Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Baroness Walmsley (Liberal Democrat). It was answered on Tuesday, 26 June 2007.

Children: Care Matters

Question: My Lords, does the Minister agree that one of the main educational success indicators is parental engagement with the school? Does he also agree that many children in foster care have special needs? In view of those two factors, what will the Government do to give additional training and support to foster parents, so that they can understand their children’s special needs and work with and support the school in addressing those needs so that the child can make the required progress?

Answer: My Lords, the noble Baroness is absolutely right: the proportion of children with special needs is higher in care than in other settings. That is why we are introducing, as part of the package announced last week, parenting support for foster carers. There will be a substantial programme of support, with accredited national standards and increased access to specialist training and support, including a special needs element. It is also why we are so anxious to improve the stability of placements in school, so that children have the care and attention that they need. That particularly helps children with special needs, so that the assessment of, and provision for, their needs does not have to change every time they change school. There is a new power, as your Lordships will know from our debates on the Education and Inspections Act last year, for local authorities to direct admissions to schools in respect of children in care. Children in care are now the first oversubscription criterion for all maintained schools. We intend to introduce in forthcoming legislation new support to ensure that children in care who are in years 10 or 11 of school—that is, of course, the run-up to GCSE—can be moved from that school only in the most exceptional circumstances. Those measures will particularly help children in care with special needs.

Secondary information