Growth and development.pdf

The rate of children on child protection registers is relatively high but has reduced since 1999.Numbers of adoption applications are relatively low.Edinburgh has a high rate of looked after children; numbers have increased by almost a fifthbetween 1998 and 2000. The rate of looked after children away from home has also increased;precise reasons for this increase are not known but may relate to factors as diverse as drugmisuse and improved assessment procedures. The demand for foster care placements nowoutstrips the resources of Edinburgh and the surrounding areas and a similar pattern is indicatedfor adoption. The rate of children in residential accommodation is high and the Council report amarked increase in demand for residential school and secure accommodation places.The Council has reconfigured children’s services through a range of initiatives including targetedfoster care recruitment, enhanced outreach services, weekend respite and more flexibleresidential service support.By autumn 2001 some 80% of the City’s looked after children had their educational needsidentified in care plans. A small minority of those children received only six hours of educationeach week. The Council has an action plan to improve performance, which includes:• provision of a new off-site educational provision for girls;• carer support in primary schools;• sessional tutoring; homework support; and• link teachers for all residential units.There are arrangements to collate the examination results of looked after children, throughmanual systems. Recently resources have been earmarked to upgrade the educationalenvironment of residential units and foster care placements.It is estimated that 150 children each year need support under the new arrangements for careleavers. Edinburgh provides a range of employment and educational opportunities for careleavers. A specialist team is to provide support and build on links with partners in housing andeducation.98