Positive Outcomes for Looked After Students in North Lanarkshire Lorraine Togneri & David Woodier Inclusion Support Base lorrainetogner@ea.n-lanark.sch.uk davidwoodier@ea.n-lanark.sch.uk

Aims What is happening at a local authority level The learner’s perspective School culture and what helps

What is happening at a local authority level ? Children’s Champion pilot Elected Member training ‘Moving On’ multi agency conference New children’s houses Strong partnership working Supported employment

Inclusion Support Base Development officers Flexible Learning Initiative LAC teachers

Flexible Learning Initiative Reengage young people in learning through greater flexibility, support and coaching Multi agency partnership model with SDS Promote resilience, health & wellbeing Develop positive skills, attitudes & relationships Increase achievement / certification Improve employability skills Support positive post school destinations

LAC teachers Three peripatetic teachers Nursery, primary school, secondary school Flexible support to young people Looked After away from home Curricular support Transitions Health and wellbeing Mentoring Training for schools, designated senior managers, probationer teachers Advice/training on attachment, trauma, resilience Support/advice to carers Multi agency communication

What helps at school I can belong here: my school has an inclusive ethos I can achieve: my school finds ways for me to achieve success I can fit in: my school finds ways to reinforce my sense of normality I am understood: my school has adults who are mindful of me As you listen to these young people, what has not worked well tends to stand out and some of the barriers they have had to overcome are really significant. These are resilient young people. They have managed to succeed in the face of adversity, and we can learn a lot by thinking a little more deeply about their experiences. Sometimes what has really helped can be quite subtle, for example, the caring attitude of a key adult, and so these four ‘I want to’ statements are also based on some of the more subtle things we see as teachers and our understanding of what goes on behind the scenes in some of the schools. I can belong here: schools that have an inclusive ethos various characteristics of schools; perhaps best summed up by, ‘make me feel like I belong’; inclusive schools also find ways to help young people experience success. talk more about what that looks like in a couple of minutes. Some of the other characteristics of inclusive schools include challenging prejudice and discrimination (parents of other young people), interacting with yp as whole persons recognizing the complexity of their learning- not dismissive of the challenges they face, there are principles, values that are believed, are at the heart of what happens (example of Kyle’s head teacher), an ethos of care where individuals have value and worth (respect in all kinds of relationships) I can achieve: schools that find ways for a young person to experience success. The school help yp get involved in activities in which a young person can experience a sense of doing something well, these may be based on yp strengths e.g. gardening. These activities may also give a yp the opportunity to try on a different social role. Activities that build self esteem and a sense of self efficacy are particularly important for looked after young people. I can fit in: schools that reinforce a sense of normality. Echoed in statement like, ‘I just want to be treated normal’, yp don’t want to stigmatized; they often struggle with feeling different. but there is a dilemma, how we offer support so that it doesn’t draw too much attention to you. I can be understood: schools that have staff who are mindful of the young person. When yp talk about key adults in schools, they say things like, ‘she understands me’ and ‘they tried to understand me.’ These young people have key adults who can think about what is happening in the mind of the young person, (I spend a lot of time thinking about what Kyle might be thinking about) these key adults accept the young person’s difficulties as well as their strengths, and the young person knows that these adults are available and dependable (Shofield and Beek). It means that young people are able to learn to trust- and the adults are able to anticipate difficulties and provide more support when needed eg. transitions. We cannot underestimate the vital importance of supportive relationships. Learning Teaching Scotland: Focusing on inclusion and the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004: A paper for professional reflection. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive. Accessed: http://www.ltsscotland.org.uk/images/focusing/onInclusion_tcm-342924.pdf Schofield, G., Beek, M. (2005). Risk and resilience in long-term foster care. British Journal of Social Work, 35, 1-19. Woodier, D. (2011). Building resilience in Looked After young people: a moral values approach. British Journal of Guidance and Counseling. 39, 259-282.