Children in Foster Care; Looked After Children and Education: A Review of the Literature in the UK

This study critically examines the literature regarding the education of children in foster care; Looked After Children (LAC) in the United Kingdom (UK). It examines the progress made within UK policy and practice in just over a decade. Government legislation and policy have defined how progress for LAC should be made in the UK, and there has been a shift away from social care perspectives to more holistic educational perspectives as responsibility has shifted from the Department of Health to include the Department of Education. This has had a direct impact on the work of UK based Local Authorities and schools. It is important to gain an understanding of these changes, and how perceptions of LAC’s education is now situated. This paper explores how continued progress can be made in closing the attainment gap between LAC and their peers by focussing on three key areas: academic achievement, emerging professional roles, and the training of key professionals that work with LAC.