§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has undertaken into the wraparound model for caring for looked after children. [106784]
§ Jacqui SmithThe Department of Health recognises that some looked after children displaying severe levels of challenging or anti-social behaviour require a specialised approach. The care planning process used for all looked after children seeks to ensure that the most appropriate carers, services and supports are available to meet the child's identified developmental needs. For some children, a specialised multi-agency approach, that will address the child's individual needs by providing specific therapeutic and behavioural management, will be required. The Department is therefore funding a Treatment Foster Care Intervention to provide structured support to the child, his/her foster carers and birth or adoptive families that addresses all the child's needs simultaneously. The model being used has been extensively evaluated in the United States and the Department of Health is commissioning evaluation of the English model.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 31 March 2003,Official Report, columns 39–40WS, on children in care, what the outcomes are for 11-year-old looked-after children in (a) English and (b) maths in each of the last five years; and what results will be measured for 11-year-old looked-after children under the new PSA target. [107002]
97W
§ Jacqui SmithData were first collected for the year ending 30 September 2000. This data and the data from 2001, are shown in the table. Data for year ending September 2002 will be available at the end of June 2003.
Eligibility and performance of looked-after children1 in Key Stage tasks and tests, compared with all children, school years ending 30 September 2000 and 2001: England Looked-after children All children Number Percentage Percentage Year 6 2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001 Number eligible to sit Key Stage 2 tasks and tests 2,700 2,800 — — — — Number who attained at least Level 42 in the following: English 860 940 32.3 33.3 74 74 Mathematics 810 820 30.4 29.1 71 70 1 Children who had been looked after continuously for at least 12 months at 30 September 2 Target level for age group Sources:
1. For 'all children': DfES statistical bulletin 'National curriculum assessments of 7, 11 and 14-year-olds in England—2001'.
2. For 'looked after children': OC2 return. Annual publication: 'Outcome Indicators for Looked after Children, year ending 30 September 2001, England'.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 31 March 2003,Official Report, columns 39–40WS, on children in care, what targets will be set for looked-after children who undergo less than one year of continuous care. [107003]
§ Jacqui SmithThe attainment of children who spend shorter times in care is important. We will, therefore, be consulting stakeholders on how best to achieve the introduction of individual education targets for all children in care. The Government will also put in place arrangements to analyse data from the new pupil level annual school census, in order to improve our understanding of outcomes for those young people who have spent any time in care. The results of this analysis will be used to inform the development of future policy.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 31 March, on children in care, whether a child who has entered a period of foster care is classified as a child in continuous looked-after child care. [107005]
§ Jacqui SmithYes. If a local council provides foster care for a child, under the Children Act 1989, that child is regarded as being looked after by the council.