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Enfield 2 Data from Department for Education Statistical First Release as at 31 March 2014 Based on children looked after continuously for at least 12 months in England Educational Attainment at Key Stage 4

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Enfield Why London Fostering Achievement? 3 My favourite teacherhad such a love and passion for his subject, and his students, that hes inspired me to pursue both fine art and teaching. My foster carers had a massive impact on my education. When I first moved in with them I was attending a very disruptive school in special measures and looking at Us for my GCSEs. They moved house for me to go to a better school and supported and believed in me when nobody else did. They encouraged me to believe in myself and through their help and my determination I left school with 14 A*-C Grades. It doesnt matter where youre at, or what people say you will achieve, if you believe in yourself then anything is possible. If you dream big you have a chance of reaching it, but if you dont dream at all then how can you expect anything good to come your way? Zoe, Young Ambassador London Fostering Achievement

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Enfield What is London Fostering Achievement? 4 Boosting the skills and confidence of foster carers to support education Bringing together foster carers, teachers, social workers, leaders and other professionals

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Enfield Training We have run 32 sessions covering 31 boroughs and training over 1250 foster carers, teachers, social workers and other professionals 5 Key Training session booked or taken place Unable to participate

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Enfield Training Breakdown of training attendees 6 RoleNumber of attendeesComments Foster carers765Far fewer kinship carers School staff128Includes Designated Teachers, Deputy Heads and teaching assistants Social workers175Far fewer Childrens Social Workers Virtual School reps55Large variance in structures Other142Includes Local Authority and IFP staff, fostering panel members, LAC nurses TOTAL1265

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Enfield Training Feedback relevant to IROs Some foster carers and local authorities have reported delays in circulating the Personal Education Plan There are things foster carers can do at home every day to support education, and we will have practical materials on our website to support them and social workers Foster carers were particularly positive about: - Having another foster carer co-facilitating the training - Having mixed attendance at training 7

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Enfield Direct work with schools We work with 26 schools in 9 boroughs, through our delivery partner, Achievement for All c.170 children looked after in total Achievement for All have adapted their evidence-based model to target children looked after Each school has an Achievement Coach who works intensively with the nominated School Champion There is a whole-school approach and a focus on engagement of foster carers through structured conversations 8

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STEEP analyses what young people have told us

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Enfield Activity We have 10 Education Champions in 5 areas: Croydon, Islington, Lewisham, Tri-borough, Wandsworth Our Champions provide peer support to individual carers as well as working with local authorities to affect change around education Education Champions 10

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Enfield Impact of the Champions Engagement with supervising social workers through training and attending meetings has led to some local changes in terms of supervision processes / templates Foster carers are a resource: - Carers sometimes feel more able to confide in peers e.g. 1:1 work with carers referred by services - Well-informed carers can signpost and raise awareness of whats available in their local authority Education Champions 11

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Enfield Education Champions 12

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Enfield Know your Virtual School and what they offer Virtual Schools offer expertise, advice and support. How well do you carers and social workers know the offer? Does your Virtual School attend some of the regular support groups locally? Does your Virtual School sit on your fostering panel? Structures and remits do vary across local authorities. Virtual School handbook recently released: http://reescentre.education.ox.ac.uk/about-us/virtual-schools- handbook-published/ http://reescentre.education.ox.ac.uk/about-us/virtual-schools- handbook-published/ 13

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Enfield Thu 17 th SeptThe Fostering Network Permanence Conference www.fostering.net/permanence-conference Sat 19 th SeptPost-16 opportunities for care-experienced young people http://www.londonfosteringachievement.org.uk/event/post-16- opportunities/http://www.londonfosteringachievement.org.uk/event/post-16- opportunities/ Tue 17 th NovFostering Achievement: Annual Conference https://www.fostering.net/training-and-events/conferences-and- seminars/fostering-network-annual-conference-fostering#.VY0SqhtViko Events 14

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Useful resources Evaluation report from Rees Centre at Oxford University and Centre for Child and Family Research Standalone toolkit for schools from Jan 2016 Education half-day training materials fully updated and will be available for all boroughs to use from Sept 2015 - Useful questions for PEPs - Self-evaluation questionnaires for foster carers, supervising social workers and childrens social workers - Booklets on practical things foster carers can do at home to boost education www.londonfosteringachievement.org.uk

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Sustainability and legacy of impact Questions? www.londonfosteringachievement.org.uk Lisa Belletty, lisa.belletty@fostering.net