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This information pack was created to demonstrate the importance the teacher student relationship has when looked after children are transitioning from primary to secondary school.  Firstly, a literature review will aim to define the meaning of looked after children and the care system in Scotland. This will include the statistics and types of placements currently available. I will also give a brief description of the emotional and social challenges faced by looked after children and how their lives effect their education in general. A brief description of what social pedagogy means and how teachers could use this theory to support, care and promote looked after children in their education especially when transitioning from primary to secondary. Next, drawing on relevant literature, policies and legislations I will argue the importance of the teacher student relationship and social pedagogy to support looked after children’s during this transition. Finally, I will discuss practical strategies for educators to use in the classroom. I will conclude by recommending further readings and provide links to useful online resources that are available for practitioners.

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Who is the Looked After Child?

The Children’s Act (1989) defines a looked after child as a child who is looked after by a Local Authority. It could either be through a court order or the council’s children services department has cared for a child for more than 24 hours. It is necessary to clarify that each UK Nation has evolved its own definition from this broad definition and have variations to the term, looked after children. In Scotland the definition of a looked after child, includes all the children that are under a supervision requirement order. This means that many looked after children are still living at home with their parents but have regular contact from social services.  NSPCC (2018) explain that children enter the care system for a variety of reasons, such as the child’s parents agree with services due to health reasons, or the child is an unaccompanied asylum seeker with no responsible adult to take care of them, or children’s services had to intervene because they felt that the child was at significant risk or harm. In the latter case, the child usually is made a subject of the court
Emotions, social wellbeing and placements of looked after children.

Looked after children come from different upbringings and have different experiences previous to entering care and after. Prior to entering care, they might have experience violence, abuse and neglect. Once in care they might experience several changes in their placements and experience other hardships (Barnardos 2006; NSPCC 2018). Kendrick’s (1995) study demonstrated that one third of the children in care experience three or more moves within the care system in just one year. These moves were done for several reasons, mainly because the child’s behaviour, local authority budgets or the child’s age. Rahilly and Hendry (2014) indicate that placement breakdowns have a detrimental impact on the child’s emotional wellbeing and mental health. They conclude that all this upheaval from an early age, prevents the child from forming positive stable relationships with adults who can help protect them and support them in life. Berridge (2006) further highlighted that all these factors, especially poor early attachment relationships are the roots to other issues later on in their life such as behavioural problems and mental health. On the other hand, Oakley et al (2018) highlight that even after taking these difficulties into considerations looked after children experience more positive outcomes than if there were not taken into care.

Looked After Children, Education System.

The right for education is enshrined in the United Nations conventions on the “The Right of a Child.” Bradshaw and Mayhew (2005) argue that obtaining success in education is a “gradual staircase” to a successful adulthood, in terms of employment, income and lifestyle (p.232).

Berridge and Brodie (1998) implied that looked after children share many things in common with other children but because of their experiences and circumstances they may also need additional needs and specific needs to support them within the educational system. In the last decade, research has shown that looked after children reach poor levels in education in the UK (Social Inclusion Unit 2003; Barnardos 2006). Berridge (2006) indicates that children in care experience disadvantages growing up in care which result in them becoming one of the most vulnerable group in society, he further indicates that one of their biggest drawbacks is their transition to adulthood.

The generalisability of these issues and a review of the Children’s Hearing System in 2004. instigated the Scottish Government to look at this issue and GIRFEC was launched. This framework requires that all the services aimed at the child and young people, social work, education, health, police and housing streamline their systems and work together putting the child at the centre of all the services to achieve better positive outcomes. This instigated the notion of corporate parenting, meaning that when a child is looked after the local authority is to act as a parent. It is intended to encourage people and organisations to do as much as they can to make sure children and young people overcome barriers in their lives (www.scotgov.uk). O’Neil (2016) highlighted that even though Scottish Government is trying to deliver a plan specifically aimed at closing the attainment gap of looked after children, by implementing new legislations and new policies, they are still facing a multiple of challenges and disadvantages when it comes to education.
Looked after children and transition between primary and secondary.

Before attempting to discuss transitions and looked after children it is important to clarify what a successful transition between primary and secondary school means, as every child finds this transition hard. In their report STARS (2018) define a successful transition from primary to secondary school as having two requirements, the pupil to be behaviourally and academically involved in the school and the pupil has a sense of belonging in the school. This report demonstrated that most pupils have similar anxieties in regards to this transition and an effective way to overcome these anxieties is a combination of strategies delivered to all the pupils aiming to deal with these common concerns. However, they highlight that there is an additional need of more strategies to support vulnerable children depending on the pupil’s individual case. (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/pals/research/clinical-educational-and-health-psychology/research-groups/school-transition-and-adjustment)
McClung and Gayle (2010) highlight that looked after children experience, instability throughout their lives. While in education they tend to be asked to change schools for several reasons, either because they get excluded or their placement has broken down and they had to move to another area. O’Neil (2016) suggests that as their lives is in a flux, educators should try and keep their education a safe, nurturing environment and support looked after children to overcome barriers such as a transition from one school to another. Corby (2019) argues that one of the major drawbacks of looked after children while transitioning from primary and secondary is the fact that they arrive to the school with problems but these problems are not identified and are unknown to the new school. This makes it difficult for the new school to address these issues. She further states that even though there is an aversion in education towards the culture of labelling a child, in this case labelling a child would support the child’s needs and support the child.

Student Teacher relationship and social pedagogy

It is necessary to explain that research has shown that a positive student teacher relationship helps achieve better outcomes for all the students not only looked after children. De Vito (1986) describes teaching as a process that has different stages from initial contact through intimacy and dissolution. Frymier and Houser (2000) highlight that research has shown the importance that teachers need to concentrate on two basic things content and relational; content, expertise and effective delivery system. However, growing evidence has shown that communication, verbal and nonverbal, have an impact for effective teaching as well. When the relationship between teacher and student moves to informality, they both begin to see each other as individuals, interpersonal relationships are formed and this brings respect and trust and creates a safe learning space. When teachers treat students with respect and seek out to listen and value students, automatically the students are more likely to commit themselves to work hard (Furrer et al 2000). Couling (2010) explains that even after all the increase in literature, policies and legislations there is still a lack of awareness about the needs of looked after children and they are still failing to thrive. McClung and Gayle’s (2010) study further indicates this thought that there is a lack of understanding by teachers of what is it like being looked after. Teachers treated the looked after children differently and this had a negative effect. One of their key findings was that corporate parenting has not yet been effective in improving looked after children’s educational achievements.

It is important to clarify that there are various theories that teachers can use to achieve the above, however using social pedagogy is essential in this case. Social pedagogy is a holistic and relationship centred way of working in care and educational settings. It is concerned with the well- being, learning and growth of each individual. It is based on the idea that each individual has a potential, is valuable, resourceful and can make an impact on the wider community if practitioners find the right way of including them (http://www.thempra.org.uk/social-pedagogy/). Petrie (2001) explains that social pedagogy has the potential for an inclusive, normalising approach where the main focus is on children as children, including everyone those with additional needs and looked after children. In her article Petrie further indicates that currently even though polices and legislations are trying to achieve this, there is no overarching concept that is bringing this in practice.

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Consistent with the literature the statistics show that looked after children are still not reaching their potential when it comes to education. While 98% of all school leavers in Scotland achieve at least one qualification at SCQF 3 level, only 86% of looked after children manage to achieve this. Statistics also show that 14% of looked after children leave school without qualifications compared to only 2% of all school leavers (www.scotgov.uk//statistics).

Coherently studies show that teachers are still struggling to understand the upheaval looked after children face throughout their lives, resulting in difficulties in building a positive working relationships (Couling 2010; McClung and Gayle 2010).  Furthermore, this confirms Corby’s (2018) argument that looked after children face more obstacles when transitioning from primary to secondary as the new school does not know that they need additional support.

Additionally, even though Scottish government is changing legislations and policies to support looked after children in their education and to achieve positive outcomes, the literature suggests that practitioners are yet to reach a point of harmony where services are all inclusive and working alongside each other to support the child in achieving better outcomes.

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The culmination of the above brings us to a very clear message of actions that could be done to improve the educational experience as whole especially during transitions for looked after children. Teachers should have more training on two areas that would support them into achieving better outcomes with this group of children. Training to help them understand looked after children and their lives as Couling’s (2010) study confirmed, looked after children still feel that they are still misunderstood. The other area would be for practitioners from all agencies to incorporate social pedagogy when working with looked after children. More training and information on this would support practitioners achieve better outcomes for looked after children, especially during transitions from primary to secondary, as using social pedagogy the student is the centre of the work and it helps practitioner to be focused and plan for the individual, by working along other agencies.

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http://www.thempra.org.uk/social-pedagogy/

This website is important for practitioners that want to investigate more into social pedagogy and how they can incorporate this framework in their work.

http://www.barnardos.co.uk

This website gives important information about services that looked after children could access. There are also articles that reflect what work is being done with this group and there are updates regularly.

https://www.gov.scot/policies/girfec/

This is an official link that gives an outline about the legislation and the importance of corporate parenting.

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Barnardos (2006) Failed by the system: the views of young care leavers on their educational experiences. Barnardos Essex Accessed 29th April 2019

Berridge, D, (2006) Theory and Explanantion in child welfare: Education and looked after children, child and family social worker, 12,, 1-10

Berridge, D., Brodie, I., Pitts, J., Porteous, D., Tarling, R. (2001) The Independent effects of permanent exclusion from school on the offending careers of young people.

Bradshaw, J., Mayhew, E. (eds) (2005) The well-being of children in the UK. Save the Children. London (Accessed 30th April 2019)

Children’s Act (1985)

Couling, N., (2003) Definitions of successful education for  the looked after child: A multi- agency perspective (accessed 29th April 2019)

De Vito, J.A. (1986) Teaching as relational development. In J. M. Civikly (Ed) Communicating in College Classrooms (pp 51- 59) San Francisco: Josey – Bass.

Frymier,A., Houser, M.L., (2000) The teacher‐student relationship as an interpersonal relationship, Communication Education, 49:3, 207-219, DOI: 10.1080/03634520009379209 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520009379209 (Accessed 30th April 2019)

Furrer, C., Skinner, E., A., Pitzer, J.R., (2000) The Influence of Teacher Peer Relationship on Students’ classroom engagement and everyday motivational resilience.

Kendrick, A (1995) Residential care in integration of child care services. Scottish Office Central

McClung, M. Gayle, V. (2010) Exploring care effects of multiple factors on the educational achievement of children looked after at home and away from home: an investigation of two Scottish local authorities. (Accessed online 30th April 2019)

Research Unit, Edinburgh

Petrie, P., (2001) The Potential of Pedagogy/ Education for work in the children’s sector in the UK.

Rahilly, T. and Hendry, E. (eds) (2014) Promoting the wellbeing of children in care: messages from research. London : NSPCC

Scottish Government –

www.scotgov.gov.uk//statistics (accessed 29th April 2019)

Scottish Government-

https://www.gov.scot/policies/girfec/ (accessed 30th April 2019)

STARS Report 2018 https://www.ucl.ac.uk/pals/research/clinical-educational-and-health-psychology/research-groups/school-transition-and-adjustment (accessed 30th April 2019)

Social Inclusion Unit (2003) A better Education for Children in Care. Social Inclusion Unit, London. Accessed 30th April 2019.

United Nations Conventions: The Right of a Child. https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention (accessed 29th April 2019)

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-protection-system/scotland/ (accessed 29th April 2019)

https://www.celcis.org/knowledge-bank/search-bank/blog/2016/07/attainment-gap-what-stats-tell-us/ (accessed 29th April 2019)

www.celcis.org.uk( accessed 6th May 2019)

https://www.tes.com/news/transition-three-changes-support-vulnerable-children (accessed 29th April 2019)