Literacy boost for Looked After Children

Foster carers and learning support assistants trained to deliver a proven literacy intervention can boost literacy for Looked After Children, according to the results of two pilot studies published today by Catch Up.

There are currently 60,000 Looked After Children in the UK, the vast majority of whom fall below the minimum standards for levels of literacy.

It is estimated that only 11 per cent of Looked After Children gain 5 or more GSCEs, compared with more than half of all other children.

Almost two thirds of Looked After Children (63 per cent) are in care due to neglect or abuse, and these vulnerable children can suffer a range of emotional, social, behavioural and educational difficulties, exacerbated by problems in school and at home.

Joining forces

In the first of two pilot studies, Catch Up, a not-for-profit charity, joined forces with Compass Children’s Services, an independent fostering agency that supplies training and resources to carers of Looked After Children, to carry out a year long project to train foster carers to deliver the Catch Up Literacy intervention in the home environment with secondary school children.

The project resulted in a clear boost in literacy attainment, although it delivering the intervention programme within the home environment proved to be more challenging than delivering it in school. Children taking part had suffered social care placement moves, school moves, exclusion from school, trauma and abuse, which together had resulted in a range of behavioural difficulties and extreme emotional problems. The study showed that these problems lead inevitably to negative attitudes to education.

Second pilot study

The second pilot study was equally successful. Catch Up, in partnership with Norfolk County Council Children’s Services, trained foster carers and learning support assistants in the Norfolk Virtual School for Children in Care to deliver Catch Up Literacy. This study focussed on providing literacy support for Looked After Children across the county whose educational experience or social care placements have been disrupted.

Twenty six children, spanning Years 2 to 10, participated in the Catch Up/Norfolk study between November 2007 and June 2008. The Reading Age gain for these children was 14.7 months after 5 months of intervention and 17.15 months at the close of the 7 month pilot.

Follow up

Following the success of the Compass and Norfolk projects, Catch Up is currently working with both organisations looking at how the Catch Up Numeracy intervention can be used effectively to support Looked After Children who struggle with numeracy.

Julie Lawes, Director of Catch Up, says: “It is precisely because the needs of the most vulnerable children are complex that the success of literacy intervention delivered by foster carers, specialist and learning support assistants trained by Catch Up is so welcome…The boost to literacy levels, confidence and self-esteem is vital for these most vulnerable of children.”

Some of the comments from the Foster carers taking part in the programme included:

“He is less disruptive because as he explains he is less worried about getting things wrong.”

“Grew in confidence and would look forward to Catch Up time.”

“Reads for pleasure and doesn’t groan about school.”

“Asks to read for longer.”

“I found the training interesting, it has helped me a lot and I’m now more confident in working with children now.”