Ken Campbell Aimhigher Education Leeds

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Ken Campbell Aimhigher Education Leeds Julie
Pocklington Social Care / Aimhigher Mohsin
Zulfiqar Aimhigher Education Leeds
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Introduction

• Data about Leeds and young people looked after
  (LAC)
• Who is responsible?
• Why was the Stepping Stones programme needed?
• Stepping Stones rationale
• The partners
• The role of higher education
• Programme details

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Some facts and figures

• 38 high schools
• 220 primary schools
• 1100 young people looked after of school age
• 50 in full time education post 16
• 40 studying at university
• 5 studying for masters degree

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Who is responsible?
The Children Act 1989 re-affirmed that the
council of a city, town or area was responsible
for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of
young people looked after by them welfare
included their education. Depending on the legal
status of the young person, the council as a
corporate carer is responsible for working as,
with or on behalf of the natural parents. The
Children Act 2004 extended that responsibility to
promoting educational achievement and raising
their aspirations. This duty has not always been
successfully undertaken.
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Why was the Stepping Stones programme
needed? Over too many years, reports and
inquiries have focused on the under-achievement
of young people in care, the barriers to their
progress and their under-representation in higher
education. Despite legislation and guidance,
progress has remained slow. Services for these
young people tended to be located within services
for young people with special educational needs
(SEN) and / or social inclusion.
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Stepping Stones
Good parents encourage their children to succeed
and help them to plan for their
futures... Stepping Stones is a programme
designed to contribute to the corporate effort of
Leeds City Council to raise the aspirations of
young people and the adults who are responsible
for them and to widen participation in further
and higher education. The programme is for young
people aged 13 - 19 The title Stepping Stones
reflects the fact that it is not simply
sufficient to raise awareness of opportunities -
young people and their parents and carers require
encouragement and assistance to take advantage of
them.
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The partners
Young people and their parents / carers
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Role of Higher Education
In May 2007, the Higher Education Funding Council
England produced a document called Higher
Education outreach targeting disadvantaged
learners. This document outlines the new
guidelines for targeting Aimhigher activities As
a principle, resources should be targeted at
learners from communities that are under
represented in higher education. The Stepping
Stones programme works with higher education
establishments to help put this into practice
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The programme
evening and holiday programmes to include young
people and carers homework and study support
programmes with both universities undergraduate
mentors finding out about university family
days and summer schools mentors from universities
and the business sector regional networks,
national conferences awareness raising seminars
for students at universities
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