Making a difference: a guide to the designated person for children looked after in Wales

The designated person is expected to:

• understand the care system and the emotional impact trauma and being in care can have on a child’s educational outcomes 
• undertake appropriate training, and keep their knowledge and understanding up to date to respond to the specific learning needs of children looked after 
• promote the educational progress of children looked after and problem-solve where an issue arises
• exhibit a commitment to improved outcomes for care-experienced children as well as those at the edge of care (a background in pastoral care and safeguarding processes is often a key requirement)

The role requires effective communication with:

• other organisations such as the local authority (education and social services departments) 
• the child or young person and their carers

It is important that:

• the individual has the experience to provide leadership, challenge and advice to others
• communication between social services and education providers is timely and comprehensive to avoid delays in providing children looked after with effective support

In schools with large numbers of children looked after, the governing body or headteacher may nominate a leadership team member to be the designated person. The designated person could then coordinate an overview of the children looked after in the school, liaising with:

• form tutors
• heads of year
• education welfare officers (EWOs)
• youth workers
• leaders of learning
• inclusion officers

The designated person should ensure that all are aware of their responsibilities towards the children on aspects such as:

• daily monitoring of attendance
• progress checks
• monitoring emotional well-being
• the completion of personal education plans (PEPs)

Having a designated person does not diminish the responsibility of headteachers. The headteacher is the lead professional and is responsible for the quality of learning and teaching and for all learner achievement in the school.

The governing body should:

• consult with the headteacher in making the decision as to who will be the designated person
• be satisfied that the designated person prioritises the education of children looked after

The decision about who should fulfil the designated person role should be based on factors such as:

• the existing management structures within the school 
• the size of the school
• the number of children looked after and their specific needs, which may vary markedly
• whether the member of staff already undertakes a strategic, inclusion or pastoral role

The designated person needs to work with the school governing body to establish and oversee school policy. This means:

• promoting high aspirations for children looked after
• monitoring learning outcomes
• empowering school staff to contribute to the teaching and wider learning experiences of children looked after
• undertaking discussions with children looked after to understand and meet their needs
• having empathy with and an understanding of the complexity of the lives of children looked after

Well-being and support

The designated person for children looked after should ensure:

• the well-being of children looked after is monitored effectively and their welfare needs addressed
• that children looked after being reintegrated to school receive support and a transition plan to ensure the process is successful
• they undertake training to carry out the full duties of the role effectively

Collaborative working and information sharing 

The designated person for children looked after should ensure:

• the school shares and supports high expectations for children looked after
• the school considers implementing projects that increase aspirations, as well as mentoring schemes (possibly by care-experienced people) to support children looked after
• the information on the school roll about children looked after is up to date (for example social worker and carer details, as well as details of any persons with whom the child should not have contact)
• a culture of positive collaboration is fostered and where communication difficulties arise with social workers or carers, contact is made with the Looked After Children in Education (LACE) coordinator (or the person in the local authority responsible for the education of children looked after)
• education information is transferred promptly between agencies and individuals in accordance with the law
• a child looked after’s transition from nursery into school, primary to secondary education and from compulsory school education into post-16 education is coordinated smoothly with all partners concerned
• planning for transitions to post-16 education begin early, ideally at the end of Year 9 when learners are making their GCSE choices
• all children receive independent impartial advice about the full range of post-16 options available to them, including vocational and work-based learning
• all children understand what progression routes are open to them and the qualifications they will need
• there is regular dialogue with children to provide support in the school environment
• all children’s educational needs are identified and appropriate interventions implemented 
• children looked after with additional learning or behavioural needs are referred to the local authority, which will identify and provide for their support needs
• referrals are made to support services (for example school-based counselling services) as appropriate
• that through working with the headteacher, the educational progress of children looked after is reported to the governing body on a termly basis
• the register of the children looked after in school is up to date
• regular liaison on issues, including poor attendance, takes place with the EWO

Meeting etiquette 

The designated person for children looked after should ensure:

• sufficient time is allocated for the school to be represented at the children looked after review
• all meetings for children looked after (for reasons related to their care circumstances) are held outside of lesson times (if this is not possible an appropriate room should be provided to ensure privacy for the meeting)
• all meetings with children looked after only involve members of school staff who are critical to that meeting
• a PEP is drawn up in partnership with the child, parent or relevant family member, carer, social worker and any other relevant person
• the PEP is available at the children looked after review meeting (the PEP review should be conducted separately from the overarching children looked after review)
• PEPs and guidance are available from the LACE coordinator (or the person responsible for the education of children looked after)
• children looked after are not exposed to disputes over finances and responsibilities in meetings
• any issues threatening the school placement are addressed without delay (all steps should be taken to prevent exclusion, including the implementation of pastoral support, referral for behaviour support and involvement of the Education Welfare Service) 

Regarding part-time timetables, please see the ‘Belonging, engaging and participating’ guidance.

It is important to remember intervention programmes for children looked after should be based on working in a trauma-informed way. More information can be found on the Trauma-Informed Wales website. Use universal programmes open to all children and young people rather than those restricted to children looked after. Such programmes may be less stigmatising and beneficial for a wider group of children.

Personal Education Plans (PEPs)

The PEP is a record of the child’s education and training. It should document the agreed action to help children looked after to fulfil their full potential and reflect (though not duplicate) any existing education plans such as an individual development plan (IDP).

Please refer directly to the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014: Part 6 Code of Practice (Looked After and Accommodated Children) for more information on PEPs.

The Welsh Government is working with local authorities to produce detailed guidance on the PEP which will be published on the Welsh Government’s website.

Prominence of designated person role 

The role of the designated person for children looked after should have the same prominence in school as other key roles such as:

• the additional learning needs coordinator (ALNCo)
• the designated safeguarding person (DSP) 

Through Our national mission: high standards and aspirations for all the Welsh Government wants every child to:

• take part in and enjoy learning
• have the best education possible to progress and expand their knowledge, skills and experience

This will support them to become:

• ambitious, capable learners ready to learn throughout their lives
• enterprising, creative contributors ready to play a full part in life and work
• ethical, informed citizens ready to be citizens of Wales and the world
• healthy, confident individuals ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society

This is consistent with our Programme for Government commitment and well-being objective to:

• continue our long-term programme of education reform 
• ensure educational inequalities narrow and standards rise

The Programme for Government also includes 8 commitments for transforming children’s services. One of these is to strengthen public bodies in their role as corporate parents. This is to help ensure care-experienced children have the same life chances as other children.

The designated person is key in helping to deliver these commitments for care-experienced children. 

The statutory duty to appoint a ‘designated person’ applies in respect of:

• children who are currently looked after or accommodated by the authority (see s.74 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
• category 2 or 3 young persons within the meaning of s.104 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (for further guidance see the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014: Part 6 Code of Practice (Looked After and Accommodated Children), paragraph 399)

However, we would encourage the designated person to also support other care-experienced children, including those that have been adopted, as and when appropriate. This recognises that children who have been adopted or who left care under a Special Guardianship Order, like children in care, have often experienced trauma, abuse, neglect and loss which may impact on their ability to thrive in a school environment.

Care-experienced children and young people:

• are not a homogeneous group but may have experienced an adverse childhood experience (ACE) during their lives (such as abuse, neglect or loss)
• may need support to overcome attachment difficulties which can affect their concentration and behaviour at school
• should be provided with the right support to help them achieve their potential and make progress in the next steps of their life

For the purpose of this guidance, the term care-experienced children and young people includes:

• children who are currently looked after or accommodated by the authority (see s.74 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
• category 1 to 6 young persons within the meaning of s.104 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act
• adopted children 

Children have said they prefer the term ‘Children looked after’ so this is the terminology used in this guidance. In the context of this guide, ‘children looked after’ refers to both children and young people currently in care. 

There are a range of factors that may create barriers for care-experienced children and young people when accessing education. These include issues related to: 

• the care system such as frequent movement of home and school placements which disrupt learning opportunities
• socio-economic impacts such as low income, family breakdown and childhood trauma
• poor mental health and well-being which can further compound difficulties in education
• additional learning needs (ALN), including:
• cognitive and language delay
• emotional dysregulation
• behavioural difficulties 
• neurodevelopmental needs

It is important to understand: 

• how children and young people’s circumstances can impact on their learning
• that every child is unique
• that every child needs to be provided with support from emotionally available adults who can facilitate high aspirations and appropriate challenge

The TrACE-Informed Organisations Toolkit can provide some guidance on this.

This is statutory guidance relating to the designated person for children looked after. It is issued by Welsh Ministers under section 20(4) of the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 (the ‘2008 Act’). Governing bodies must have regard to this guidance when exercising their functions under section 20 of the 2008 Act.

This guide focuses primarily on the designated person role in primary, secondary and special schools. It also covers the transition of children looked after and young people:

• from pre-school to compulsory education
• to further and higher education

This guidance also has relevance for post-16 education settings where there is a designated person for:

• children looked after
• young people
• care leavers
• care-experienced children or young people

There is no duty for pupil referral units (PRUs) to designate a member of staff for children looked after. However, we would encourage PRUs to follow the good practice contained in this guide. 

This guidance:

• sets out the minimum standards the Welsh Government expects
• clarifies the designated person’s responsibilities to ensure consistency of practice in maintained schools 

The designated person should undertake the role for at least a full academic year.

The following sections set out the legal duties associated with the role. These duties apply regardless of whether there are children looked after on the school roll. Schools need to be prepared to respond quickly to the needs of children looked after who join the school at short notice.

Section 20 of the Children and Young Persons Act 2008

Section 20(1) of the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 states that a governing body of a maintained school must designate a member of the staff at the school (“the designated person”) as having responsibility for promoting the educational achievement of registered pupils at the school who are:

(a) currently being looked after, and 

(b) fall within subsection (6)

Section 20(5) defines a person looked after by the local authority for the purposes of subsection (1)(a). 

Section 20(6)(ba) states that the designated person also has responsibility for category 2 and category 3 young people within the meaning of section 104(2) of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. 

The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 

The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (section 74) defines a child who is looked after by a local authority as a child who is:

• in its care, or
• provided with accommodation by the local authority, in the exercise of their social services functions, for a continuous period of more than 24 hours 

The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014: Part 6 Code of Practice (Looked After and Accommodated Children) sets out the local authorities’ duties in respect of ‘care and support’ planning for looked after and accommodated children.

The local authority’s Part 6 ‘care and support plan’ is the overarching plan for the looked after child, bringing together in one place all the key information relating to the child’s developmental needs including:

• any other assessment of the child and their family
• the child’s personal education plan, health plan and placement plan 

The Part 6 Code also recognises the importance of stability in education. It provides that:

• when deciding where to place a looked after child, a local authority should do everything possible to minimise disruption to the child’s education
• where a child is in Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11), particular effort must be made to ensure that their education is not disrupted due to a placement move

This recognises that moving children in the middle of a GCSE course (or equivalent) may seriously damage their opportunity to gain:

• the qualifications they need to enter further or higher education
• employment 

Part 6 of the Act also applies to asylum-seeking children, giving them the same rights and entitlements as any other child looked after.

The local authority should work in partnership with the child, the school (including the designated person), carers and families and other professionals to develop and review the Part 6 care and support plan so that it reflects fully the needs of the child, remains up to date and is implemented.

The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (Wales) Regulations 2015 (CPPCR)

The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (Wales) Regulations 2015 (CPPCR) also require the preparation of a:

• health plan for the child
• PEP for the child
• placement plan

These should all form an integral part of the overall Part 6 care and support plan for the child. 

School policy for children looked after (and care-experienced children)

With the headteacher, the governing body should:

• establish a policy for children looked after (including care-experienced children)
• regularly monitor the policy and its implementation in the school

The policy must comply with the requirements to:

• designate a member of staff with responsibility for promoting the educational achievement of children who are looked after (section 20(1) of the 2008 Act)
• ensure that the designated person undertakes appropriate training (section 20(2) of the 2008 Act)

The policy should include as a minimum: 

• the school’s arrangements for the admission of children looked after
• how the school will monitor attendance, assessment and achievement data of children looked after
• ‘catch-up arrangements’ where gaps in the child’s education are identified
• how the child will be encouraged to engage with after-school clubs, the school council or additional revision sessions
• arrangements to ensure PEPs are completed and effective and multi-agency review meetings attended
• actions that will be taken to avoid excluding care-experienced children and young people and how those at risk of exclusion will be supported (see Exclusion from schools and pupil referral units guidance)
• transition arrangements for when a child leaves the school due to a placement move or at a natural leaving point
• reference in the school prospectus to the guidance and named designated person for children looked after 
• reference to care-experienced children and the support that they still receive

The ‘Corporate Parenting Charter: A Promise from Wales’ sets out the shared principles all bodies and their leaders should follow when providing services (including education) to care-experienced children and young people. This includes the following principle:

‘A Good Education: We will provide opportunities and support for all care-experienced children and young people to learn and develop and help them become who they want to be.’ 

The Welsh Government has published a corporate parenting toolkit, which:

• provides further information on the principles
• provides examples of how corporate parenting could be taken forward in an education setting
• will be regularly reviewed and updated to reflect examples of good practice

The Corporate Parenting Charter is open to anyone to sign up to, including school settings and local authorities. We encourage everyone to become a corporate parent to care-experienced children and young people. 

The Welsh Government has a Programme for Government commitment to “explore radical reform of current services for looked after children”. As part of this work, facilitated by Voices from Care Cymru, a Declaration was co-produced between Ministers and care-experienced young people.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) outlines the fundamental rights of every child (regardless of their race, religion or abilities). Among the rights it includes are that:

• every child has rights, without discrimination of any kind (Article 2)
• the best interests of the child must be a top priority in all decisions and actions that affect them (Article 3)
• children and young people have the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously (Article 12)
• children who cannot be looked after by their own family must be looked after properly, by people who respect their religion, culture and language (Article 20)
• when children are adopted the first concern must be what is best for them (Article 21)
• children who come into a country as refugees should have the same rights as children born in that country (Article 22)
• children and young people have the right to an education regardless of race, gender, disability, detention status or refugee status (Article 28)
• education should develop each child’s personality and talents to the full (Article 29) 

Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 (‘the ALN Act’)

The ALN Act makes provision for supporting children and young people with additional learning needs (ALN) in Wales. Together, the ALN Act, regulations made under the Act and the ALN Code for Wales provide the legal framework for ALN in Wales. This legislation places duties on local authorities and schools in relation to children looked after with ALN. 

Under the ALN system, children and young people with ALN are entitled to a statutory plan called an IDP. For children looked after, it is their local authority’s duty to identify ALN and prepare and maintain IDPs for them. For other children that duty is shared between the maintained school they attend and the local authority. 

The duties of local authorities and schools in relation to children looked after with ALN are further explained in Chapter 14 of the ALN Code for Wales.

Positive engagement with care-experienced children and young people is key. The Welsh Government wants to keep the voices of care-experienced learners at the forefront when we are developing or reviewing education policy. We value their opinions and are keen to know about their experience of education and what might help to improve it. This will help us provide teachers and local authorities with guidance to support care-experienced children in the best ways.

Children looked after have said they:

• do not want to be labelled or stigmatised 
• do not want to be treated differently 
• want to be part of the decision-making that affects the rest of their lives 

The designated person should ensure that throughout all the stages of their education every child:

• has every opportunity to have their voice heard 
• has a say in the decisions that affect them 

Views could be collected through:

• conversation
• a questionnaire
• pictorial representations if the child is non-verbal or struggles to communicate verbally

Responsibility for ensuring the child or young person’s views are heard lies with the:

• designated person
• virtual school head (VSH)
• LACE (where applicable)
• social worker
• parent, carer or personal adviser 
• any other organisation or public body that has a corporate parent responsibility 

Useful information on this area can be found in Estyn’s ‘Supplementary guidance: listening to learners on inspection: September 2021’.

Care-experienced children and young people need regular opportunities to meet with others who have experienced time in care. Some third sector organisations, such as Voices From Care Cymru, provide such opportunities. Some local authorities also have forums where care-experienced children and young people can share their views and experiences. The designated person for children looked after should signpost learners to these opportunities. 

Children entering care and care-experienced children and young people often receive care and support from a complex system of agencies and professionals. Effective multi-agency working together with the designated person is crucial. This section outlines the key roles of professionals who work with children looked after and how they interrelate. Multi-agency arrangements should build on:

• examples of good partnership working
• the desire to improve the educational progress of these learners

It is essential that adequate support is in place to create an environment which supports this. 

Governing bodies

The placing authority should ensure that independent or non-maintained special schools make appropriate arrangements to support the needs of children looked after. Where children are to be educated in a children’s home that is not eligible for registration as a school, there is no requirement for a designated person. 

Where a child looked after is on a school roll but receives education other than at school (EOTAS), it is the school’s responsibility to promote the educational achievement of that child. Where a child looked after is not on a school roll and is accessing EOTAS provision, the onus lies with the local authority (as the corporate parent) to promote the educational achievement of that child.

Some schools will not have any children looked after on their roll. All governing bodies:

• should be ready to accommodate a child looked after (who may join the school mid-term and without much notice) 
• should arrange training for a newly appointed designated person as soon as is reasonably practicable

Headteachers

The headteacher should work with the governing body and the designated person to ensure the designated person has sufficient time to attend:

• necessary training as part of their continuing professional development (CPD)
• statutory children looked after review meetings

The headteacher is responsible for ensuring this is reflected in their school policy for children looked after.

Additional learning needs coordinator (ALNCo) 

Many children looked after have additional learning needs (ALN). ALNCos have a strategic role in maintained schools (other than special schools) and further education institutions (FEIs):

• supporting planning, management and delivery of duties and responsibilities for identifying and meeting the needs of learners with ALN
• providing related professional guidance to colleagues with the aim of securing high-quality teaching for learners with ALN
• supporting children looked after who have ALN

Designated safeguarding person (DSP)

Every local authority in Wales must have a single point of contact for those working with children to raise concerns about a child at risk. Everyone working in an education setting should be familiar with the local authority contact and the details of the designated safeguarding person (DSP) within their education setting to raise such a concern. Each school or college must ensure that there is a safeguarding policy that clearly sets out the contact details for the local authority first point of contact. This policy should be readily available to all staff. This is effective practice for all education settings. Further information can be found in the Keeping learners safe: The role of local authorities, governing bodies and proprietors of independent schools under the Education Act 2002 statutory guidance.

Many children enter care because they have been abused or neglected. These experiences can leave children with complex emotional and mental health needs, which can:

• increase their vulnerability to abuse
• sometimes result in risky behaviours

The designated person should have close liaison with the DSP to ensure that any safeguarding risks are clearly understood, recognised and acted on. 

Virtual school head (VSH), looked after children in education (LACE) coordinator or equivalent role

To promote the education of care-experienced children local authorities generally employ either a VSH or LACE coordinator (or equivalent role). These roles may vary across Wales but generally will involve:

• tracking and monitoring the educational progress of children looked after
• ensuring children looked after have a high-quality and effective PEP, as well as appropriate interventions where necessary
• promoting the educational needs of children looked after across the local authority and with other local authorities where they have been placed out of county or country
• promoting the use of funding available for children looked after
• monitoring the rates of exclusion and incidents of children looked after who are excluded or on reduced timetables

This section outlines the professionals from sectors external to the school who should work alongside the designated person to support children who are looked after. 

Engagement and progression coordinator (EPC)and youth homelessness coordinator (YHC) 

The Youth Engagement and Progression Framework (YEPF) has been developed to support young people:

• between 11 and 18 years at risk of not making a positive transition when they leave school
• who are at risk of youth homelessness

The YEPF brings together key elements of effective practice to help deliver positive outcomes for young people. It provides a systematic mechanism for local authorities to:

• identify those in need of support
• establish the support available
• track young people’s progress as they make the transition from compulsory education into further education, training or employment 

Local authorities have staff in place to fulfil the EPC role and a YHC, and these play a critical role in implementing the YEPF. The EPC should:

• prevent young people from disengaging from learning
• support young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET)

The YHC is focused on the prevention of youth homelessness. The EPC and YHC roles provide the:

• operational leadership needed to identify the level of risk of young people becoming homeless
• specific support needed to help young people make a positive progression

The local authority early identification system will likely flag up a child looked after as at risk of disengaging and becoming homeless. Appropriate support will then need to be put in place, in collaboration with other key partners. 

The following people should also have a strong working relationship with the designated person to ensure a joined-up approach to supporting care-experienced children and young people. 

• Foster carers, carers and residential staff: The Fostering Network works alongside foster carers and services to ensure that foster carers have the information and support they need.
• Social workers.
• Independent reviewing officers (IROs). 
• Independent visitors: these are appointed by a local authority for a child looked after where it appears to be in the child’s best interests. The role of the independent visitor is to visit, befriend and advise a child.

Further information on these roles can be found in the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014: Part 6 Code of Practice (Looked After and Accommodated Children).

Personal advisers

Once a young person ceases to be looked after and becomes a care leaver (whether this happens before they reach 18, or when they reach legal adulthood at age 18), the local authority is no longer required to provide them with a social worker and must appoint a personal adviser to support them.

The personal adviser will be the key professional responsible for co-ordinating the care leaver’s support and also a key participant in preparing the young person’s pathway plan. 

Further information can be found in Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014: Part 6 Code of Practice (Looked After and Accommodated Children). 

Advocate

Under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, all children looked after have a statutory entitlement to an advocate. Further information on this role can be found in the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014: Part 10 Code of Practice (Advocacy).

There are independent advocate services to support children looked after, such as the services provided by Tros Gynnal Plant and The National Youth Advocacy Service. 

Elected members 

Elected members have a significant role to play as corporate parents in overseeing the services provided for children looked after and young people, ensuring these services improve the outcomes of those children and young people. 

Post-16 education providers

Post-16 education providers are responsible for supporting an effective transition to post-16 education or training through early identification of individual needs and careful planning. 

The designated person should work with the post-16 education providers where possible to support the young person’s transition to post-16 education or training. 

Stable and supportive pre- and post-16 educational environments can significantly impact on young people’s confidence, motivation and levels of engagement. These are environments where:

• progress is monitored
• successes celebrated 
• interventions put in place, if necessary

Career guidance is essential to helping young people explore pathways best suited to their strengths and interests, enabling them to make informed decisions about their future. Access to diverse training opportunities can equip them with practical skills and qualifications that enhance their employability. These elements:

• address immediate educational need 
• support continued learning and training in adulthood and the associated health, well-being and social benefits

Children looked after may not have access to the same social capital as their peers and may need extra support and encouragement.

All children starting compulsory education or a new school will face:

• a different curriculum
• a different setting 
• different people 

In the case of children looked after, this change in their lives can be more challenging due to past problematic experiences of change. 

Children can experience a positive transition and feel secure and settled more easily where there is:

• careful proactive planning
• sharing of information 
• mutual visiting between the child, parents, carers and professionals

The designated person must support this transition, ensuring information is shared where required (for example the PEP).

The designated person should take responsibility for ensuring all members of staff in schools and further educational settings understand their role in supporting the progress of children looked after.

Further education and work-based learning providers should be invited to the school at appropriate times during the young person’s education to speak about:

• the courses and training they deliver
• what it is like to study in a college or undertake an apprenticeship

The designated person should support the young person to attend open and taster days, for example by:

• arranging transport
• attending with the young person themselves or arranging for someone to attend with them

Learners’ career aspirations and progression routes should be captured in their PEP and pathway plan and be regularly reviewed to ensure they continue to reflect the young person’s aims and ambitions. 

The designated person, carers and social workers should help the young person identify realistic and appropriate post-16 provision. 

Offer of learning

The designated person should ensure that all learners have an offer of learning before they go on exam or study leave, and track those without an offer. The offer letter from the post-16 provider should be copied to the designated person. It should set out what the learner should do if they do not attain the necessary grades. If this information is not included, the designated person should find out this information from the post-16 provider. 

The Engagement and Progression Coordinator will also support a smooth transition from school to post-16 education.

Personal Education Plan meeting and post-transition meeting

The designated person will arrange a PEP meeting or post-transition meeting and invite:

• the young person and their carers
• a social worker
• representation from the post-16 provider
• an engagement and progression coordinator
• a personal adviser if appropriate 

This meeting gives the young person and their carer the chance to:

• meet their key point of contact at the post-16 provider
• discuss any support the learner may need to make a successful transition 

It also enables the post-16 representative to meet the young person’s personal adviser and social worker regularly. Both the personal adviser and social worker will play a crucial role in supporting the young person to participate and remain in post-16 education or training.

When a child looked after is about to turn 16, the local authority must prepare a pathway plan to assist that young person with the transition to adulthood and leaving care. The designated person may assist in this process. The pathway plan will build upon the child’s existing Part 6 care and support plan, which will be subsumed within the pathway plan.

To assist the young person in making a successful transition from care, the pathway plan will capture the actions necessary from:

• the young person
• the young person’s carer
• the parent 
• the local authority, including the local authority leaving care team
• other identified parties or agencies who are involved with the young person

The local authority’s duties in respect of pathway planning will continue once a young person turns 18. The pathway assessment and planning process should also determine and record what information, advice and assistance should be provided for the young person as they prepare for adulthood and living independently. Chapter 5 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014: Part 6 Code of Practice (Looked After and Accommodated Children) makes provision in respect of leaving care, including pathway plans and assessments.

Pupil Development Grant (PDG)

The guide to the Pupil Development Grant on the Welsh Government website explains how the PDG is administered and how the eligibility criteria operates.

Pupil Development Grant for Children Looked After (PDG-CLA)

The Welsh Government provides local authorities with annual funding based on the number of eligible children aged 3 to 15 in care from the previous year’s children looked after census. 

The PDG-CLA is intended to support the social, academic and emotional needs of:

• children looked after (CLA)
• children who have been adopted 
• care-experienced children who are subject to a special guardianship order (SGO)

Although PDG-CLA funding is allocated based on numbers of children looked after, it is intended to benefit all care-experienced children. This recognises that like children currently in care, care-experienced children:

• have often experienced trauma, abuse, neglect and loss
• may need additional support to thrive in a school or other education environment

Foster carers and adoptive parents will often make inquires with their child’s school about the grant. In these cases, the designated person should refer the inquiry to the LACE coordinator, VSH or equivalent role within the local authority. That individual will provide advice and guidance about the grant.

The Welsh Government is currently developing specific guidance on PDG-CLA which will be published on the Welsh Government’s website. 

School Essentials Grant 

All children in local authority care qualify for the School Essentials Grant and eligibility is not based on family income or eligibility for means-tested free school meals. The grant provides financial help for:

• essential school items such as uniforms, stationery and school sports kit
• uniforms for enrichment activities such as scouts, guides, cadets, martial arts, sports and performing arts

Families with children:

• in reception to Year 11 can apply for £125 per learner and extra funding for their school
• entering Year 7 can apply for £200 per learner (to help with increased costs associated with starting secondary school) and extra funding for their school

Parents and carers can claim once per child per school year.

School admissions

The School admissions code provides a summary of the statutory School Admissions Code, including provisions for the admission of children looked after and previously children looked after. In accordance with the Code and the Education (Admission of Looked After Children) (Wales) Regulations 2009, admission authorities must give highest priority to looked after and previously looked after children within their oversubscription criteria. Where the number of applications exceeds the published admission number, these children must be ranked first.

There are exceptions for schools with a designated religious character. Faith schools must give first priority to children looked after and children previously looked after who follow the school's faith. They can also choose to give top priority to all children looked after, even if they are not of the faith. If they do this, they must still make sure that children looked after who are not of the faith are given higher priority than other children who are not of the faith.

Transfer of the child’s educational records guidance

The Welsh Government website provides advice and guidance on the keeping, disposal, disclosure and transfer of a pupil’s educational record.

Education psychology service (EPS) referral guidance

Every local authority has an EPS, although there are variations in service delivery to meet local needs. Educational psychologists (EPs) within this service will work with children and young people to support their:

• development
• well-being
• resilience
• learning
• achievement

The role of educational psychologists in Wales guidance is aimed at education professionals, parents and carers. It provides an overview of the responsibilities of EPs and the services they can provide. 

Behaviour issues

The following resources are available to support behaviour management in the classroom.

• Behaviour toolkit: This resource provides practical support for education settings in Wales, helping practitioners foster positive learning behaviours through access to research, guidance, and resources, all in one place. It will be reviewed regularly based on practitioner feedback.
• Practical approaches to behaviour management in the classroom: a handbook for classroom teachers in primary schools.
• Practical approaches to behaviour management in the classroom: a handbook for classroom teachers in secondary schools.

The above guidance documents focus on general behaviour management methods. These documents will be subject to review in 2026.

Improving school attendance

The belonging, engaging and participating guidance sets out approaches for how schools, parents, carers and local authorities can work together to try and improve school attendance.

Exclusion

The exclusion from schools and pupil referral units guidance provides advice on:

• avoiding exclusions 
• the process which must be followed when excluding learners from schools and PRUs
• the procedures for appealing against exclusion
• how to maintain the education of excluded learners.

We are continuing to work with our key partners to drive improvements in the educational attainment of children who are looked after. 

• Estyn: The office of His Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education and Training.
• The Fostering Network.
• Voices From Care Cymru.
• CASCADE: Cardiff University.
• Adoption UK.
• Careers Wales.
• Foster Wales.
• AFKA Cymru.