Supporting Looked After Children and Young People at School: A Scottish Case Study

The research outlined in this report aimed to study the arrangements for supporting looked after children in schools, including the transfer of information between social work and education, knowledge of the children, the awareness of key staff of the appropriate school and care environments, and the role of the designated senior manager with responsibility for looked after children. The research employed a case study approach, based on one 'learning community' (i.e. a local cluster of schools) within the City of Glasgow, Scotland. The learning community comprised a secondary school, four primary schools, two nursery schools and a pre-school children's centre. The research approach involved interviews with key informants and more informal contact, both in person and by email. Other important elements in the project included completion of a comprehensive data sheet for each young person and provision of mentoring support for the learning community via informal advice, passing on information, and by the provision of a training course for teachers and carers.