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Education is one of the most powerful protective factors in a young person’s life, and children in care often have more ground to make up than their peers. In Wales, each child looked after should have a personal education plan (PEP), extra funding is available through the Pupil Development Grant, and local authority coordinators oversee their education. A children’s home’s job is to make all of that work in everyday life.
I’m Rhys Herbert, Managing Director of Silver Lining Care. This guide explains the main parts of the system in Wales, and what a children’s home can do to help young people learn and achieve.
Why is education so important for children in care?
For many young people in care, school has been disrupted by moves, missed time and the effects of trauma on concentration, memory and trust. Yet school can also be one of the most stable and positive parts of their week, a place to build friendships, skills, confidence and a sense of a future.
That’s why education sits alongside safety and relationships in good care planning. It also matters for life after care: support with school, work and independent living helps progress last beyond any one placement.
What is a personal education plan (PEP)?
A personal education plan is a record of a child’s education and training. It tracks their progress and sets out what they need to reach their potential. In Wales, there’s a statutory duty for local authorities to develop a PEP for every child currently in their care, and the PEP forms part of the child’s overall care and support plan.
Welsh Government’s draft guidance for practitioners describes how the responsibilities are shared:
- The local authority and the school share responsibility for the quality of the PEP.
- A designated person in school draws up the PEP with the child, their parents or carers, and their social worker, and makes sure the child’s views are reflected.
- The local authority’s coordinator (often a LACE coordinator) makes sure good-quality PEPs are in place and guides schools on putting them into practice.
- The child’s social worker makes sure care plans and PEPs are made and reviewed on time.
The draft guidance recommends reviewing the PEP at least every six months, and whenever something significant changes, such as a placement move or a change of school. You can read it on the Welsh Government website.
What does a LACE coordinator do?
Looked after children education (LACE) coordinators are local authority staff who coordinate the education of care-experienced learners in their area. They help make sure plans are in place and working, advise schools, and have a key role in overseeing how extra funding for children looked after is used and what difference it makes.
What is the Pupil Development Grant for children looked after?
The Pupil Development Grant for Children Looked After (PDG-CLA) is Welsh Government funding that aims to improve the educational outcomes of care-experienced children and young people aged 3 to 15. It covers children looked after, adopted children, and children who left care under a special guardianship order. According to the Welsh Government’s guide, the funding is £1,150 per eligible child.
The money goes to local authorities, which decide how best to use it: for individual children, for groups, or across schools. The guide gives examples such as:
- one-to-one or small-group academic support;
- staff training on trauma and attachment;
- extracurricular and leisure activities;
- support with emotional well-being and social skills that get in the way of learning;
- support with transitions;
- bespoke support, such as from an educational psychologist.
It shouldn’t be used to back-fill general school budgets, and interventions should link to the learner’s PEP.
What can a children’s home do to support education?
Plans and funding only work if daily life supports them. In a children’s home, that means:
- Routines that make school possible. Getting up, getting ready and getting there, every day, is part of the structure that helps young people feel safe.
- Calm space and time for homework, with an adult who is interested and encouraging.
- Working closely with school. Sharing information appropriately, keeping in touch with the designated person, and contributing to PEP meetings so the plan reflects what we see at home.
- Making sense of difficult days. Trauma can show up at school as well as at home. Consistent, relationship-based responses help young people recover and go back the next day.
- Celebrating progress. Every achievement counts, especially for young people who have been told they’re not clever or not wanted.
- Looking ahead. Support with school, work and independent living, so progress lasts beyond the placement.
This fits the Trauma Recovery Model: once a young person has stability and trusted relationships, guided goal-setting and support into education and training become possible.
Small things, every day
An adult who asks about the school day, notices the effort, and turns up to the meeting tells a young person their education matters. Over time, that message sticks.
Frequently asked questions
Who must have a personal education plan in Wales?
There is a statutory duty to develop a PEP for every child currently in the care of a local authority.
How much is the Pupil Development Grant for children looked after?
According to Welsh Government guidance, £1,150 per eligible child, managed by local authorities.
What does LACE stand for?
Looked after children education. LACE coordinators work for local authorities and coordinate the education of care-experienced learners.
Can children’s home staff attend PEP meetings?
Carers help the child meet their PEP objectives and contribute to the plan, so it’s good practice for the staff who know the young person well to be involved.
Looking for a placement?
Social workers and commissioners can get in touch to talk about how we’d support a young person’s education, or see our homes.
