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Adopted children let down by 'inadequate' accountability

Looked-after children Closing the gap Vulnerable children
'Inadequate' accountability over how funding is used for adopted children has created a postcode lottery of provision, with some families reporting confusion over the use of Pupil Premium Plus and the role of the virtual school head and designated teacher.

There are more than 56,000 previously looked after children in England’s schools – these are children who have left local authority care because of adoption or a Special Guardianship Order.

However, their backgrounds and challenges make them 20 times more likely to be excluded than their peers, more likely to have special needs, and to get lower exam grades.

More than £130m is allocated by the Department for Education (DfE) each year to support previously looked after children, but a new report from charity Adoption UK says that we cannot say if this money is being well used due to “wholly inadequate” accountability.

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