcomes of care leavers (Berridge, 2007).
Emerging research (Duncalf, 2010; Harrison, 2017) indicates that if educational attainment and progress are measured later than is typically the case (that is extending beyond age 24) rates of pursuit of further and higher education among care- experienced adults may increase suggesting that the ‘later’ pursuit of education warrants further investigation. Furthermore, O’Higgins, Sebba, and Luke (2015: 13) have noted that the poor educational outcomes of individuals with care experience may result from “a complex combination of individual characteristics and pre-care and potentially in-care experiences, such as placement instability”. Together with the possible impact of events and experiences in the years after leaving care and beyond, these observations point to a need for further, in-depth exploration of the nuances of the educational pathways of ‘older’ care-experienced adults and those factors that have shaped and influenced them over time.
This study sought to pioneer a new line of inquiry in this area exploring the educational pathways that ‘older’ care-experienced adults have taken over the course of their lives. In addition, this study drew on the life course perspective (Elder, 1994; 1998) as both guiding research paradigm and theoretical framework to explore if, and how, this perspective could provide new insights into how the educational pathways of care- experienced adults have been shaped and influenced over time. To that end, the central research questions guiding this study were: 1) What are the educational pathways that care-experienced adults have taken over the course of their lives, and expect to take in future? 2) How can the life course perspective enhance understanding of the ways that educational pathways are shaped and influenced over time?
Data were collected via 18 educational life history interviews (Moore, 2006) with care- experienced adults (aged 24-36) in Ireland. It was hoped that hearing from this ‘older’ sample of care-experienced adults would: 1) Provide an opportunity to gain insight into the educational pathways of this group; and 2) Illuminate our understanding of those factors that shaped and influenced these educational pathways over time by drawing on two key principles of the life course perspective – ‘linked lives’ and ‘human agency’.
This PhD study incorporates four separate peer-reviewed journal articles and accompanying introduction, background, methodology, and discussion and conclusion chapters. The first peer-reviewed journal article (Chapter Three) outlines the relevance and value of the life course perspective to studying this issue. The second peer-reviewed journal article (Chapter Five) outlines the four educational pathway ‘types’ taken by study participants. The third and fourth peer-reviewed journal articles explore how the life course principles of ‘linked lives’ (Chapter Six) and ‘human agency’ (Chapter Seven) can illuminate our understanding of the ways the educational pathways of adults with care experience are shaped and influenced over time.
Findings of this study suggest that: 1) Diversity in the educational pathways of people with care experience should be expected; 2) Connections with key actors play a central role in influencing these educational pathways and are visible across the life course; 3) Human agency, as conceptualised from a life course perspective, is pivotal to shaping these educational pathways; this is done over time and in the context of various external and structural influences which both constrain and support individual agency; 4) The life course perspective provides unique insights on the educational pathways of adults with care experience; and 5) The life course principles of linked lives and agency are valuable conceptual tools for examining issues related to education and care and developing existing knowledge regarding how educational pathways are shaped and influenced over time.
... They concluded that the evidence base was limited and of poor quality. Liabo, Gray, and Mulcahy's (2012) systematic review of educational interventions for children in care identified four UK evaluations (Berridge, Henry, Jackson, & Turney, 2009;Connelly et al., 2008;Finn, 2008;Harker, Dobel-Ober, Berridge, & Sinclair, 2004) that reported significant findings. Mannay et al.'s (2015) review similarly concluded that the evidence base was too limited and of poor quality. ...
... There has been almost no research specifically on the VSH and their impact on the outcomes of children in care. Berridge et al. (2009) evaluated the pilot VSH scheme which ran between 2007 and 2009 in 11 LAs and noted that VSHs were senior educationalists, some part-time in post, mainly located in education services with variable sized teams. They found that the more senior and experienced VSHs were able to exert more pressure on school headteachers about admissions and exclusions. ...
... There was considerable variation in the ways in which Virtual Schools are structured and work, as noted in Berridge et al. (2009), but as one VSH noted, little sharing of these practices: 'We sort of come together at various meetings, and there's an assumption that somehow, we're all operating in the same way, and we're not'. The size of the Virtual Schools varied from 3 to 13 full-time equivalent staff. ...
In England, ‘Virtual Schools’ oversee and support the educational progress of children in care. This paper reports on the analysis of 16 interviews with Virtual School headteachers that were part of two mixed methods research projects on the educational progress of children in care. These interviews explored their role; the types of support they offer young people in care; what they see as the key factors about a young person’s individual characteristics and care experiences that influence their educational outcomes; how schools support young people in care; and the influence of the foster carer/residential staff on the educational outcomes of these children. The interviews were analysed using NVivo and emerging themes were identified informed by the literature on the education of children in care. The paper draws out the main findings which explore the status and role of Virtual Schools in England, their functions, strategies, and what they see as their contribution to improving the educational outcomes of children in care.
... Specialist direct work with CLA may be provided by the VS, as funding such specialist input within every single school would not be cost effective. Such centrally provided direct work may take many forms; examples include a phone line to support homework and one-to-one tutoring, both of which were found to be effective in the pilot of virtual schools (Berridge 2009). One-to-one mentoring has also been used prior to the establishment of virtual schools by some local authorities (Holland et al. 2005), with successful outcomes for older adolescents preparing to transition out of care (Osterling and Hines 2006), but whether it is employed by VSHs or used to support transitions between schools has not been researched. ...
The Children and Families Act (2014) placed a statutory responsibility on local authorities in the UK to establish a virtual school headteacher with the role of championing the education of all children looked-after within that authority. The current research was designed to illuminate how virtual schools are currently supporting educational outcomes for children looked-after, not only through educational interventions, but also through supporting broader psychological factors that might impact on attainment such as attachment, relationships and mental health. Virtual school headteachers from 29 local authorities completed an online survey about the services they provided to three target groups—children looked-after, foster carers and schools—with a particular focus on the transition years from primary to secondary school, which have been identified as being a difficult time for children looked-after. Using inductive thematic analysis, four overarching themes to service provision were identified: enhanced learning opportunities, specific transition support, well-being and relationships, and raising awareness. Direct work, interprofessional working and the development of supportive environments, particularly guided by attachment theory, were identified as important areas of practice. Practice is discussed in relation to resilience and ecological systems theory and suggestions for future research are identified.
... Recently, there has been an increased focus on seeking to understand and support the education of children and youth in care, particularly in Britain and the USA. This added emphasis and the resultant emergence of a number of policies and interventions, for example, the Virtual School Head programmes in England (Berridge, Henry, Jackson, & Turney, 2009) may have increased awareness and expectations regarding the education of children and young people in care among social workers, carers, and teachers. This increased awareness may have played a role in shaping the educational experiences of more recent cohorts of children and young people in care, for example, in light of evidence suggesting the potential impact that the timing of placement changes and school changes may have on educational outcomes (Jackson & Cameron, 2012;Pecora, 2012;Pecora et al., 2006). ...
The educational progress, experiences and attainment of children in out-of-home care and care leavers continue to be an issue of concern internationally. A growing body of research from countries such as the UK, USA, and Sweden indicates that care leavers tend to have lower levels of educational attainment than their majority population peers. Recent evidence suggests that low educational attainment of individuals with care experience may be the result of a "complex combination" of various individual characteristics as well as pre- and in-care experiences (O'Higgins et al., 2015: 13).
White and Wu (2014) have highlighted the value of applying a life course perspective to child welfare research noting the potential of this approach given its emphasis on social context, individual development, and the effect of change over time. This paper embraces their case by advocating for use of the life course perspective as a guiding research paradigm when investigating the educational experiences of adult care leavers. Applying a life course perspective to research in this area has the capacity to add new dimensions to our understanding of the issue. This is due to the long-term perspective that this approach takes as well as its capacity to consider the interaction of individual and social factors and change over time.
The paper begins with an outline of the key themes and concepts of the life course perspective followed by an overview of existing literature related to the educational experiences and attainment of children in care and care leavers. There follows a discussion of how using this perspective as a guiding research paradigm, with its accompanying themes and concepts, may facilitate a deeper understanding of the educational progress and experiences of adult care leavers. Throughout this discussion we will draw on a composite worked-case example from an ongoing PhD study of the educational experiences of adult care leavers in Ireland to highlight the value of applying a life course perspective to this issue.
Article available free until 13th April here: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1Wc9h_4La8TaXF
... From 2007/9, 11 local authorities in England piloted VSH, and an evaluation was commissioned by the DCSF. Preliminary findings suggested a relationship between the VSH model and educational outcomes for LACYP, with pilot areas performing well in terms of official educational outcome statistics (compared to the national average) and many showing improvements in GCSE results [47]. As a key part of the VSH role was to develop successful relationships with local school headteachers, VSH who had previously held school headships, or were placed at a senior level within the education section of children's services, were found to operate more effectively. ...
... Generally, personal tutoring has been empirically validated for students considered at risk of school failure or those with an identified learning disability [51], and evidence from a range of educational approaches suggests that tutoring is a popular initiative among LACYP themselves [47]. Catch Up is a structured tutoring programme that is delivered by trained foster carers and teaching assistants and has been piloted with two samples in the UK. ...
In order to further inform the delivery of service provision to support looked after children and young people (LACYP) in Blackburn with Darwen (BwD), Liverpool John Moores University, were commissioned to undertake research to identify gaps and make recommendations for improving the health and wellbeing of LACYP in BwD.
A comprehensive research framework was implemented to inform the development and delivery of services for LACYP in BwD. The key focus for the research aims were to: describe the epidemiology of health outcomes for LACYP in BwD, identify gaps in current service provision, and assess the quality of service experienced by LACYP. A mixed-methods approach was used to enable the triangulation of a range of qualitative and
quantitative evidence.
... The recommendation that a "Virtual School Head" (VSH) should be appointed for each local authority: a senior member of staff who would oversee the education of every looked-after child from their area, liaising with the schools they attended. This followed a positive evaluation of the work of the VSH by Berridge, Henry, Jackson and Turney (2009). ...
Researchers and governments in the UK and elsewhere have raised concern about the low average levels of educational attainment reached by children in public care. This study explores the causes and nature of looked-after children’s difficulties in mathematics, and suggests potential improvements for policy and practice in the future.
I undertook case studies, across a period of a year, of five looked-after children aged 7 to 11 with varied ‘care backgrounds’ who were identified as having difficulties in mathematics, and used clinical interviews to explore their understanding and skills in counting, place value, addition and subtraction. Interviews with the children, their class teachers, teaching assistants and other adults in school provided data about each child’s experience of mathematics in school, and I interviewed each child’s main foster carer to explore the mathematics the child did at home, and to examine the links between home and school.
My study identified several barriers to each child’s progress, including a lack of recognition of the effects of previous trauma, loss and neglect, on the child’s ability to engage in educational activity. School systems of organising mathematics teaching sometimes separated the child from classmates and teachers; poor assessment, poor teaching, and the child’s own avoidance techniques meant they were not able to engage successfully in mathematics lessons. There was little evidence of positive links between home and school to help the child make progress, but some unacknowledged good practice within the home environment that could be shared.
Similarly, some teachers were making a positive difference to the child in their care, but would have benefited from additional support and professional development. Productive approaches found during the study included using the clinical interview for detailed assessment; using oral and practical work in context to increase understanding of arithmetic; and a focus on metacognition using visually stimulated recall, to show the child that they could be successful.
... The VSH pilots were most effective where the VSH had sufficient seniority to influence practice and the use of resources across the local authority area. 62 The VSH model was gradually adopted by other authorities. A subsequent review by Ofsted found evidence of the strong contribution of the VSH in improving educational outcomes for looked after children. ...
This paper focuses on the policy changes needed to improve educational outcomes for children and young people growing up in care in NSW. It reviews promising policy approaches being used in other Australian states and territories and overseas.
... The Toolkit identifies the three key areas of responsibility of a virtual school head as ensuring there is "a system to track and monitor the attainment and progress of looked after children"; ensuring that "all looked after children have a robust and effective personal education plan and access one-to-one support, including personal tuition where appropriate"; and championing "the educational needs of looked after children across the authority and those placed out-ofauthority" (DCSF, 2010b, p. 4). Some virtual schools support children to 16, but others include older young people (Berridge et al., 2009). An evaluation of the virtual school model in 11 pilot authorities concluded that virtual schools were successful in prioritising the education of looked after children (Berridge et al., 2009). ...
... Some virtual schools support children to 16, but others include older young people (Berridge et al., 2009). An evaluation of the virtual school model in 11 pilot authorities concluded that virtual schools were successful in prioritising the education of looked after children (Berridge et al., 2009). ...
Purpose
There has been little research on the education of looked after children over the current school leaving age of 16, although the underperformance of this cohort at Key Stage 4 (age 14‐16) has been the subject of considerable academic commentary. This paper aims to contribute to understanding of the ways in which looked after young people nearing the end of compulsory education can be supported and encouraged to continue in education and training.
Design/methodology/approach
Interviews were undertaken with 12 designated teachers for looked after children and four virtual school heads, as part of the first stage of a three‐year longitudinal study following 20 looked after children in England from years 11‐13 (ages 15‐18).
Findings
Participants identified particular challenges in ensuring a successful educational transition for looked after young people in year 11 and expressed concern at the cumulative effect of multiple transitions at this stage on young people's lives. There appears, however, to be an increasing focus on and commitment to giving young people a “second chance” to acquire qualifications commensurate with their potential post‐16. The comparative advantages and disadvantages of school and further education colleges for this cohort at Key Stage 5 are considered.
Practical implications
The implications of the forthcoming extension of the school leaving age for professionals supporting looked after young people post‐16 are discussed.
Originality/value
The designated teacher for looked after children became a statutory role in 2009, and to date there has been little research on the role of these professionals, or the work of virtual schools.
