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E

Education

The law says that every child between the ages of 5 and 16 years old should receive education appropriate to their age, ability and aptitude. Most children go to a school near to the home where they are living. Some go to boarding school and come home in the holidays. You can choose to stay at school until you are 19 years and also go on to study at a Further Education College or University.

While you are being looked after by Plymouth City Council your carers should give you all the help they can with your education. This includes encouraging you to do your homework and talking to you about what you are learning at school - what you like and dislike - and helping you understand subjects you find difficult, they should also help you join your local library, and help you with your reading and writing.

We will do our best to make sure you have access to a computer where you live.

If you have special educational needs, then your carers should give you any extra help and support you might need. In particular your school, social worker and carers should:

• ensure that your school has a special teacher to pay particular attention to the needs of young people looked after.
• ensure that you have a personal Education Plan which identifies the services and supports your needs.
• have an agreement about what information is shared between your school and Plymouth City Council.
• ensure that you have an appropriate school or other educational placement as soon as possible.

The Social Services Department very closely with the Lifelong Learning Department to help young people looked after. Lifelong Learning provides and helps with:

• learning until all ages.
• advice on all areas of learning, such as fees and CV’s.
• your options available in further education.

If you have any questions or concerns about your education you can contact PLACE Team Co-ordinator: 307481 or the Education Project Officer: 307114 who will do their best to help and advice you.

If your first or family language is not English and you would like to continue to learn the language which is spoken by your family, then you should talk to your carer and social worker about trying to find someone outside school who can teach you.

When your school holds open evenings or other events for parents to go to, your carer should go with you if your own parents are unable to attend. It is important that you go to school and receive a satisfactory education. You should always let your carer know if there is anything about school you are unhappy with and they will talk to your social worker about trying to help.

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Education files

When you reach 16 years of age you have the right to see what is written about you in your education files. You can only see what has been written since September 1990.

You should talk to your teacher or head teacher if you want to know more about this. If you have any problems, ask your social worker to help.

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Education Supervision Order

If you are of school age and not being properly educated, perhaps because you are not turning up at school, then the Education Department can go to court and ask them to make an Education Supervision Order.

An Education Supervision Order means:

• the court will tell your parents what they need to do to make sure you receive an education.
• maybe making sure that they bring you to school every day.
• you will be told what you must do to help your parents get you to school/educate you.

An Education Supervision Order lasts for 12 months but can be extended for three years at a time.

If you are already looked after by us under a Care Order, then the court cannot make an Education Supervision Order. However, if you are accommodated by Plymouth City Council which means there is no Care Order, then the court can make an Education Supervision Order if they think its best for you.

You have the right to go back to court and ask for the Education Supervision Order to be removed but you will need to show the court that you are attending full time education, and intend to continue. You should talk to your social worker about this, if you are still unhappy after talking to your social worker you can contact a solicitor for help and advice.

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Elected Councillor

Plymouth is made up from a number of people who are elected every four years by the people of Plymouth. It is their responsibility to decide how to spend the money given to the Council to run lots of different services, including Plymouth City Council.

Councillors have a duty to ensure that you are properly looked after when you are cared for by Plymouth City Council. If a Councillor is particularly interested in Social Services they may sit on a Committee with other Councillors to make decisions about the Department.

If you are unhappy with the way you are being cared for then you can contact a Councillor to talk to them about your worries. They will decide with you how best to deal with your concerns. A list of Councillors can be obtained from First Stop Shop, Civic Centre or your social worker.

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Emergency Protection Order

If you are living at home and we have serious concerns about your safety we can go to court and ask them to make an Emergency Protection Order, if the court agrees that you need to be protected they can make an Order which lasts up to 8 days. During this time you will live with foster carers or in a Children’s Home or with a safe family member.

After the 8 days, there will be another court hearing to decide whether you will be able to return home or whether you need to remain looked after by us for longer.

If you are accommodated by Plymouth City Council: (and there is no court Order because your parent(s) agreed that we could look after you):

• your parent(s) have right to take you home any time. Usually your parent(s) and your social worker would agree a date for you to go home.
• and your parent(s) took you home without it being arranged and if we had serious concerns about your safety or care at home, then they can go to court and ask for an Emergency Protection Order to stop your parent(s) taking you.

If you feel an Emergency Protection Order is not needed you have the right to challenge the Order after three days. Your parents also have this right. You will need a Solicitor to advise and help you.

It is not just us who can go to court and ask for an Emergency Protection Order. Anyone who has serious concerns about a child’s safety can go to court and ask for one, and then they would ask us to look after you while decisions were made about your future.

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