Contact: Rachel Hughes, 01962 845232. [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

1.11 To agree this policy and action plan on improving educational outcomes for children looked after ; the action plan to incorporate several minor textural /word changes on the advice of the Children's Services Policy Review Committee .

1.12 To circulate the report, policy and updated action plan to appropriate Governors' and Schools' Forums .

1.13 To ask officers to continue to monitor the effectiveness of resources allocated to the education of children looked after.

1.14 To request at least six monthly updates on progress against the key data set until scrutiny procedures for monitoring the outcomes for children looked after are established.

1.15 To support work on the establishment of scrutiny procedures based on the LGA and Audit Commission toolkit.

2 Reason

2.1 This policy and action plan supports:

_ Aim one of the Corporate Strategy: Maximising life opportunities

_ Aim three of the Corporate Strategy: Achieving economic prosperity

_ Aim four of the Corporate Strategy: Building strong and safe communities

_ Aim five of the Corporate Strategy: Improving services

_ Aim six of the Corporate Strategy: Developing councillors and staff, by providing awareness raising seminars and the role of the `Corporate Parent' and duty under the section 52 of the Children Act.

2.2 This decision supports all five outcomes of the Children Act by ensuring that children who are looked after are supported to achieve educationally. Improved educational outcomes will lead to improved life chances and needs to be considered as a core part of the care we provide as corporate parents.

3 Other Options considered and rejected:

None.

4 Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision maker or other Executive Member consulted

None.

5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee

N/A

6 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent

N/A

Approved by: Date:

Councillor F Hindson

Executive Member for Children's Services