Children in care are often forced to navigate additional challenges at school that their peers never imagine – I’ve seen this first-hand both as Children’s Commissioner but also as a teacher and headteacher before.
This Care Leavers’ Month sets out how children should be supported for a greater range of additional needs – I have asked some of my care experienced Youth Ambassadors to share their experiences of school. This builds on my recent publication of the School Census which set out the ways in which school leaders are supporting children with a range of additional needs that begin well outside of the classroom.
It’s important we listen to care experienced young people, learn from them and make sure schools are supportive environments where care experienced children feel able to thrive. Here is what they had to say:
Tamar: “One of the best educational experiences I have had in school was meeting my offer on results day to study at the University of Oxford. Being care-experienced, I would often have to move from place to place, meaning that I would need to learn a new curriculum each time I moved – and there were times I would need to travel up to two hours to get to and from school. When I was at school I would often be pulled out of class to speak with social workers, which would take time from my education and made me feel ‘othered’.
“Unfortunately, my school and teachers did not provide additional support – perhaps because they didn’t know enough about my situation or because they didn’t have the time or facilities to so. I know I would have really benefitted from having a point of contact to help me deal with the various changes that came along with being in foster care.
“What motivated me to overcome my challenges was finding my niche within school that I loved wholeheartedly and setting myself goals which kept me focused and motivated, as although my situation around me was out of my control, school always was something I could control. My advice to other care-experienced young people is that even if you move around often, it is worth making friends and having people you can confide in. And even if you feel ‘other’, you still matter and have so much potential to do great things.”
Chan: “One of the best parts of school for me was playing sport – it gave me the confidence and community when I sometimes felt out of place, and it taught me about leadership and being part of a team. I think it can be hard to be care experienced at school, often the textbooks, the curriculum and teachers assume everyone lives with their birth families. I remember sitting in science and learning about DNA – I spent the whole lesson confused and wondering if I looked like my birth family.
“The support, in a strange way, came from having my Education Health and Care Plan, which made clear to my school how I learned best and how being care experienced impacted my learning. If I could make on change at school, it would be to allow care experienced young people to be given reasonable learning adjustments if and when they needed them so there was more support in place.”
Rebecca: “I remember at my first primary school, my teachers were some of the most influential people in my life. They were patient with me and their kindness was such a refuge for me during a very confusing and dark time.
“One issue that I have faced due to being care experienced is that I have trouble processing things – it can take me a bit longer to be able to understand and interpret what is being said in both written and verbal instructions – as I wasn’t taught how to speak until I was five, meaning that I had some developmental issues. However, I haven’t let it define me and it hasn’t stopped me from achieving things that I want to.
“My adoptive parents have been such a rock for me. Since I have lived with them, they have helped me overcome so many challenges and have just always been there for me and I wouldn’t have the privileges if it wasn’t for them. Even things like being able to express myself and write this piece could not have happened without their love and support.
“Some advice I would give to someone who is care experienced about asking for help is to please speak to someone if you are struggling. I think there are so many hidden struggles that come with being care experienced. At times it felt like I was living a double life as I juggled everything from education to dealing with family issues. Often it can feel incredibly lonely so please speak to someone, it can take away the burden of carrying something no one knows that you are carrying.”
