The strengths and needs of looked-after children at Key Stage 2 in one local authority

• Main Author: Buckley, Jane
• Published: University of Manchester 2008
• Subjects: 370.15
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.504723

For some years now Government and Local Authorities have been concerned about the educational achievements and life chances of Looked After Children and research has highlighted that these children can experience major problems. It is perhaps surprising, therefore, that little is known specifically about a group of Looked after Children in the Local Authority in which I work and hence the aim of this study was to gain an understanding of a group of Key Stage 2 Looked After Children in order to compare their personal and educational outcomes with other Looked After Children across the country and also to inform policy and practice in the Local Authority and in the Educational Psychology Service where I work. This study aimed to identify the strengths and needs of Looked After Children cared for by the local authority in which I practice in order to establish whether the traditional way in which Looked After Children access the Educational Psychology Service is appropriate. The emergent objectives were to understand the demographic characteristics of Looked After Children, to examine how well they perform in respect of cognition and educational achievement, to establish their levels of emotional wellbeing and finally, to establish what factors seem to promote resilience in the Looked After Children population. The research design employed a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. Data analysis of local authority records (education and social care), interviews, questionnaires and psychoeducational assessment instruments were utilised. The study found that, as a group, Key Stage 2 Looked After Children fair well in terms of psychoeducational outcomes. However, at an individual level some children had specific compounding psychoeducational needs which would clearly suggest the need for support from Local Authority Services, including the Educational Psychology Service. The study also indicates that a balance needs to be struck between strategic intervention and individual support in order to meet the needs of this vulnerable group of children.