
Education is most beneficial for those who are most disadvantaged and therefore schools should prioritise provision for those children. Hear me clearly, every child deserves to be well taught in a safe environment and to have as many opportunities to succeed and thrive as possible. But those children who face significant barriers to accessing and benefiting from education are those we should prioritise. Or as I often put it informally - those who cause us the most trouble are those who need us the most!
Those children in the care system are, quite rightly, provided for by the "Virtual school" system with provision for them carefully monitored and additional funding often provided.
I am deeply concerned for those children who are adopted from care or who have special guardianship orders on them, for whom the virtual school system does not apply. There is some additional funding for them in schools, but these children often have significant adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and suffer from childhood trauma, Schools often have limited understanding of the challenges which such children present. I have worked closely with many such children over the past years.
I am therefore very interested to hear from parents and famlies of children who have come from care and I would love to be able to help you to work with your child's secondary school in the best interests of the child. Please get in touch via the contact details on the website (www.findingcommonground.org.uk).
I really look forward to hearing from you!
James Harris
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