Educational achievement and subsequent life chances for Children Looked After (CLA), Care Leavers, Kinship Care and young people who are carers are a real concern. Students who have experience of care may face barriers to educational achievement, including disruption to education, changes of placement, previous adverse experiences, attachment and relationship difficulties, financial pressures, mental health and wellbeing needs, and uncertainty about future plans and often require additional support and attention in order to improve their situation.
The Sixth Form Bolton is committed to ensuring that students who are looked after, previously looked after or care experienced receive the support, encouragement and opportunities they need to achieve their full potential.
The College recognises that care experience should never be seen as a limitation on a student's potential. Our approach is therefore based on high expectations, individualised support, stability, positive relationships and effective partnership working.
With this in mind, we aim to:
Encourage students to reach their potential and to make good progress in relation to their professional, social and emotional development.
Ensure that students enjoy high quality teaching and a curriculum which meets their needs and the requirements of legislation.
Plan support for care experienced and previously care experienced children realistically and use the college’s resources efficiently to ensure the college meets their needs.
Promote a positive culture in all aspects of college life. Help students develop their cultural, moral and social understanding.
It is recognised that there is a need for schools and colleges to track particular cohorts of ‘vulnerable learners’ and to ensure there are no significant gaps in their educational outcomes, and that they receive the support they require to be successful. Although a small cohort in the College, young people in care and care leavers have been identified nationally and locally as a group needing particular attention.
This policy relates specifically to learners who are Children Looked After (CLA), Care Leavers, Kinship Care and young people who are young carers (YC). As partners we endeavour to ensure that Young People in Care and Care Leavers achieve the best possible outcomes in post-16 education.
The college will ensure that:
A suitable member of staff is appointed as the designated teacher for looked-after and previously looked-after children
The designated teacher promotes the educational achievement of looked-after and previously looked-after children, and supports other staff members to do this too
Staff, parents, carers and guardians are aware of the identity of the designated teacher, how to contact them and what they are responsible for
The College recognises that it is important to identify young people in care and care leavers as early as possible in the application process, in order to assess and meet their academic and support needs, and to aid their retention. Most of this work will be carried out through the Inclusive Learning Team.
Children who are looked after in College should have a Personal Education Plan (PEP) and local authorities should ensure they have a Pathway Plan which supports their progression. The College will endeavour to identify young people in care and care leavers prior to their enrolment at College. This will be achieved through liaison with schools, Children and Young People’s Services, Virtual Schools and other social care agencies, and we will use all available paperwork to assist in assessing their support needs.
The College will ask all students about their ‘care’ status as part of the application and enrolment process (this is now essential to identify those who require Bursary funding. Any declaration of ‘care’ status will be dealt with sensitively and the young person will be made aware of who this information is shared with.
2.1 This policy applies to students attending The Sixth Form Bolton who are currently looked after by a local authority, are care leavers, were previously looked after and subsequently became subject to an adoption order, special guardianship order or child arrangements order, or are otherwise identified by the College as having relevant care experience and requiring support.
2.2 The policy applies to all College staff involved in teaching, support, safeguarding, pastoral care, attendance, careers, admissions, finance or other services affecting these students.
2.3 Young carers are an important vulnerable group but are not, in themselves, within the statutory definition of looked-after or previously looked-after children. Young carers will be supported through the College's wider inclusion, safeguarding, wellbeing and young-carer arrangements. Where a student is both a young carer and care experienced, this policy will apply alongside any other relevant College provision.
College – The Sixth Form, Bolton
For the purposes of this policy, a child looked after is a child who is looked after by a local authority within the meaning of the Children Act 1989. This includes children who are accommodated by the local authority or subject to a care order. The College may use the terms looked-after child (LAC), child looked after (CLA) or young person in care where appropriate.
A previously looked-after child is a child who was previously looked after by a local authority but ceased to be looked after because of an adoption order, special guardianship order or child arrangements order.
A care leaver is a young person who has left local authority care and is entitled to support under the relevant leaving-care legislation and arrangements. Care-leaver status and eligibility for particular forms of financial support will be determined in accordance with the relevant current guidance.
A Personal Education Plan is the education component of a child looked after care planning arrangements. It should identify educational strengths, needs, targets, actions, responsibilities and resources and should contribute to improving the student's educational outcomes.
The Virtual School Head is the local authority officer responsible for promoting the educational achievement of children looked after by that authority and for providing advice and information in relation to previously looked-after children. The College will work constructively with the relevant VSH and Virtual School.
A Personal Adviser supports eligible care leavers as they prepare for and move into adulthood. The College will work with the student's Personal Adviser where appropriate.
This can include natural parents, adoptive parents, or foster parents.
A person or persons with parental responsibility, and may make decisions about the child's care and upbringing.
Our designated teacher is Darren Macfarlane
You can contact him at 01204 846215 or DMacfarlane@Bolton-SFC.ac.uk
Our designated teacher takes lead responsibility for promoting the educational achievement of CLA and previously looked-after children at our college. They are your initial point of contact for any of the matters set out in the section below.
The College’s Child Looked After and Care Leaver Lead is Amy Curran.
She can be contacted 01204 846215 or ACurran@Bolton-SFC.ac.uk
Our link Governor is Mark Rigby.
4.3 The Sixth Form Bolton works closely with a number of Virtual Schools. The contact details of which:
Bolton’s VSH is Lindsay Nelson
07385 361924
Bury’s VSH is Catherine Hobday
07356 103040
Liverpool’s VSH is Carolyn Lawler
Carolyn.Lawler @liverpool.gov.uk
0151 233 2289
Wigan’s VSH is Charmaine Tarring
admin.virtualschool@wigan.gov.uk
01942 486180
• promote the educational achievement, progress and personal development of looked-after, previously looked-after and care-experienced students;
• ensure that students have access to high-quality teaching, an appropriate curriculum and effective careers education, information, advice and guidance;
• identify students' needs as early as possible and provide appropriate support;
• promote attendance, engagement, retention and successful completion of study programmes;
• support students' social, emotional and mental health and wellbeing;
• ensure that students are listened to and that their wishes and views inform decisions about their education and support;
• provide appropriate financial and practical support to reduce barriers to participation;
• promote positive relationships between students, the College, carers, parents, social workers, Personal Advisers, Virtual School Heads and other professionals;
• minimise disruption to education when circumstances such as placement changes occur;
• support successful transitions into College, between courses or providers, and onwards to higher education, employment, apprenticeships, training or independent living;
• ensure that safeguarding concerns are identified and responded to promptly and appropriately; and
• monitor outcomes so that any gaps in attendance, progress, attainment, participation or progression can be identified and addressed.
The College recognises that students' circumstances and needs are individual. Support will therefore be proportionate and tailored to the needs of each student rather than based solely on their care status.
The College will seek to identify students with relevant care experience as early as possible, including during application, transition and enrolment.
• the student's application and enrolment information;
• discussions with the student;
• the previous school or educational setting;
• the local authority;
• the Virtual School;
• social workers;
• Personal Advisers;
• carers or parents where appropriate; and
• other relevant professionals.
Students will be asked sensitively about relevant care status where this information is necessary to identify support and funding entitlements.
The College will explain, wherever appropriate, why information is being collected, who may need to receive it and how it will be used.
Information will be handled in accordance with the College's safeguarding, data protection and information-sharing procedures. Confidentiality will be respected, but information may be shared without consent where this is necessary to safeguard a child or young person or where another lawful basis for sharing applies.
Staff should not assume that a parent or carer automatically has authority to receive or make decisions about a student's information. The College will establish, where necessary, who has parental responsibility and what information may appropriately be shared.
The Designated Teacher will act as the principal point of contact within the College for matters concerning looked-after and previously looked-after students and will work closely with the LAC Officer and other relevant College staff.
· promoting high educational aspirations and achievement;
· ensuring that the needs of looked-after and previously looked-after students are understood across the College;
· advising staff about the needs and circumstances of individual students;
· coordinating appropriate support;
· overseeing PEP arrangements for looked-after students;
· monitoring attendance, progress, attainment, engagement and retention;
· working with the relevant VSH, social worker, Personal Adviser, carer and other professionals;
· ensuring that safeguarding concerns are dealt with promptly;
· contributing to College policy development;
· supporting effective transition;
· promoting appropriate use of available funding and resources;
· ensuring that students' views are heard and considered; and
· providing information to governors and senior leaders about provision and outcomes, while maintaining appropriate confidentiality.
The College may use the term “Designated Teacher” for this role as an established College designation. The College will distinguish this internal role from statutory duties that apply specifically to maintained schools and other education settings.
· Act as the day-to-day contact for Children Looked After (CLA) and care leavers, providing support, advocacy and guidance.
· Coordinate and maintain Personal Education Plans (PEPs), CLA records and relevant monitoring information.
· Attend and contribute to PEP, CLA review and care planning meetings.
· Liaise with Virtual Schools, Local Authorities, social workers, carers and other relevant professionals to coordinate appropriate support.
· Work with teaching, pastoral, safeguarding, learning support and careers teams to address individual needs and remove barriers to learning.
· Monitor attendance, progress, attainment and engagement, providing regular updates to the Designated Teacher.
· Support students to access appropriate financial, educational, pastoral and external support.
· Coordinate effective transitions, including entry to College, progression to higher education/employment and transition from care to independent living.
· Support safeguarding by sharing relevant concerns with the Designated Safeguarding Lead and following College safeguarding and information-sharing procedures.
· Attend relevant training, forums and Virtual School events and contribute to the continuous improvement of provision for CLA and care leavers.
The Link Governor will provide appropriate challenge and oversight of the College's provision for looked-after, previously looked-after and care-experienced students.
The Designated Teacher/Lead will provide appropriate information to the governing body or relevant committee to enable effective oversight, including information about student numbers, attendance and engagement, progress and achievement, retention, safeguarding and wellbeing, destinations and progression, use of relevant funding, and areas requiring further development. Individual students will not normally be identifiable in governance reporting unless there is a legitimate reason to do so.
Every looked-after student should have an up-to-date Personal Education Plan in accordance with the arrangements of the responsible local authority. The College will contribute actively to the PEP process.
· ensure that educational information is available for PEP meetings;
· work with the student and relevant professionals to identify strengths and barriers to learning;
· agree realistic but ambitious educational targets;
· identify actions, responsibilities and timescales;
· ensure that appropriate support is put in place;
· monitor whether agreed actions are being delivered;
· review progress against targets;
· identify additional resources where required; and
· ensure that the PEP is updated and transferred appropriately when the student moves education provider.
PEPs will normally be reviewed at least termly, or more frequently where required by the student's circumstances or the responsible local authority.
The College will seek to ensure that PEP reviews take place sufficiently in advance of relevant statutory care-plan reviews so that current educational information is available.
Where a student has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), the PEP and EHCP will be considered together to ensure that provision is coordinated and does not duplicate or conflict.
The College recognises that leaving care and moving into adulthood can create additional educational, financial and practical pressures.
· remain engaged in education;
· achieve their qualifications;
· access careers education, information, advice and guidance;
· apply for higher education, apprenticeships, employment or training;
· access appropriate financial support;
· manage practical barriers to participation;
· develop independence and life skills;
· maintain stable accommodation where relevant;
· access health and wellbeing support; and
· maintain positive relationships with College staff and other support networks.
The College will work with the student's Personal Adviser, social worker, local authority and other relevant professionals where appropriate.
Students will be encouraged to understand and access their local authority's current Care Leaver Local Offer. The College will recognise that support may need to continue beyond the point at which a student formally leaves care.
The College will seek to ensure that financial circumstances do not prevent a care-experienced student from participating fully in education.
Eligible students may be able to access support through the 16–19 Bursary Fund, including the defined vulnerable group bursary where the relevant eligibility and financial-need requirements are met.
The College will assess individual need and the costs of participation in accordance with current funding guidance. Support may include:
travel costs;
essential books and equipment;
course-related costs;
meals;
educational visits;
technology or digital access; and
other essential costs associated with participation.
The College will maintain appropriate evidence of eligibility, need and awards in accordance with current funding requirements. The College may also use its discretionary bursary allocation or other available resources to provide additional support where appropriate and affordable.
The College will monitor the progress and achievement of care-experienced students and compare outcomes appropriately with wider College performance.
· attendance and punctuality;
· engagement with learning;
· assessment outcomes;
· progress against targets;
· retention;
· behaviour and conduct;
· wellbeing;
· participation in enrichment;
· careers and progression activity; and
· destination outcomes.
Where a student is not making expected progress, the College will identify the reasons and consider what additional support or intervention may be appropriate. Interventions will be recorded and reviewed to establish whether they are effective. The College will maintain high expectations and will avoid assumptions that poor outcomes are inevitable because of care experience.
Regular attendance is essential to educational success. The College will monitor the attendance of looked-after, previously looked-after and care-experienced students and will respond promptly to concerns.
Where a looked-after student is absent without authorisation, the College will follow its attendance and safeguarding procedures and, where appropriate, notify the relevant social worker, carer and/or Virtual School.
Where attendance becomes a concern, the College will consider whether there are underlying barriers such as placement instability, transport difficulties, caring responsibilities, physical or mental health, anxiety or emotional distress, financial difficulties, safeguarding concerns, difficulties with relationships, course suitability, or other practical barriers.
Students with care experience may have experienced trauma, neglect, abuse, exploitation, loss or disruption. Staff should therefore be alert to changes in presentation, behaviour, attendance, relationships or engagement. However, care experience should not be treated as evidence that a student is inherently vulnerable or that a particular behaviour has a particular cause.
All safeguarding concerns will be managed in accordance with the College's Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy and current statutory safeguarding guidance.
how safeguarding concerns involving care-experienced students should be reported;
the importance of professional curiosity;
the need for appropriate information sharing;
how changes in placement or circumstances may affect a student's wellbeing;
how to access specialist support; and
the importance of listening to the student.
Looked-after and previously looked-after students may have special educational needs and disabilities or other learning needs. The College will ensure that care status and SEND are considered together but will not assume that a student's difficulties are caused by their care experience.
relevant needs are identified;
appropriate reasonable adjustments are considered;
staff understand relevant barriers to learning;
EHCP provision is delivered appropriately;
additional assessment is sought where necessary; and
support arrangements are coordinated with the student's PEP.
The College recognises the importance of positive relationships, emotional wellbeing and psychological safety.
a named key worker or mentor;
pastoral support;
counselling;
wellbeing support;
access to a quiet or safe space;
agreed time-out arrangements;
reasonable adjustments;
referral to specialist services;
support with relationships and peer integration; and
liaison with relevant professionals.
The College may use appropriate wellbeing assessment tools where these are available and considered useful for an individual student. Such tools will not replace professional assessment or safeguarding procedures.
The College's behaviour expectations apply equally to all students. Where a care-experienced student is experiencing difficulties with behaviour, the College will consider whether there are underlying needs or circumstances that should be addressed alongside the normal behaviour process.
Where a looked-after student is at risk of suspension or exclusion, the College will engage with the relevant professionals, including the VSH and social worker, where appropriate, and consider what additional support may help prevent exclusion.
The College will follow its current Behaviour and Exclusions/Suspensions Policy and all applicable statutory requirements. For previously looked-after students, the College will work with the student and their parent, guardian or person with parental responsibility, as appropriate, and seek specialist advice where this would benefit the student.
Effective partnership working is central to supporting students with care experience.
foster carers;
residential care staff;
parents;
guardians and others with parental responsibility;
social workers;
Personal Advisers;
Virtual School Heads and Virtual School staff;
Independent Reviewing Officers;
SEND professionals;
health and mental health professionals;
careers and progression services; and
other relevant agencies.
The College will clarify who has responsibility for particular decisions and what information can appropriately be shared. The student should remain central to this work and, wherever appropriate, their views should be sought before information is shared or decisions are made about support.
The College recognises that changes in care placement can have a significant impact on educational continuity.
Where the College becomes aware of a proposed change that may affect a student's education, it will work with the student and relevant professionals to consider the likely impact on attendance and progress, transport arrangements, safeguarding, access to College, emotional wellbeing, continuity of relationships and support, examination arrangements, and whether additional practical support is required.
The College will provide relevant educational information to a new education provider when a student transfers, subject to appropriate information-sharing arrangements.
liaise with the student's previous school or provider;
obtain relevant educational information;
establish whether a PEP or other plan is in place;
identify support requirements before enrolment;
meet with the student and relevant professionals;
consider financial support; and
identify a named member of staff.
Where students change course, programme, placement or support arrangements, relevant information will be transferred appropriately so that support is not unnecessarily disrupted.
The College will support students to progress successfully to higher education, apprenticeships, employment, further education or training, or other appropriate destinations. Careers and progression planning will begin early and be reviewed regularly.
Support will be determined according to individual need and may include:
regular PEP meetings;
individual mentoring;
a named key worker;
day-to-day pastoral monitoring;
catch-up or tuition support where appropriate;
careers and progression support;
financial assistance through the bursary process;
IT equipment or digital access where appropriate;
travel or bus-pass support where available;
support with educational visits;
access to the College's study and support spaces;
breakfast or other food support where available;
counselling and wellbeing support;
time-out arrangements;
access to a quiet or cool-off space;
reasonable adjustments;
support with applications for higher education, employment or apprenticeships;
liaison with Virtual Schools and local authorities; and
support from relevant local authority SGO or care-leaver services.
The availability and level of individual support will depend on need, eligibility, funding and College resources.
The College will ensure that relevant staff have sufficient knowledge and understanding to support students with care experience effectively.
the educational barriers experienced by some care-experienced students;
attachment and trauma-informed approaches;
safeguarding;
professional curiosity;
attendance;
behaviour;
SEND;
mental health and wellbeing;
information sharing;
PEPs;
financial support;
transition and progression; and
the role of the Virtual School and other external professionals.
The College will draw on appropriate training and advice from Virtual Schools and other specialist organisations.
The Designated Teacher/Lead will monitor the effectiveness of this policy and the support provided to students.
attendance;
progress and attainment;
retention;
achievement;
destinations;
engagement;
safeguarding;
wellbeing;
participation;
use of financial support; and
student feedback.
The College will consider whether there are significant gaps between the outcomes of care-experienced students and other students and will identify appropriate actions where gaps are identified. Student voice will form part of the evaluation of support.
The Designated Teacher/Lead will report relevant findings to senior leaders and governors in accordance with the College's governance and safeguarding arrangements.
This policy will be reviewed annually and sooner where there are significant changes to legislation, statutory guidance, funding arrangements or College procedures.
The policy will be reviewed by the Designated Teacher/Lead and approved in accordance with the College's current governance arrangements.
The next scheduled review is August 2027.
The College will have regard to the current versions of relevant statutory guidance and funding documentation, including:
· Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026;
· Promoting the education of looked-after and previously looked-after children;
· current Department for Education guidance relating to designated teachers, where applicable;
· 16–19 Bursary Fund Guide 2026/27;
· current 16–19 funding guidance;
· relevant Children Act and leaving-care legislation and statutory guidance;
· Working Together to Safeguard Children; and
· relevant local authority and Virtual School guidance.
The College will follow the most recent applicable version of statutory guidance where this policy is not yet formally updated.
Name of Policy | Children Looked After and Care Leavers Policy
|
Date Reviewed | August 2026 |
Next Review | August 2027 |
JCC Consultation / Approval | Not required |
Governing Corporation Approval | Not Required |
Cross Reference to other Policies / Source Documents | Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy SEND Policy Behaviour Policy Attendance Policy Bursary/Financial Support Policy Equality, Diversity and Inclusion arrangements; Data Protection and Information Policies Student Handbook |
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