SCOTTISH DEBATE

Councils 'fail' children in care

The first minister is expected to launch an outspoken attack on local authorities over the education of the 12,000 children in care in Scotland. Jack McConnell will suggest councils do not have high enough ambitions and are allowing youngsters to fail.
Six out of 10 children in care leave school without even basic exam passes in key subjects — and a same proportion have no job or training to go to.
However, local authorities reject the claim that they are not doing enough.
Earlier this year a report from Audit Scotland revealed that 60% of children in care leave school without Foundation Standard Grades in maths and English — compared to 7% of the school population as a whole.

Executive fund
The first minister has urged education authorities to do more for these children.
But almost half of the country's councils have failed to even apply for a share of a £6m Scottish Executive fund.
In a speech today (Friday), Mr McConnell is expected to say that he is not prepared to stand by and let children fail because those who are responsible do not have high enough ambitions for them.
Meanwhile, the Scottish National Party is calling for a review of the policy of encouraging children with disabilities to go to ordinary schools.

Little choice
Fiona Hyslop, the party's education spokeswoman, said she was concerned that special schools may close because of falling rolls.
That could mean that parents were left with little choice over the school that their children attend.
Baroness Warnock, who 30 years ago was the architect of the policy of educating all children together, also wants a rethink.
She says it has been taken too far and is letting children down.
But the local authorities' umbrella body Cosla argues that the policy is right and is working well.

24 June 2005

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4125020.stm

home / Previous viewpoint