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Contents

1. The Personal Education Plan (PEP) - Introduction
2. When a Child First becomes Looked After
3. When a Child Moves Into a New Local Authority
4. When a Child Needs or Joins a New School
5. When a Child Has No School Place
6. Reviewing and Updating PEPs
7. When a Child is Absent from School
8. School Exclusions
9. When a Young Woman becomes Pregnant

1. The Personal Education Plan (PEP) - Introduction

The Personal Education Plan (PEP) is the central platform for the education of Looked After Children, and is incorporated within or attached to each child’s Care Plan.

The Personal Education Plan should be initiated as part of the Care Plan before the child becomes Looked After (or within 10 working days in the case of an emergency placement), and be available for the first Looked After Review meeting.

All Looked After Children of compulsory school age must have a Personal Education Plan (PEP), whether or not currently in education. It provides essential information to ensure that appropriate support is in place to enable the child to achieve the targets set. It is also a record of the child's leisure interests and educational achievement.

The social worker is responsible for initiating and compiling PEPs.

When a child is attending school, the school’s Designated Teacher or other identified member of staff is also responsible for ensuring that a child has a PEP, in consultation with the social worker.

The social worker should convene and chair meetings, as necessary, to ensure the PEP is completed.

If the PEP meeting is organised to coincide with other reviews/meetings, for example, an annual review of a Statement of Special Educational Needs, or the drawing up of an Individual Education Plan (IEP), the social worker should agree with other participants in advance how responsibility for the meeting is to be shared.

A PEP must be based on accurate and up-to-date information, covering the following:

• Chronology of education and training history which provides a record of the child's educational experience and progress in terms of National Curriculum levels of attainment, including information about educational institutions attended and the reasons for leaving, attendance and conduct record, academic and other achievements, any special educational needs, an indication of the extent to which the child's education has been disrupted before entering care or accommodation;
• Existing arrangements for education and training, including details of any special educational provision and any other provision to meet the child's educational or training needs and promote educational achievement;
• Any planned changes to existing arrangements and provision to minimise disruption;
• The child's leisure interests;
• Role of the appropriate person and any other person who cares for the child in promoting the child's educational achievements and leisure interests.

Everyone relevant should be consulted about both their views and their ability to contribute to  the child’s educational progress. 

Decisions by participants should aim to achieve small, concrete, observable improvements. These should be significant and realistic and involve positive changes to the current situation.

Recommendations from the planning meeting should go to the Looked After Review for approval - changes of school, increased expenditure, etc.

If the pupil is subject to a Statement of Special Educational Needs, any  recommendations relating to school and the content of the statement must go via the annual review of the statement (which can be brought forward if necessary).

The social worker must also ensure that parents are involved in these events as far as is appropriate, and that copies of the child’s school reports are sent to the parents.

1.1 Avoidance of Disruption in Education

The Nominated Officer must approve of any change of placement affecting a child in Key Stage 4, except in an emergency/where the placement is terminated because of an immediate risk of serious harm to the child or to protect others from serious injury.

In those circumstances, the Local Authority must make appropriate arrangements to promote the child's educational achievement as soon as reasonably practicable.

• The child's wishes and feelings have been ascertained and given due consideration;
• The wishes and feelings of the parent(s) have been ascertained where the child is accommodated (where possible) and where appropriate where the child is subject to a Care Order);
• The educational provision will promote educational achievement and is consistent with the PEP;
• The Independent Reviewing Officer has been consulted;
• The Designated Teacher at the child's school has been consulted.

Other than in Key Stage 4, where the Local Authority proposes making any change to the child's placement that would have the effect of disrupting the arrangements made for education and training, they must ensure that other arrangements are made for education or training that meet the child's needs and are consistent with the PEP.

2. When a Child becomes Looked After

Notification

Before or as soon as a child becomes Looked After, the child’s social worker must notify the school the child attends. The notification will be initially by telephone and must then be confirmed in writing.

If the child is placed outside the City of London, the authority into which the child is placed must also be notified.

See: Local Authority Officers for LAC in Education and Children’s Social Care in every local authority

The First Personal Education Plan - non-residential schools

The first Personal Education Plan (PEP) should be in place within the first 20 days of a child coming in to care.

A meeting must take place as soon as possible with the school, the carer and the social worker; and should involve the child as far as is appropriate and possible.

The meeting should usually be chaired by the social worker.

Its purpose is to draw up the first PEP.

The first PEP should:

• Identify the child’s immediate needs (e.g. to maintain the current school place, make transport arrangements, find a new school, obtain short-term interim education)
• Establish contact between carer, school or other education staff and social worker - the basis of a working partnership
• Establish boundaries of confidentiality
• Agree how and when the next (full) PEP is going to be drawn up.

The First Personal Education Plan - residential schools & educational placements

The first Personal Education Plan (PEP) should be in place within the first 20 days of a child coming in to care.

A meeting must take place as soon as possible with the education and residential staff and should involve the child as far as is appropriate and possible.

The first PEP should:

• Identify the child’s immediate needs (e.g. literacy and numeracy, behaviour management, assessment of ability and knowledge)
• Establish contact between education staff and social worker - the basis of a working partnership
• Agree how and when the next (full)  PEP is going to be drawn up.

Second and subsequent  PEP’s:

Second and subsequent PEP’s should correspond with the Looked After Review cycle and PEP decisions and recommendations must be available to chairs at reviews.

Provision of education for pupils with Statement of Special Educational Needs can be changed only by amending the statement at an annual review.

3. When a Child Moves into a New Local Authority

If a child is placed out of the City of London but continues to attend the same school as before becoming Looked After, the Procedure outlined in Section 2, When a Child becomes Looked After.

If the child is to be placed out of the City of London and will need a new school, efforts to obtain a school place should (unless it is an emergency placement) begin well before s/he moves to a new placement.

Whenever possible a child should not be moved to a new placement until s/he also has a school place.

Where the child does not have a school place - see Section 5, When a Child has no School Place.

Pupils With Statements of Special Educational Needs

The Statement of Special Educational Needs Department of the Local Education Authority where the child lives (unless in residential accommodation)  is responsible for the placement and provision for a pupil who has a statement of special needs.

Applications to schools are made by the local authority maintaining the statement. If the local authority agrees to adopt a statement then it will need to be amended . This needs to be planned for as early as possible as it can cause long delays.

4. When a Child Needs or Joins a new School

Also see Section 1.1, Avoiding Disruption of Education

Choosing and applying to a school place is primarily the social worker’s responsibility but may be delegated to or shared with others (e.g. the carer, a local education authority officer).

Notification

At local authority one member of staff in the school  - the Designated Teacher for Looked After Children or the Head Teacher - must be informed that the child is a Looked After Child. Other members of staff should be identified at the Personal Education Plan (PEP) meeting, taking into account the child’s wishes concerning confidentiality.

Pupils With Statements of Special Educational Needs

A pupil who has a Statement of Special Educational Needs applies to schools through the special needs section of the local authority maintaining the statement, not directly. Similarly, a change of schools at any other time needs the agreement of the local authority to approach the school and for the statement to be amended. This needs to be planned for as early as possible as it can cause long delays.

The social  worker should ensure that he/she is aware of the current position of the statement and whether any additional support is provided and by whom.

The First PEP in a new school

The meeting should usually be chaired by the social worker.

A new or updated Personal Education Plan (PEP) should be in place within the first 20 days of a child joining a new school.

Subsequent  PEPs should correspond with the statutory review cycle. PEP decisions and recommendations must be available to Reviewing Officers at statutory reviews.

The first PEP in a new school should:

• Identify the child’s immediate needs (e.g. English as an Additional Language, literacy support, behaviour management)
• Establish contact between carer, school staff and social worker - the basis of a working partnership
• Agree who contacts whom about what
• Establish boundaries of confidentiality
• Share important information - perhaps including the Placement Plan/Placement Information Record
• Ensure records are forwarded from previous school and/or carer
• Agree how and when the next full PEP is going to be drawn up (this needs to take account of the statutory review cycle because the PEP has to be ready before or at the Review; but also term dates, parents evenings, school target setting days, Individual Education Plan (IEP) Reviews, annual reviews of Statement of Special Educational Needs)

5. When a Child has No School Place

Finding a school place is primarily the social worker’s responsibility but may be delegated to or shared with others (e.g. the carer, a local authority officer).

Looked After Children in need of a mainstream school place are usually entitled to preferential treatment for admissions.

PEPs

Children without a school place should still have an up-to-date Personal Education Plan (PEP). It should address immediate educational needs and longer-term planning.

Children Placed Within the City of London

Where the child does not have a school place because one cannot be found, or because mainstream school is not appropriate to their needs, the child’s social worker should seek advice.

The local authority should identify a school place within 20 working days at the latest; and should be asked to provide alternative education if a school place cannot be found immediately or is not appropriate.

Children Placed Outside the City of London

Where the child does not have a school place because one cannot be found, or has been placed at very short notice, the child’s social worker should notify the education authority in the area where the child is placed and request that a school be identified for the child as soon as possible. 

That local authority should identify a school place within 20 working days at the latest; and should be asked to provide alternative education if a school place cannot be found immediately or is not appropriate.

Local authority contacts can be found at the Department for Education website.

Pupils With Statements of Special Educational Needs

A pupil who has a statement of special needs applies to schools through the special needs section of the local authority maintaining the statement, not directly. It requires the agreement of that local authority to approach the school and for the statement to be amended. This needs to be planned for as early as possible as it can cause long delays.

6. Reviewing and Updating PEPS

Second and subsequent Personal Education Plans (PEP) should correspond with the Looked After Review cycle and PEP decisions and recommendations must be available to Reviewing Officers at reviews.

Timing of the meeting - non-residential schools

The social worker will convene a meeting to review the PEP, timed to take place not more than four weeks before the child’s Looked After Reviews (or at the end of the Summer term, if the Review is due during the school holidays).

Timing of the meeting - residential schools and educational placements

If care and education are provided together it may be more appropriate to review and plan education and care at the same time. The meeting should still explicitly address educational needs and result in a PEP.

Preparation for the meeting

Preparation or consultation forms should be sent to all likely participants two weeks before the meeting. How best to consult with the child must be considered, and support or advocacy arranged if necessary.

The PEP meeting - arrangements

The meeting should involve the child, carer(s), the appropriate member(s) of school staff, local authority representatives if necessary, and parents if appropriate.

The meeting should usually be chaired by the social worker.

If the PEP meeting is organised to coincide with (for example) an annual review of a statement or the drawing up of an Individual Education Plan (IEP), the social worker should agree with other participants in advance how responsibility for the meeting is to be shared.

The PEP meeting - purposes

Second and subsequent PEP meetings should:

• check that the  previous PEP’s decisions and recommendations have been implemented;
• check that the  previous PEP’s decisions and recommendations have been implemented;
• acknowledge the successes achieved;
• address current concerns;
• and agree new decisions and recommendations accordingly.

PEP Decisions

The participants should agree what action they will each undertake to achieve the improvements in the child’s education that they have identified through the consultation/preparation process.

PEP Recommendations

Proposals that would local authority to significant changes in arrangements (e.g. a change of school, a request for a statutory assessment of Statement of Special Educational Needs) and/or to increases in Children’s Social Care expenditure (private tuition, a jointly-funded placement) should be made in the form of recommendations to the Looked After Review.

7. When a Child is Absent from School

The carer must notify the school and the social worker immediately if the child does not attend school for any reason.

In any case where the child has been absent from school for more than 10 days, the social worker should liaise with the school, the child, carers and others to address:

• the reasons for the absence
• how to ensure the child returns to education as soon as possible
• whether and how the child can be helped to catch up on what s/he has missed.

8.  School Exclusions

NB: Where a Looked After Child is excluded from school, the child's social worker must inform the child's Independent Reviewing Officer.

Where a child is excluded from school for a fixed period, the school will provide work for the child. The social worker must liaise with the carer about suitable arrangements for supervising the child’s doing the schoolwork during the day.

The reasons for the exclusion will be communicated by the school to the carer and the social worker.  Whoever is the most appropriate one to do so will discuss this with the child. The social worker should inform the parents.

The Social Worker must seek advice as to whether to appeal - a permanent exclusion should always be appealed unless there are local authority reasons not to.

When a child is permanently excluded but is remaining in the same foster or residential placement, the social worker will liaise urgently with the local authority in which the child is living to find an alternative school placement.

9. When a Young Woman becomes Pregnant

Becoming pregnant is not in itself a reason to stop attending school, nor to cease education.

Where a young woman becomes pregnant, the social worker must ensure that the young woman remains in education if at all possible and arrange for her to receive support from local authority in which she lives and/or the local authority of the school she attends.

End