| Summary: | This study has explored, through a small number of case studies, whether 'Looked After Children' (LAC) who have experienced early life abuse or neglect receive the education provision that fully meets their needs. Statistical evidence, as measured by GCSE results, continues to suggest that despite the implementation of national policy and practice changes for over a decade, 'Looked After Children' continue to achieve significantly lower (14.6%) in comparison to non-looked after children (58.1 %) (DfE, 2012). A new conceptual framework for this study was developed using Cuthbert, Rayns and Stanley's 'framework for understanding the causes and consequences of maltreatment in infancy' (2011 :20). This study's framework suggests that the multiple interacting levels of influence, as described by Cuthbert et at (2011), must be further extended to recognise the interacting levels of influence of the externalities. The literature review was carried out using a semi - systematic approach and examined sources in a multiple domain manner. This original approach enabled the formulation of possible predictors and mechanisms of learning that are relevant to more than one domain of child development. Such knowledge provides the opportunity to develop a broader range of possible response strategies to the needs of looked after children who have experienced early life abuse or neglect. The study charts the educational experiences and progress of the individual case study children across a period of up to three years using a pragmatic . concurrent mixed method design. Data was collected approximately every six months during visits to schools and attendance a:t education, social care and health meetings. The study included data collected from the children, social care, health and education professionals, and from documentation and assessments. Themes generated from each of the case study's data were examined separately before being merged together. The research questions were explored using these findings against the backdrop of literature and other documentation.
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