National Summary Report April to June 2024: Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund

Most authorities used the CECYPF to employ staff to support children and young people experiencing care. These range from strategic posts such as virtual headteachers and centrally appointed officers to front line staff like family support workers and pupil support staff.

Examples of the use and impact of staffing

1. ‘Pathways Advocates’ are currently involved with 248 vulnerable young people. Of these young people, 202 have experienced care. The number of young people supported in each of the secondary schools has differed according to identified need with the number supported ranging from 9 to 57 per school.
2. A virtual headteacher (VHT) role was introduced during session 2022-23 part- funded through the secondary schools pooling some PEF. This successfully raised awareness and understanding of the importance of meeting the needs of children and young people who have experienced care. Part of the work of the VHT has been to help the local authority work towards the Keeping the Promise Award. Over six hundred staff, including school and early years staff, peripatetic teams, senior officers and elected members, have received Keeping the Promise training. The VHT has also worked directly with targeted young people and their families resulting in a variety of improved outcomes. For example, a group of young people who have not managed to attend school were supported to achieve SCQF Level 3 awards at home, a group of boys attending a leadership academy run by the VHT showed a 10% improvement in school attendance and 2024 figures show that 95.2% of young people who had experienced care entered an initial positive destination, an increase on the 2023 figure.
3. The fund is used to employ a team of eight pupil support workers (PSW) allocated across high school clusters whose remit is to provide additional support for children and young people experiencing care. Pupils in the secondary sector are engaging more at school as a result, highlighted by an increase in attendance of 1.9pp on the previous year. In addition, the PSW team has secured trusting relationships with the young people by hosting the weekly ‘Champions Board’ in secondary schools. This has led to additional accreditations including Saltire Awards and Princes Trust Dynamic Youth Awards. Some young people have volunteered in primary schools, whilst another group has volunteered at the local ‘Blethers Community Project’.
4. Two home link workers provide support in primaries. This support is targeted across eight primary schools where there are proportionately high levels of learners who have experienced care. As a result, the service has supported fifty children and their carers. The introduction of awards-based interventions has enhanced confidence and self-worth for both. Strong links and collaboration across services have also increased the range of offers and opportunities.
5. Teachers were recruited to work between upper primary and secondary for those whose attainment and attendance were a cause for concern. These teachers have worked directly with children and families to overcome obstacles towards attendance and attainment, as well as liaising with and advising school staff on ways to better support learners. The teachers and young people liaise with the inclusion officer who has responsibility for this in his capacity as virtual headteacher. These teachers have developed strong links with their schools and act as advocates and facilitators for the children and young people experiencing care.
6. The CECYP fund and SEF have been used to fund the CECYP Level Up Plus project. This includes principal teachers posts in all secondary schools with a care experienced remit. The impact of this, and the CECYP officer, has ensured there is a data concordance between social services and education. A strong network of care experience leads with associated professional learning is in place.

Most authorities track and monitor data to identify gaps and allocate resources. Data is also used to evidence improvement and identify trends which require further investigation.

Examples of tracking, monitoring and the use of data

1. Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund (CECYPF) is used to employ a CECYP co-ordinator. The remit is to provide direct support to children and young people who have experienced care and to develop and implement a tracking tool to allow accurate information about their attainment, achievement and participation. The CECYP co-ordinator and education attainment workers take direct action to support and represent the children and young peoples’ needs within schools and other learning settings.
2. Enhanced tracking and monitoring of data is in place across schools. This is leading to better and earlier interventions, specifically relating to attendance. There has been a continued reduction in school exclusions, with no learners who have experienced care excluded in 2023-24.
3. The tracking of attainment using SEEMiS has been implemented. This includes attendance and exclusions across schools with data extracted centrally in December and June. This has improved the consistency and focus of interventions. Collaboration with social work has supported schools to record more accurately those whose status is ‘looked after’.
4. Enhanced tracking and monitoring mechanisms in primary schools have shown notable improvements in the academic achievements of children who have experienced care in P1, P4, and P7.
5. Current tracking evidence suggests that attainment for most primary-aged learners who have experienced care has improved. Almost all S4 pupils who have experienced care are on track to achieve a Level 3 qualification in literacy and numeracy, with the majority on track to achieve Level 4 literacy and numeracy.
6. A robust data set is being created using clear, consistent coding in SEEMiS to ensure no information is missing. This will allow more rigorous monitoring of attendance, attainment and positive destinations. A central database will identify children experiencing care. This will support tracking of the learner journey and allow for focused discussions between the education support officer and headteachers.
7. Analysis of current monitoring, tracking and data sharing processes highlighted a need for additional internal processes to be developed. Immediately actioning this, the VSHT has developed and embedded revised processes which are ensuring that all children and young people that have experienced care are being appropriately captured and tracked via SEEMiS. This revised system has made it much easier for settings to identify pupils who have experienced care and those at risk of not achieving/disengaging. From this, the VSHT is supporting schools to consider targeted plans to support care experienced pupils.
8. The database containing information relating to all children and young people who have experienced care is maintained and updated by the coordinator. This is a key role and the coordinator works closely with guidance teams, headteachers and social work colleagues to ensure accurate and up-to-date information is held. The contents of the database feed into the SAC reporting cycle and provide statistics on the impact of the work to narrow the attainment gap.

Most local authorities have used the CECYPF to focus on improving qualifications, supporting pathways during school education and improving positive and sustained leaver destinations. Some have supported this by using the CECYPF for specific roles. Additionally, effective progress is evidenced through collaboration in multi-agency work including with Skills Development Scotland (SDS), Motivation, Commitment and Resilience (MCR) pathways and youth development groups.

Examples of impact on positive destinations and pathways

1. Pathways advocates (PAs) are currently involved with 248 vulnerable young people. 202 have experienced care. Of the 27 young people previously supported by PAs, 25 have moved into a positive destination, having identified supports beyond school through Skills Development Scotland.
2. Mainstream secondary schools have an MCR Pathways co-ordinator who works with school staff to support groups and individuals. They also oversee a successful mentoring programme. During session 2022-23 almost all of the mentored young people who had experienced care achieved a SCQF Level 4 award with most achieving at least one SCQF Level 5 award. In session 2023-24, 174 young people were supported by MCR Pathways, of which, 68 have experienced care.
3. To ensure support beyond school, the team (pupil support workers) maintains contact with young people and help them to complete college applications, highlight employment opportunities and secure financial support. This is helping leavers who have experienced care sustain post school destinations.
4. The 16+ work coaches support young people aged 15 (within 6 months of leaving school) through to 26-year-olds. This is done in unique, purpose-built education and employability settings. The bespoke service aims to support with social and practical skills along with vocational qualifications. The team continues to work in partnership with an extensive number of agencies to ensure the programme is continually adapting to the needs and views of the young people.
5. In 2023-24 the virtual headteacher has had a particular focus on the destinations of young people who have experienced care, including those with ASN. This has resulted in initial positive destinations increasing this session from 83% to 85%.
6. Interventions and support delivered by the co-ordinator include development of job seeking skills e.g. curriculum vitae, job searching, interview skills and encouragement into positive destinations. The support for job seeking activities has led to all young people securing employment.
7. The ‘Volunteering Matters Grand Mentor’ programme supported a number of young people who have experienced care affected by social isolation and anxiety. Mentors build trusting relationships and support young people to shape their own futures. Evidence indicates that a number of young people have gone on to positive destinations as a result of the support.
8. A particularly successful initiative introduced by the virtual headteacher has been the Scottish Qualifications Authority Tenancy Award. As well as providing learners with an SCQF award the course helps develop very practical skills relating to personal finance, cooking and tenancy law. Other services such as the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and housing have linked in with the young people as part of the course.
9. The overall aim has been to reduce the gap in positive outcomes between young people with experience of care and their peers. In 2022-23, 100% of leavers with care experience moved on to positive destinations.

The majority of authorities directed the CECYPF towards improvements in health and wellbeing. There is a breadth of support covering trauma-informed practice, emotional regulation and play therapy.

Examples of impact on health and wellbeing

1. The ongoing investment in trauma-informed practice provides funding to supporting the needs of all learners.
2. The formal and informal exclusion of children and young people who have experienced care is reducing. Schools continue to develop approaches to trauma-informed practice. The multi-disciplinary approach to professional learning on trauma-informed practice is positively underpinning this work.
3. Health and wellbeing liaison officers worked closely with learners and families, positively impacting on attendance and wellbeing for a number of learners. There has been a demonstrable increase in emotional regulation and improved connection with school. This has resulted in an improvement in engagement levels and sense of achievement for many learners with experience of care.
4. One secondary school has created a legacy from the CECYPF. Money was allocated to them in the first year of funding which they used to build teacher and student capacity in mental health, early attachment training and trauma-responsive practice. This capacity building continues to have a positive impact, with staff demonstrating an in-depth understanding of students' needs. The school has embedded relational, trauma-responsive practices, which have enhanced pupil-teacher relationships, student wellbeing, attainment and achievement outcomes.
5. Ten young people experiencing care benefitted from play therapy. The work supported early intervention, exploring traumatic experiences and enabling transitions and changes. Evidence from ‘Play Therapy Base’ showed improvement in building resilience, relieving social and family difficulties and relieving emotional distress.
6. A project worker, based at ‘Stable Life’, provides equine assisted learning and therapy for targeted young people. About 20 young people per year are supported through this service during term and holiday periods. Examples of impact include increased confidence and resilience, improved self-regulation and school attendance and engagement. There are individual cases where engagement has prevented a young person from going into care.
7. The welfare officers almost always support young people who face social and emotional barriers, as well as those which are related to anxiety and confidence. They provide emotional regulation strategies and supports and also work with all families and carers.

Almost a third of local authorities have invested in individual or tailored support for children and young people experiencing care. The approaches include mentoring, tutoring, home visits  and wellbeing support all of which are bespoke to individual contexts and circumstances.

Examples of the impact of individual or tailored support

1. Termly, robust quality assurance visits, have resulted in bespoke and tailored interventions including support for families and advice on the appropriateness of current plans.
2. The reduction in exclusions can be attributed to updated guidance in relation to managing exclusion, trauma-informed practice, enhanced personalised supports and partnership working.
3. Session 2023-24 saw the mentoring team support seventy-five young people across six educational establishments. This included 192 tailored support sessions to 23 groups and 17 young people benefitting from one-to-one support.
4. The team has supported 21 young people through the SEF pathway and a further 16 young people through the CECYP pathway. All young people have been offered direct support for a minimum of one hour on a weekly basis. Intensive support is offered through home visits, while group support is offered through a timetable of learning and wellbeing activities (for example, wellbeing walks, English learning group, and art workshops).
5. Partnership working is a strength of the team, ensuring children, young people and their families receive bespoke support in line with their needs. The team provide support to those who are disengaged from formal education.
6. The tuition support service is funded through the CECYPF. This academic session many learners, including ten who have experienced care, have accessed this support, receiving two hours tuition per week. The tutor prepares learners for classroom discussions, supports with class tasks and provides one to one intensive individual support. All learners supported have benefitted greatly from the intense one to one support provided, resulting in improved relationships with their tutor alongside evidence of positive engagement and successful outcomes. Furthermore, individualised support and a nurturing approach have provided additional opportunities for wellbeing support, improving learners’ confidence and belief in their own abilities.
7. MCR Pathways has supported pupils from S1-6 in two secondary schools. For the individual pupils involved, supported through group work, 1:1 support and mentoring, there is evidence of improved attendance and engagement, increased stay on rates and the achievement of positive destinations on leaving school.

The majority of local authorities have considered sustainability beyond SAC and have highlighted their plans and challenges:

1. Securing funding for projects for The Promise group - external funding has been acquired signifying the programme's potential for long-term sustainability. This will allow an overview of sustainability and the opportunity to leverage these successes for further grant applications.
2. Considering is being given on how to ensure the permanency and sustainability of the virtual headteacher (VHT). The VHT ensures the authority and schools have a sharper focus on learners who have experienced care. The authority is keen to sustain the current rigour in tracking and monitoring of attainment for this group.
3. One secondary school has created a legacy from the CECYPF. Money was allocated to them in the first year of funding which they used to build teacher and student capacity in mental health, early attachment training and trauma-responsive practice. This capacity building continues to have a positive impact, with staff demonstrating an in-depth understanding of students' needs.
4. Building staff capacity across secondary establishments has been a focus with a view to ensuring that the learning and research which underpinned the design of the service is shared across schools.
5. The CECYPF has enabled impactful changes and positive outcomes in prevention, changing culture and targeted support. To provide sustainability the ‘We Matter Team’ will align with the revised approached to the ‘Care Experienced Children Inclusion’ review providing a clear and consistent approach to pathways of support. Improved collaboration with the wider inclusion team will enhance sustainability of resources and outcomes.
6. With a view to sustainability, one of the fundamental roles of the virtual school is to improve the capacity of staff working with learners who have experienced care by planning and implementing robust training programmes.
7. In terms of sustainability beyond the SAC, the local authority plans to create a post for a virtual headteacher for children and young people who have experienced care.
8. The workstream plan considers ‘a self-improving, empowered system’ as one of its organisers. The planned outcome is to develop a collaborative approach between education and the children and families service to ensure the best use of the CECYP fund. This will support sustainability beyond SAC