Education Committee session to examine adequacy of children’s homes for children with special educational needs

11 November 2021

The Education Committee continues its inquiry on Children’s Homes with an evidence session examining education, support and outcomes of children in children’s homes with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), and the sufficiency of children’s home places across England.

Purpose of the session

Children living in children’s homes are 20 times more likely to be in special education than all children nationally, with more than half attending special schools. Around 75% of children living in children’s homes have a primary special educational need (SEN) relating to their social, emotional and mental health.

The cross-party Committee of MPs is likely to question the panel on issues such as the quality of education received by children with SEND who live in children’s homes, system accountability, and whether placements offer value for taxpayer money.

The Committee may also ask the panel of sector leaders about longer-term outcomes for children in residential care, and the transition between residential care to independent living.

This will be the third evidence session of the Children’s Homes inquiry, which launched in March this year.

Witnesses

Tuesday 16 November 2021

At 10am:

Andrew Isaac, Independent Chair, Children’s Services Development Group
Charlotte Ramsden OBE, President, Association of Directors of Children’s Services
Jonathan Whalley, Chief Executive, St Christopher’s Fellowship
Michelle Lee-Izu, Interim Co-CEO, Barnardo’s

Further information

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