Home News Better help for vulnerable children must extend beyond school

Better help for vulnerable children must extend beyond school

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The Children’s Society has responded to the Department for Education’s review into improving educational outcomes for children in need.

Sam  Royston, The Children’s Society’s Director of Policy and Research, said: “Vulnerable young people who have had difficult childhoods need better help as they prepare for adult life and too often, the help they do get falls away when they turn 18 – even though their difficulties do not.

“This important review recognises the challenges that children in need face during this tricky transition to adulthood and how these can harm their education.

“We welcome the proposals to begin to address some of these things in school and we are committed to working with the Department for Education to ensure they lead to tangible change for children and young people.  However, it is crucial that the Government also looks at what support children in need require beyond the school gates.”

The Children’s Society is calling for improved support for 16-and-17-year-old children in need through its Seriously Awkward campaign and worked closely with the Department for Education to ensure that young people’s voices were central to the review.

The charity says councils must be equipped to address young people’ health, housing, employment and safeguarding needs – with consideration given to extending key services to the age of 25.

It also wants the Government to consider making the pupil premium – additional funding provided to schools to help disadvantaged pupils – available for all children in need.

More information on the review is available here.

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