Our response to the latest data on education outcomes for children in care

Our Chief Exectuive Fraser McKinlay reflects on the latest data from the Scottish Government.

Every year, at key points, Scottish Government releases data that tells Scotland something about how well its children and young people are faring. This is the time when the focus is on educational outcomes of the children who experience Scotland’s ‘care system’— and the stats make for difficult reading.

Over the last few years, I have met so many people working in education, making positive changes, dedicated to keeping the promise and committed to sharing what they have learned has worked for their children and young people.

Despite this, year-on-year, rates of school attendance are down, most acutely in secondary school children. Overall achievement of Curriculum for Excellence is also down, with worrying gaps between the writing and numeracy skills of care-experienced children in primary 4 and primary 7 compared to their non care-experienced peers. Fewer care-experienced young people are staying on to S5 or beyond, and fewer are leaving with one or more Nat 4.

The only data set that shows a year-on-year improvement is the number of care-experienced young people in a ‘positive follow up destination’ at 72%, which can include higher or further education, training, employment, voluntary work, skills development or activity agreements

Of course, government statistics don’t tell the whole story. They don’t explain the changing nature of the ‘care system’ nor, importantly, do they help Scotland understand what is happening in each of these children or young people’s lives – although the positive destination figures are a testament to the determination of care experienced young people.

But what they do make clear is that Scotland must keep going, supporting the many thousands of children, young people and those working alongside them to ensure long lasting change is delivered.

The Promise Scotland team will continue to push for the changes needed to make sure children with care experience receive the same access to education and opportunities as their non care experienced peers. We will work alongside everyone committed to realising the ambitions of the promise so all children can realise their full potential.

See the full publication here.

Find out about some of the national work around education, and read the learning stories form Neilston Primary School and Blairgowrie High school below.