§ Mr. Ben ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on Government plans to oblige children who are being fostered to attend school; [116802]
(2) what estimate he has made of the proportion of excluded school children who were fostered in the last year for which figures are available. [116801]
687W
§ Jacqui SmithThe information sought is not available centrally. However, data on exclusions among children looked after by local authorities, up to year ending 2002 are in the table. As 'corporate parents' the local authority is responsible for ensuring the attendance at school of looked after children. The local education authority and social services must draw up a personal education plan for every looked after child. This should reflect the emotional and behavioural needs of the child as well as their achievements at school and provide a record of their attendance.
Number of children looked after at 30 September 2000 and 2001 who had been looked after for at least 12 months, and number of
permanent exclusions from school.
Number Percentages1 2000 2001 2000 2001 Number of children looked after at 30 September who had been looked
after for at least twelve months
42,200 43,400 — — and of these: Number eligible for full-time schooling
33,100 33,800 — — and of these: Number of permanent exclusions from school2
490 450 1.5 1.3 1 Expressed as a percentage of the number eligible for full-time schooling 2 If a child was permanently excluded more than once in the previous school year, each occasion has been counted.