Bradley Simmons, Ofsted South West Director, hosted the first ever social care conference for the region in Exeter on 16 June 2016. This SlideShare has all the presentations from the day.

1. Welcome
Improving outcomes for children looked
after and care leavers
A call for action in the
South West region
Thursday 16 June 2016

2. Improving outcomes for children
looked after and care leavers:
A call for action
Introduction
Chris Sands
Senior HMI, Social Care

3. Domestic
arrangements
#childrenincare
#careleavers

4. Thank you

5. Bradley Simmons, HMI
Ofsted Regional Director
Improving outcomes for children
looked after and care leavers:
A call for action
Only together can we succeed

6. Improved focus:
To improve provision and outcomes for looked after children in the
South West.
To promote excellence in leadership at all levels in all remits through
our inspection reports and through the promotion of collaborative
working.
To improve provision for the most vulnerable young people aged 16-
18 years at all levels to ensure it best meets their needs and enables
sustainable progression to further and higher education, training and
employment.
Our regional plan

7.  High expectations
 Building character and resilience
 Meeting the needs of neglected groups
 Improving support for children with additional needs
Educational excellence everywhere

8. Thank you

9. Climbing the mountain
Eleanor Schooling
National Director, Social Care
Improving outcomes for children
looked after and care leavers:
A call for action

10. A social care perspective

11. A social care perspective
 Children and success
 Climbing the mountain

12.  Ambitious corporate parents
 Holding schools to account
 High quality Personal Education Plans
 Rigorous application and oversight of the Pupil Premium and
impact
 Social workers trained to understand educational targets and
progress
 Accurate database
 Care leavers receiving an effective, aspirational service
 Access to and support for apprenticeships
 Good support for university
 Critical role of the Independent Reviewing Officers
Single Inspection Framework:
Key messages from reports

13.  Excellent support, highly personalised and individualised care
 Young people make demonstrable and sustained improvement;
they excel in their education, social and personal development
 Excellent attendance at school
 Exceptional care planning
 Excellent safeguarding practice
 High aspirations and expectation for staff and young people
 Excellent communication and consultation with young people and
their families
 Experienced staff who are creative and innovative in their practice
 Comprehensive policies and procedures which all staff know about
 Manager and leaders very visible and accessible
Providers:
Outstanding characteristics

14. Children affected (0-17)

15. Overall Effectiveness

16. Care Leavers

17. Local authority-run children’s homes receiving a
good or better overall effectiveness judgement at
full inspection, by region, in 2015-16

18. Private and voluntary-run children’s homes
receiving a good or better overall effectiveness
judgement at full inspection, by region, in 2015-16

19. 94% of children looked after in an IFA foster
home, who came from the south west, were
placed with an agency judged to be good or
better as at 31 March 2015

20. Messages…….
 Outcomes and practice
 Thoughtful practice
 Forensic practice
 A mind’s eye
 Practice leaders
 Law of attraction
 Expectations
 Services should be the best

21. Thank you

22. OFF SEN
Children in Care
The View from Whitehall
Ben Connah
Head of Children in Care
Department for Education
Ofsted Conference 16 June 2016

23. OFF SEN
Children in Care
The View from Whitehall
A newcomer to children’s services
•‘Heroes’
•Care works; but it could work better
•We are all corporate parents

24. OFF SEN
Children in Care
The View from Whitehall
What next?
•Legislation
•Stability to increase life chances
•Educational progress
•Wider programme of reform

25. OFF SEN
Children in Care
The View from Whitehall
Questions?

26. Thank you

27. The regional perspective and
national
comparisons
Christine Raeside
Senior HMI, Education
Improving outcomes for children
looked after and care leavers:
A call for action

28. The proportion of children looked after with three
or more placements in the year, by LA, 2014-15

29. The proportion of children who had been
living in their placement for longer than
two years, as at 31 March 2015

30. Percentage of children who have been
looked after continuously for at least 12
months with at least one fixed term
exclusion from school, in 2013 - 2014

31. Children looked after reaching level 4 in
reading, writing and mathematics at Key
Stage 2

32. Children looked after achieving five or more A* to
C GCSEs inc. English and Mathematics, 2012-
2015

33. Proportion of care leavers not in education,
training or employment, as at 31 March 2015

34. Comfort break
Please return to your seats by 12:00

35. Support Networks
Improving outcomes for children
looked after and care leavers:
A call for action
Gloucestershire Young Ambassadors

37. Audience ParticipationAudience Participation
Think for a moment, who supported
you through school? What is it they
did?

38. Importance of PositiveImportance of Positive
RelationshipsRelationships
• Before they come into care, children and young people’s
relationships are often fractured, chaotic, frightening, violent
and abusive
• Being in care provides opportunities for children and young
people to experience loving, secure, stable and safe
relationships
• While in care, children value opportunities to build positive
and meaningful relationships but experience difficulties in
building and maintaining them
• Transitioning out of care is a challenging time and access to
supportive relationships is critical for young people in helping
them manage the demands of this experience
• Throughout the different stages of their care journey, access
to positive and meaningful relationships is likely to lead to
better long-term outcomes for children and young people
IRISS Insights (2015) ‘supporting positive relationships for children and young people who
have experience of care’

39. Who is important… andWho is important… and
what makes them so…?what makes them so…?
We asked our young people “who in the care system
has made the biggest difference to you and why?”
and this is what they have said…

40. TJ (Tony)TJ (Tony)
TJ’s story….

41. ElizaEliza
The person I think has had the most impact on my life is my
GMAS (Gloucestershire Mentoring and Support) worker
Jodie. She made me realise that it's not worth giving up
until you've tried. She shared some of her personal
experiences with me which changed my whole outlook on
life for the better. If it wasn't for her I wouldn’t be where I
am today. I wouldn't be an Ambassador and I definitely
wouldn't of finished school.
She's the most honest and upfront worker I've ever had, if
she says something she means it and will stick to it. She
always goes the extra mile to help me. She even went out
of her way when she wasn't even working, she
accompanied me to the hospital because I didn't want to
go on my own. She's also taking me to Thorpe park for our
last session!!

42. ElizaEliza
The person I feel that has made the most impact on my life is my Dad. He is not my
biological father however that makes no difference to us. As far as we are concerned
he is my Dad.
He met my mum when she was pregnant with me and ever since he has stuck by my
side, helped me and brought me up when he didn’t have to and for that I love and
respect him so much.
He was so brave when I was born, he helped deliver me, he was the first to hold me
and even gave me his last name. from that day he committed to being my dad and
at only 19 – I think that’s one of the most amazing things someone could ever do. He
had many opportunities to back out (which most 19 year olds would of) but he didn’t.
he still continued to treat me, love me and care for me as if I was his own.
I pretty much lived with him from when I was born until I was 8 years old although
during that time my mum kept trying to take me away from him when it suited her, he
would always put up a fight for me knowing he would lose every time. I am currently 16
now and he is still always there for me no matter what and if I'm completely honest,
he’s probably been there for me more than my mum has. I really don’t know where I
would be if he hadn’t of stayed in my life. He’s stuck by me for 16 years now so I think I
may be stuck with him for life.

43. SophieSophie
The person who has made the most difference to me is Gail (Support Worker)
she has helped me through so much such as finding my own house to
helping me to get my provisional. She has helped me since I was 16 and she
is the best support worker I have ever had she has made my life easier and
has listened to all my worries and concerns. I have wrote a poem called
feeling so much more positive.
I can now see what I’ve got to give
Trying my best to release my potential
Whatever it takes I’ll give my all
Riding high on a natural high
I now feel I have won this fight
Overcoming this overwhelming situation
This runaway train has now stopped at the right station
This turbulent ride has now ceased
I’m over the moon and extremely pleased
I am now following the right path
Hoping this positive feeling will ever last
Starting to achieve
And regain my self belief
And realise I have good inside
I’m so happy I’m still alive.

44. SophieSophie
A Poem called ‘Thank You’
Thank you for all your help
Thank you for helping me be myself
Cheers for never judging or shouting
And never criticising or doubting
For helping me through the bad times
For working with me to create a stable mind
Thank you for spending time with me
Cheers for helping me be more free
Helping me to progress and get better
Meeting me in all kinds of weather
Treating me with respect and compassion
Giving me advice and support with passion
There is only one thing left for me to say
Thank you so much for helping me every day.

45. MishaMisha
There is a multitude of people that have made a difference to my care
experience. For me it goes without saying, that my Foster mum, or mum
to me has changed my life for the better in so many ways.
Making my path for the future ever clearer as the years go by and
allowing me with never-ending support to grow into the young woman I
never thought possible. She has directed me into a brighter future with
my education, understanding family dynamics as you get older and
how life begins to change when you begin to become an adult; these
are the needs that she has respected and supported in the last few
years. But she has been there for me since the day we met and been
through all the ups and downs of a teenage girl with me and I couldn't
fault her in any way - It's all been positive in making the person I am
today.
Her loving side has allowed me to have a shoulder to cry on, her strong
mind has influenced me to be able to stand on my two feet like her and
her ambition has embedded itself in me over the years to create a future
for myself that she will be proud of.

46. MishaMisha
In the past 3 years another person has made a difference
to me and that is my leaving care support worker Sharon.
Sharon has a passion for life which is inspiring for anyone
who meets her; she is encouraging, thoughtful and has you
in her best interests at all times. Over the 3 years, I have
had an intense time with my education, moving from 6th
form to university, and Sharon has been there every step of
the way, or should I say, every mile to University!
As I get older there are more hurdles to cross and bumps in
the road and along side my mum, Sharon is another person
I can dutifully count on for any bump, and for that I am so
grateful.

47. Some top tips andSome top tips and
qualitiesqualities
We know that various people support us, and these are the
qualities we think make all the difference:
1)Building Trust
2)Be Honest
3)Be Non-Judgemental
4)Be Positive
5)Build Relationships
6)Build our self-esteem
7)Be Relatable
8)DON’T give up on me!
9)Be determined and Reliable
10)LISTEN TO OUR VOICES

48. Call to ActionCall to Action
-Get to know who is important to that child
-Understand why they are and what it is they do
-Learn from them and support your staff to take on
some of those qualities
Remember that we all need someone in our lives
whether as a child or an adult and you could be that
someone for someone… even the children you work
with.

49. Finally a word fromFinally a word from
Misha…Misha…
“Relationship building in the care system is necessary
to move forward but can be difficult; if anyone is
feeling lost, worried or confused, reach out to
someone and they could be a person who makes a
big difference to your life - I had to let barriers down to
let these people in and it's helped me grow and
created a secure system of people in my life”.

50. Break for lunchBreak for lunch
Please return to your seats by 13:45Please return to your seats by 13:45

51. UNITING
WITH UNITE!
Aaron – Unite member
Chanel – Unite member and North Somerset apprentice
Harley – Unite member and ex-apprentice
Kay – Unite member
Sophia – Children and Young People’s Rights Officer
Sheila Smith – Director, People and Communities
North Somerset Council

52. What is UNITE?

53. Positive changes and the
impact UNITE has had:
•Gym passes
•Council tax
•Apprenticeships
•Entitlements guide
•Wi-Fi costs
•Birthdays presents
•Christmas presents
•Budget to furnish our new young people’s room
•Personal allowance rounded up
•We had a say in who our new Service Lead would be by
being a part of the interview panel

54. Influence on services
for Children in Care

55. Next steps for UNITE
•Support after 21
•Young parents
•Co-production on revised pathway planning document
•Continue to support Ambitious Voice (Children in Care
Council)
•Expanding apprenticeships

56. The Educational Progress of Looked After Children in England:
Linking Care and Educational Data
Funded by
The Nuffield Foundation
School for Policy Studies
David Berridge, Nikki Luke and Judy Sebba
david.berridge@bristol.ac.uk
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/sps/research/projects/completed/
2015/lookedafterchildren/

57. The relationship between being in
care and educational outcomes
Improving outcomes for children
looked after and care leavers:
A call for action
David Berridge
Professor of Child and Family Welfare

58. Educational outcomes of looked after children in England
(Source: DfE, 2013b)

59. Project aim and purpose
Aim:
To identify key care and educational factors that are associated with the
progress of children in care from the end of Key Stage 2 (KS2; end of
primary school/Year 7) to the end of Key Stage 4 (KS4; end of secondary
school/Year 11) and their attainment at KS4.
Purpose:
To inform the resource priorities of central and local government, the
practice of professionals and the databases used to monitor outcomes.
School for Policy Studies

60. Main research questions
• What are the key factors contributing to the low educational
outcomes of children in care in secondary schools in England?
• How does linking care and educational data contribute to our
understanding of how to improve their attainment and
progress?

61. Research design
How did we do this?
•Linking national data sets on the education (National Pupil
Database) and care experiences of looked after children in England
(SSDA903)
– to explore the relationship between educational outcomes, the
children’s care histories and individual characteristics, and practice
and policy in different local authorities
•Interviews with young people in six local authorities and with their
carers, teachers, social workers and Virtual School staff
– to complement and expand on the statistical analyses, and to explore
factors not recorded in the databases (e.g. foster carers’ attitudes to
education, role of the Virtual School)

62. English national databases
• Education (NPD) and care (SSDA903)
• Databases are constantly evolving
– outdated codes
– idiosyncrasies in data submissions
• Formatting data
– provided with a mix of episode vs. annual vs. individual level data
– ‘missing’ data (e.g. for Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire)
– skewed data (e.g. children on a series of short-term respite breaks)
– creating variables from raw data (e.g. what does ‘placement length’
mean?)
– creating categories within variables (e.g. placements since KS2)

63. Database analyses
• Descriptive statistics – how do CLA compare to peers on
factors generally linked to educational outcomes?
• Regressions – which factors predict better or worse
educational outcomes for CLA?
• Multilevel modelling – what is the relative contribution of
factors at different levels?

64. Description of our cohort
• 7,852 looked after children eligible for GCSEs in 2013
• 4,847 had been in care for 12 months or more continuously,
of which:
– 51.3% first entered care aged 10 or over
– 29.0% had been in most recent placement for under a year
• Fewer KS4 placements were foster care than at KS2 (59.6%
vs. 70.2%), use of (all) residential care increases (18.5% vs.
11.3%)
• 17.3% had only had one placement; 10.2% had had 10 or
more placements since first entry to care

65. GCSE scores: CLA vs. Not in care/in need

66. CLA vs. peer group (selected characteristics)
Table shows proportion of the sample and the mean GCSE points for this group
In Care 12 months + Not in care or in need
Girls 44.2% (228.60) 48.8% (353.54)
Boys 55.8% (181.66) 51.2% (328.27)
White British or Irish 73.4% (201.61) 70.5% (339.05)
Asian or Black African 6.5% (251.27) 10.5% (348.95)
FSM eligible in 2003-2004 55.0% (201.57) 18.0% (296.45)
Not FSM eligible in 2003-2004 45.0% (199.36) 82.0% (351.25)
SEN: School Action + or Statement 73.5% (179.09) 15.9% (259.24)
Behavioural, Emotional Social
Disorder
38.6% of SEN (185.40) 4.8% of SEN (233.39)
Autism Spectrum Disorder 3.9% (82.90) 1.0% (260.71)
Severe or Multiple Learning Diffs 0.5% (24.71) 0.3% (101.74)
Mainstream school 58.8% (275.92) 88.8% (346.06)
Non-mainstream school 41.2% (86.03) 11.2% (297.32)

67. Description of our cohort
• Using age at first entry and reason for entry, we created career types:
Career type Per cent of 4,847 KS4 score
Unaccompanied Asylum Seeker 3.4 232.7
Disabled 6.4 47.7
Entry aged 0 to 4 14.8 217.7
Entry aged 5 to 9 30.2 229.0
Adolescent abused/neglected 24.0 211.4
Other Adolescent entrant 21.3 185.5
Children in Need but Not in Care N = 13,599 185.1
Children Not in Care or in Need N = 622,970 340.6

68. Regression model predicting KS4 scores (R2
= .66)
FSM at
KS1
FSM at
KS1
IDACI at
KS1
IDACI at
KS1
Home
language
at KS1
Home
language
at KS1
GenderGender
EthnicityEthnicity Primary
SEN
Primary
SEN
Care
career
type
Care
career
type
Mean
SDQ
score
Mean
SDQ
score
Length of
time in care
Length of
time in care
Placement
changes
since KS2
Placement
changes
since KS2
Length of
latest
placement
Length of
latest
placement
In non-foster
placement at
KS4
In non-foster
placement at
KS4
Placed out
of authority
at KS4
Placed out
of authority
at KS4
FSM at
KS4
FSM at
KS4
IDACI at
KS4
IDACI at
KS4
Home
language
at KS4
Home
language
at KS4
School
changes in
Year 10-11
School
changes in
Year 10-11
Unauthorised
absences
Unauthorised
absences
Fixed &
permanent
exclusions
Fixed &
permanent
exclusions
In non-
mainstream
school at KS4
In non-
mainstream
school at KS4
EARLY ENVIRONMENT
INDIVIDUAL
CARE PLACEMENTS
KS2 scoresKS2 scores
RELATED TO SCHOOLING

69. Factors predicting poorer progress
Individual characteristics
•Being male
•SEN: ASD, Moderate Learning Disability or Severe/Multiple Learning Difficulties
•Entering care primarily due to a disability
•Having a higher mean score on the SDQ
Instability
•Having more changes of placement (compared to other children) after KS2
•Changing school in Year 10 or 11
•Having more unauthorised school absences
•Having missed more school days (compared to peers) due to fixed-term exclusions
Concurrent environment
•Having spent less time in the latest placement
•Living in residential or another form of care (compared to kinship or foster care) at KS4
•Having unknown FSM status at KS4
•Having a home language other than English at KS4
•Being in a non-mainstream school at KS4 (all types)

70. Multi-level modelling
• Three-level model
– Child: KS2 attainment; gender; ethnicity; SEN; SDQ; school and care
difficulties
– School: type; proportion eligible for free school meals; proportion
SEN; mean KS2 scores; contextual value added scores
– Local authority: proportion poor families; mean deprivation score;
rate of CLA and CIN; proportion FSM and SEN; Ofsted rating; mean
care cost per day; proportion in foster and residential care
• Variation in KS4 attainment of looked after children at local
authority level was not statistically significant
– suggests that variability existed at the level of individual pupils and
schools, rather than the local authority level

71. Provisional findings from quantitative analyses
• Controlling for pupil- and school-related factors, CLA make
better educational progress than do CIN
– Care system appears to act as a protective factor
educationally
• Late adolescent entrants into care make poorer educational
progress
– May reflect reasons for entry into care & greater
instability
• Both school and care factors are related to educational
outcomes
• Instability (school or care) is an important factor particularly
in KS4

72. Provisional findings from quantitative analyses
• Emotional and behavioural issues as reflected by the SDQ
scores may underlie difficulties
– BUT response of school and care systems to young
people’s characteristics and circumstances are at least as
important
• Overall, little variation between LAs nationally on CLA
progress once other factors are controlled
– Key factors are at the level of the individual and school
• Schools that perform better also show good progress for CLA
– Familiarity with disadvantaged groups may be beneficial

73. Provisional findings from qualitative interviews
• Working with six local authorities
– 26 young people (‘higher-’ and ‘lower-progress’ groups)
• Interviews with young people, carers, teachers and
social workers

74. Provisional findings from qualitative interviews
• Half higher-progress group described as “bright”
– Most had birth family education support from young age
• Continuing birth family influence for nearly all
• Young people’s agency
– Choose to engage with education once certain preconditions met
• Overwhelming view that becoming looked after had positive
effects educationally and overall
• Foster carers’ level of educational support seemed more
important than their educational qualifications per se
• Good integrated working important
• Teachers most important educational influence
• Young people welcomed the additional, individual support

75. Implications
• Greater focus on progress needed
• CIN more helpful comparison for CLA than whole school
population (but need to remain aspirational)
• Need to consider complexity of contexts, characteristics and
experiences
• ‘Risk factors’ may be less helpful than ‘risky profiles’
• Response of school and care systems can make a difference
• Importance of involving young person in decisions
• School choice not a matter of ‘academic OR nurturing’

76. Ways forward
• Databases
– Regular, more extensive analyses, supported interpretation and
better use of existing data (including common definitions)
– Need for more data on carers/residential staff
• Research
– Longer term perspective on progress/outcomes – some young
people take longer to make significant progress
– Compare children who enter and leave the care system with
those who stay
– Examine key factors for Children in Need (but not in care)

77. Project team
Prof Judy Sebba
Prof Ian Sinclair
Prof Steve Strand
Dr Nikki Luke
Dr John Fletcher
Aoife O’Higgins
Sally Winiarski
School for Policy Studies
Prof David Berridge
Prof Sally Thomas
Dr Karen Bell
Khatija Hafesji
Jess Inwood
Jade Ward
Roselle Potts
Jackie White

78. Thank you

79. Understanding trauma and
attachment: raising
attainment
Michael Gorman
Head of Bath & North East Somerset Virtual School
Mark Everett
Headteacher - Writhlington School

80. Content
1. Attachment,
trauma and
behaviour
2. An attachment
aware school
3. Does it work?

81. If a child experiences... They are likely to have...
Early neglect Impaired cognitive
development
Persistent fear Hyperarousal
Inability to regulate stress Over-reaction to triggers
Unsafe care Impulsivity
Why understanding attachment matters

82. Insecurely attached children are
more likely to be:
• Threatened by uncertainty
• Highly controlling
• Hyperactive, yet lazy; perfectionists
• Hyper vigilant; unable to sustain concentration
• Unable able to recall or explain behaviour
• Poor with peer relationships
• Lacking in empathy but acutely aware of your emotional
state
• Scornful of others
• Overreact to problems; inflamed sense of justice
• Unable to show cause-and-effect thinking
• LOW ATTAINERS

83. Attachment Aware Schools
• One year long course; 2 representatives from
each school
– Face to face training
– Online units
– Action research
– Heads & governors
– Data collection
– Summative conference

84. Key developments at
Writhlington School
• Key adults
• Redeveloped the pastoral system
• Whole School attachment awareness training
• Bespoke alternative provision where needed
• Trained coaches and embedded a coaching culture
• Redeveloped the behaviour management approach
• Achievement for all School
• Mind-fullness training for all staff
• Mind-fullness training with students
• Mental Health first aide training for staff & students
• Advocates for children
• Thrive School
• Quality first teaching

85. The Educational Progress of Looked After Children in England:
Linking Care and Educational Data Nuffield Foundation 2015
5.2 Having someone whom they felt
genuinely cared about them was very
important to the young people in this
study. This occurred across both high and
lower-progress young people. Young
people needed to feel that they would not
be let down – which had been their past
experience – and that their life mattered. It
needed to matter to others before it could
matter to them. Most of our high-progress
group identified relationships with people
to whom they felt gratitude and did not
want to let down.

86. Outcome data
Non LAC LAC
National 2015 1000.5 931.8
Leavers 2015 987.6 929.2
Leavers 2016 994.43 983.17
Leavers 2017 1020.20 1058.65
Avg Sub LoP
Leavers 2018 5.3 5.4
Leavers 2019 3.2 3.2
Leavers 2020 2.0 2.7

87. Increase in ‘meeting, exceeding, strongly exceeding’
Increase in ‘meeting, exceeding, strongly exceeding’ – Maths
N=94
N=94

88. Decrease in sanctions
N = 65
Decrease in exclusions (inside and outside of lessons)
N = 83

89. Decrease in hyperactivity
N = 14
Decrease in overall difficulties
N = 88

90. Some key references
90
Bombèr, L (2011) What about me? Inclusive strategies to support pupils
with attachment difficulties make it through the school day. London:
Worth Publishing.
Bowlby, J. (1988) A Secure Base: Parent-Child Attachment and Healthy
Human Development. London: Routledge.
Cozolino, L. (2013) The Social Neuroscience of Education: Optimizing
attachment and learning in the classroom. London: Norton & Co.
Geddes, H. (2006) Attachment in the Classroom: the links between
children's early experience, emotional wellbeing and performance in
school. London: Worth Publishing.
Cairns, K. ( 2006) Attachment, Trauma and Resilience. London: BAAF.
Kohlrieser, G. (2012) Care to Dare: Unleashing Astonishing Potential
Through Secure Base Leadership. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons.
Nyeberg L, Templeton R (1995) How to Talk so Kids will Learn Piccadilly
Press
Siegel, D. (2013) Brainstorm. New York; Penguin

91. Thank you

92. Reflections and group
conversations

93. Question and answer session

94. Conference close
Thank you for your participation.