Briefing produced to support an inquiry by the Education and Culture Committee into the educational attainment of looked after children.
Despite ten years of policy effort to improve the educational attainment of looked after children, national statistics show that attainment and school attendance is still much lower and exclusions much higher than the average for all pupils.
This briefing sets out the legislative context for looked after children, summarises policy developments since devolution, and pulls together common themes from the various policy reviews and guidance issued over that period. It also notes where these reports have found progress.