Education can open doors and inspire big dreams – things every child in care deserves. But the responsibility of a child’s education doesn’t just lie with the school; it also lies with those who are closest to them.
That means, as a foster parent, you have a responsibility to support your foster child’s experience at school by offering your guidance, understanding, and advocacy. But how do you go about it?
Join us as we explore why educational support is important, the challenges children in care face, and tips to help you support your foster child’s progress at school.
Why is educational support important?
Every child’s experience of school is different. Some children thrive in a classroom setting, find it easy to make friends, and enjoy learning, whereas other children might find it difficult to concentrate, get along with their peers, or retain information.
For children in care, who are often living with trauma, the whole experience can be overwhelming, and here’s why:
- If they’ve missed big chunks of school, they may find it difficult to manage a whole school day.
- Low school attendance or frequent school moves often mean they’re behind their peers academically, which can impact self-esteem.
- According to the Anti-Bullying Alliance, children in care are twice as likely to be bullied in primary school and four times more likely in secondary school than their peers, which means they may skip school to avoid bullies.
- Their trauma could cause them to be constantly in fight-or-flight mode. This means they might view innocent interactions with their peers as a threat, making it difficult for them to make friends and respond to teachers.
- If they’re hypervigilant, they may become quickly overstimulated by the school environment because their senses are always on high alert.
- They could have an undiagnosed condition, such as ADHD, Dyslexia, Autism, or FASD that hasn’t yet been explored, which means they may not be getting the support they need.
When children receive the right support, they can begin taking small steps towards a more positive school experience. However, this will look different for every child.
One child may need help dealing with bullying or building their self-esteem. Other children may benefit from one-to-one support or assessment for a specific condition. Whatever it is, as a foster parent, you’re at the heart of this support and your foster child’s biggest advocate.
How to support a looked after child in school
Jodie Elliot is a testament to the impact foster parents can have on the education of children they care for.
She said, “The best thing about fostering a child is seeing their growth. We’ve gone from having a child who couldn’t function at school, wasn’t learning at all and couldn’t stay in class to a child who’s now a teenager and is doing really well in college. It makes you beam with pride. And knowing that, actually, without you, that might not have been his journey.”
Here are our tips to help you support your foster child with their education:
Understand what success really means
As a foster parent, it’s only natural that you’d want the child in your care to succeed. However, when it comes to education, success will look different for every child.
For example, if a child has missed a lot of school, turning up every day and catching up on missed work is success. For other children, it could be making friends, building their confidence, or achieving the grades they need to continue studying at a higher level.
The first step in supporting your foster child’s education is understanding what success means for them. The good news is, you won’t have to figure this out on your own. You’ll attend a Personal Education Plan (PEP) meeting twice a year (sometimes more), which tracks the child’s progress at school and helps everyone involved in their care identify whether they need any additional support.
Once you know exactly where your foster child is on their academic journey, you can help them reach their educational goals with realistic expectations.
Remember: You are their advocate
Whether you foster long-term or short-term, while a child is in your care, you are their advocate. What does this mean? If you believe your foster child would benefit from additional support from their school, you can voice this on the child’s behalf.
This involves collaborating with professionals involved in your foster child’s education, such as:
- The child’s school
- The virtual school
- The school’s Designated Teacher for Looked After Children
- The child’s local authority social worker
- Your supervising social worker
- Education specialists from Fosterplus
At Fosterplus, education is a priority. That’s why we make it easy for you to raise concerns by offering drop-in sessions via Teams. We’re also in communication with schools and have a good relationship with key staff members, allowing us to stay ahead of issues, such as bullying and cyberbullying, before they escalate.
“The most powerful changes happen when everyone involved in a child’s life works together – foster carers, teachers, social workers, and support staff. When we communicate openly and consistently, we can identify challenges early and put the right support in place.” Philippa, Fosterplus Education Coordinator.
Help them with their homework
It may seem like an obvious tip for supporting your foster child’s education, but helping them with their homework can really make a huge difference.
Choose a quiet space in the home that’s free from distractions and, if you have some admin to catch up with, work alongside them. This way, if they get stuck, you can provide guidance and identify subjects they’re struggling with.
It can also prevent them from feeling like they’re missing out on something more fun because you’re working too, and can give you peace of mind knowing that they’ve actually completed their homework.
Create a good routine
Routines help children feel safe and stable – they relieve the anxiety about what’s going to happen next because they already know.
For children in care, predictability is essential. They may have lived in a home where they didn’t know when they’d have their next meal or what they’d face when they woke up each morning. They’ve also had their lives turned upside down, and routine can provide a sense of normality.
Routines are personal to each family, but a good one usually includes:
- An appropriate bedtime that helps the child feel rested and ready to learn the next day.
- Regular mealtimes, including a nutritious breakfast, so they aren’t distracted by hunger pains in the classroom.
- Ensuring a child has a shower, puts on clean clothes, and brushes their teeth.
- The same allotted time each day for homework.
- Helping children focus by encouraging daily exercise.
- Time to see friends, relax, and explore their interests.
- Making sure their schedule isn’t too full, which can lead to burnout.
Encourage them to pursue their interests
No matter how hard you try, school isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. Your foster child may have strengths outside the school curriculum, and exploring these can help build their confidence, self-esteem and discover who they really are.
Whether it be music, art, sports, or something unique, helping your foster child pursue their special interests can still open doors and lead to a fulfilling career. Yes, education is important, but it isn’t the only road to success.
It’s also vital to remind your foster child that their grades do not reflect their value. They are loved regardless of their school outcomes, and you’ll do whatever you can to help them turn their dreams into a reality.
Lean on Fosterplus Education Support
At Fosterplus, education is always on the agenda. That’s why as part of our support for foster families, you have access to the following education support:
- PEP Meeting Support: We ensure that someone from the agency is present at PEP meetings. They’ll help you advocate for your foster child and ensure Pupil Premium Plus (PP+) is being used to provide additional support, such as one-to-one tutoring, if needed.
- Regular check-ins: We’ll catch up with you regularly between PEP meetings to talk about your foster child’s progress at school.
- School communication: We maintain strong relationships with key members of the school staff to help find quick solutions.
- Attendance monitoring: We monitor attendance patterns and will meet with you to discuss what your foster child’s school attendance might indicate.
- EHCP Support: If your foster child has an EHCP plan, we proactively ensure it continues to meet their needs.
- Drop-in Sessions & Training: We offer additional drop-in sessions and training on education via Teams, exploring different school-related issues.
- Education Updates: We regularly update The Exchange with education news, advice, and success stories.
- Advice Sheets: We’ve created advice sheets for foster parents, covering a range of educational topics.
- Resources & Guidance: Along with education updates, you can also find resources and guidance on a wide range of fostering topics on The Exchange and within our monthly blogs.
Want to learn more?
If you already foster with Fosterplus and want more information about our education support, please speak to your supervising social worker who is always happy to help you.
If you’re new to fostering and want to learn more about the role of a foster parent, including how to support a foster child at school, please get in touch. Call us on 0800 369 8512, or submit an enquiry form and a member of our knowledgeable team will be in touch.
You can also join one of our weekly virtual information sessions, where you can find out everything there is to know about fostering, ask questions, and meet other prospective foster parents.
