Active Schools Fife: Care experienced engagement

What were you trying to understand?

With the Active Schools network already well established across Fife and Scotland, the Fife Active Schools team sought to explore how sport, physical activity and leadership opportunities could be used to better engage care experienced children and young people. Working in partnership with colleagues across the wider Education Directorate, a multi-disciplinary approach was developed to support care experienced young people, using engagement in sport and physical activity as a means of improving engagement and contributing to broader educational, wellbeing and personal development outcomes.

This approach aimed to better understand how trusted relationships, meaningful opportunities and inclusive pathways within sport and physical activity could support positive experiences, improved engagement & attendance at school and specifically for care experienced children and young people.

What did you do?

The role of Active Schools Care Experienced Engagement Coordinator was established in 2024 through initial funding from the Corra Foundation. Using existing data and local knowledge, a small number of priority settings were identified, including primary schools, secondary schools and residential homes where there was potential for targeted support to have the greatest impact. Selection was informed by factors such as the number of care experienced children and young people, school capacity, and identified challenges relating to attendance, engagement and wellbeing.

Fife’s Education Directorate aspires to improve outcomes for care experienced children and young people which has provided the foundation for this project and Active Schools involvement. A targeted, relationship-based approach was developed, focusing on building trusted relationships through regular, consistent engagement with individual young people. Rather than relying solely on universal provision, support was tailored to meet the needs, interests and circumstances of each young person.

A key priority during the early stages of the programme was the development of trusted relationships. Initially the coordinator worked alongside young people to understand their strengths, interests and aspirations, using sport, physical activity and leadership opportunities as vehicles for engagement. These relationships provided a foundation for supporting improvements in areas such as school attendance, participation, confidence, wellbeing and general engagement linked to their experiences and positive destination.

The project adopted a flexible, person-centred approach, enabling support to respond to changing circumstances and individual need. At times when young people were experiencing challenges or finding it difficult to engage in a traditional classroom environment, alternative opportunities within the school day were offered through and with Active Schools. This helped maintain connection with school, promote positive experiences, and provide a supportive pathway for continued engagement.

Following the positive outcomes of the initial pilot, funding for the programme was extended through the Scottish Government's Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund (CECYP). This enabled the expansion of the model through the introduction of Assistant Active Schools Coordinators, increasing the capacity to provide targeted support. The programme now operates across four secondary schools, with support extending into associated primary schools where required. In addition, one-to-one support can be provided for young people living in residential care settings through a referral-based approach.

What did you learn?

The project reinforced the importance of taking a personalised approach to supporting care experienced children and young people. While sport and physical activity can be powerful engagement tools, the most effective support was often shaped by the individual needs, interests and circumstances of each young person.

A key learning was that support should be viewed as part of a young person's educational experience rather than as a reward or intervention linked to behaviour. When support was available consistently and over time, young people were more likely to engage and benefit from wider opportunities.

The project also highlighted the importance of partnership working. No single service can meet every need, and positive outcomes were strengthened through collaboration between schools, Active Schools, families and partner organisations. Strong connections across services made it easier to identify the most appropriate opportunities and support pathways for individual young people.

What helped and what got in the way?

Strong partnerships across schools, Education Services and partner organisations were critical to the success of the programme. The commitment of school staff, alongside a shared ambition to improve outcomes for care experienced children and young people, created the conditions for the project to succeed.

Lauren Whitehead, Active Schools Care Experienced Engagement Coordinator, reflected:

One thing I learned quickly was how dedicated teachers and guidance staff are, and how much is expected of them. What really stood out was the shared commitment across everyone involved to do the very best for care experienced children and young people. That collective effort and genuine care has been one of the biggest factors in making the programme a success.

One of the main challenges was capacity. Schools were often managing competing priorities and finding dedicated time, space and resources for additional support could be difficult. The flexibility of the Active Schools role helped overcome some of these barriers by providing responsive support that complemented existing school provision.

Leadership opportunities also proved to be an important enabler. Through volunteering and leadership pathways, young people were able to contribute to their school communities, develop confidence and, in some cases, become positive role models for younger pupils.

What difference did it make?

The project provided care experienced children and young people with access to consistent support, meaningful opportunities and trusted adults within their school communities. Through participation in sport, physical activity and leadership opportunities, young people developed confidence, new skills and stronger connections with school and their local community.

For some young people the support contributed to improvements in attendance and engagement, while for others it provided a positive outlet during challenging periods in their lives. The greatest impact has often been seen in young people's increased confidence, willingness to participate and sense of belonging within school.

Young people described their experiences in the following ways:

I enjoyed doing the gym as it helped build my confidence and I liked that we were encouraging each other during it.

I enjoyed it. It helped me have a break from everything going on at school and at home.

I've always been so shy, but volunteering has given me the chance to help people and challenge myself.

These reflections demonstrate the value of providing opportunities that help young people feel connected, supported and able to achieve success.

Why does this matter?

This project demonstrates how targeted, relationship-based support can complement the universal Active Schools offer and help improve outcomes for care experienced children and young people.

As well as supporting individual young people, the programme has contributed to greater awareness and understanding of the experiences of care experienced pupils within schools. It has helped challenge stigma, encouraged more open conversations and reinforced the importance of providing support that recognises individual circumstances and strengths.

The impact has extended beyond participating schools. Through involvement in multi-agency strategic groups, learning from the project has informed wider discussions about how care experienced children and young people are supported across Fife. This has helped strengthen partnership working and ensure that successful approaches can influence practice beyond the immediate project.

Importantly, the success of the initial pilot led to continued investment through the Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund (CECYP), allowing the model to expand and reach more young people. What began as a single targeted role has now grown into a wider programme with additional capacity and increased reach across Fife.

What could other local areas learn?

The experience in Fife suggests that it is important to start with relationships, be patient and allow time for trust to develop. Meaningful change rarely happens quickly, and a flexible approach which responds to the needs of individual young people is essential.

Lauren Whitehead reflected:

Remember that it takes time. It's okay to start small. Take the time to build relationships with the young people you're working with, as well as with teachers and partner organisations around you. Everyone wants the best for the young people, and a collaborative approach is the best way to support them..

The project also highlights the importance of partnership working. Schools, Active Schools and wider services all have a role to play, and the strongest outcomes are achieved when support is coordinated around the young person. Starting small, demonstrating impact and building on success can create opportunities to expand support and reach more children and young people over time.