Reconnecting care and education: from the Children Act 1989 to Care Matters
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5042/jcs.2010.0550 |
| Published date | 27 September 2010 |
| Date | 27 September 2010 |
| Pages | 48-60 |
| Author | Sonia Jackson |
| Subject Matter | Education,Health & social care,Sociology |
Journal of Children’s Ser vices • V olume 5 Issue 3 • Sept ember 2010 © Pier Professional Ltd
48
10.5042/jcs.2010.0550
Abstract
The Children Act 1989 ended a period of four decades during which the education of children
and young people in care was almost entirely neglected. However, it was another 20 years
before education took its rightful place at the centre of provision for the care of children away
from home. This article considers the contribution made to this process by the Act and its
accompanying Guidance, what progress has been made and what were the obstacles, past
and continuing, that have made it so difficult to narrow the gap in attainment between looked-
after children and others.
Key words
Education; looked-after children; school exclusion; youth employment; widening participation
depression and criminality (Ja ckson, 2008). All
these misfo rtunes are strongly associated with
unemployment and dependence on welfare
benefits. W hen jobs are scar ce, care leavers,
with, at best, basic educati on, little family back-
up and p oor social networks, find it hardest to
get work. An estimated 70% of new jobs crea ted
over the next 10 years wi ll require graduate
level skill s. Figures for 20 07–2008 show that
only 14% of 16-year-olds loo ked after by loca l
authorities achieved the basic expected level at
Key Stage 4 of five GCSE passes graded A*–C ,
compared wi th 65% of all c hildren (Department
for Childre n, Schools and Fa milies (DCSF), 2010)
and only nine per cent con tinue into any ki nd
of higher education. The Lab our Government
(1997–2010) made strenuous effo rts to increase
the proport ion of 19-year-olds in education,
training or employment but th e 2009 figures sho w
Introduction
It is now general ly recognised that educa tion is
the ke y to social integration and that, conversely,
lacking educational qualificatio ns carries a high
risk o f long-term unemployment and social
exclusi on. In most advanced we stern econom ies,
unskill ed jobs are disappearing fast and those
that r emain are i nsecure and low paid. There
was a steep rise in youth u nemployment in
all EU countries between 2008 and 2009.
The ex perience of previous rec essions is that
unemplo yment hits y oung people first and they
are th e last to get back to work when things
improve (Jackson & Cameron, 20 09).
Longitudinal research has show n that, of all
the identif iable groups in s ociety, young people
who have been in state ca re are the most likely
to experien ce poor outcomes in adult life,
including e arly parenthood, he alth problems,
Reconnecting care and
education: from the Children
Act 1989 to Care Matters
Sonia Jackson
Thomas Coram Research Unit, UK
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