To think the government's idea to send some foster kids to boarding schools could be okay?

[mumsiepig]

www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2017/jul/25/the-drive-to-get-children-out-of-foster-care-and-into-boarding-school

www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2018/06/11/send-foster-children-boarding-schools-cheaper-careminister-says/

(those are articles on it, I just found them a few minutes ago)

I feel as if this could be a good option for older kids (13/14+), who may be tired of being carted around to different places where they can't really settle.

Opinions?

That happened to my Grandfather and his brother. They were orphaned when he was about 11 and taken to live in a boarding school, lived there year round till they finished school.

I agree as long as the schools are selected for being nurturing and the children’s emotional well being looked after. It may well be an option which gives them access to a good education in a stable environment. Perhaps not suitable for foster children, but I like the idea that this could be a possibility for some.

Whether it’ll actually happen is another thing though, this idea was being floated when I was In care 20yrs ago, I was a prime candidate. It would help some but sadly they’re are so many with mental health issues/behaviour problems with whom it wouldn’t work. Good idea in practice but only for some.

Sort of a new type of orphanage?

It could be a better option than being moved around a dozen different placements. The educational outcome for this group couldn't get much worse.

This is only being mooted as an alternative to coming in to foster care, not for those already in care. That wouldn't work, because they would need a home and family to go to in the holidays.

There may be a small number of older children who would benefit from this but considering the school holidays at private school can be 10 weeks long how would that work? You can be neglected for 2-3 months but then we will put you somewhere safe, but you need to go back to being neglected again at Easter and Christmas?
Also, if these children don't become looked after they miss out on all the additional support that LAC get. And if they DO become LAC then a LAC social worker has to support and monitor them during the holidays when they are back home. I can't work our how it's supposed to work.

No school is a replacement for a home or family. You don't do what is cheapest you do what is best for the child.

The solution is properly funding child services, making fostering and adoption more accessible to potential carers/ parents.

Would there potentially be more people able to volunteer as respite holiday foster carers that couldn't do full time?

What happens during holidays?

Because if the intention is to make arrangements for a special type of school where they stay all the time - well, that’s an old fashioned children’s home, not a boarding school.

If it fully met all their needs and there was a plan for supporting them appropriately in early adulthood, akin to the safety net and support a family should provide (not some crappy helpline number on a card), perhaps...

Considering how badly we are currently failing "looked after" children we need to get our act together properly, not just in an electioneering soundbite kind of way.

I vaguely recall reading several years ago about a boarding school that was set up to cater for children coming from situations like that, and was therefore run very differently to other schools. But it was years ago so I could be misremembering.

It already happens in some places, we're I'm from it was called the pathway to boarding. Placing participle at risk kids in boarding school it worked for some and the support was good. But fell through at summer holidays when a couple had to go home and they collapsed. For a couple of the kids it felt it alienated them more whilst all the other boarders had a 'home' for them that was it.
I think I'm very particular cases it could work. For example there was some kids on the pathway who weren't right for fister care but boarding was perfect this happened to kids who had a single/both parents with disabilities so they could go away from very heavy caring duties.
But there was very particular criteria for this

I can see where the idea is coming from, in providing them stability, but my concern would be around who is responsible for their emotional needs.
Who can they go cry to when things are tough, get a hug from when they’re sad, who congratulates them when things go well, buy them birthday present and Christmas presents? Etc.
I know many foster children don’t have these needs met under the current system, but there would definitely need to be some serious consideration regarding meeting emotional needs for any child put up into boarding school.

It already happens in some places, we're I'm from it was called the pathway to boarding. Placing participle at risk kids in boarding school it worked for some and the support was good. But fell through at summer holidays when a couple had to go home and they collapsed. For a couple of the kids it felt it alienated them more whilst all the other boarders had a 'home' for them that was it.
I think I'm very particular cases it could work. For example there was some kids on the pathway who weren't right for fister care but boarding was perfect this happened to kids who had a single/both parents with disabilities so they could go away from very heavy caring duties.
But there was very particular criteria for this

No. My dad grew up in and out of foster homes and then sent to boarding school as he got a scholarship.
The bullying was horrendous as he was 'poor' and 'common'. So the children don't feel singled out, if all the children were from foster homes the boarding school would basically become a children's home. Institutionalising children is not the way to go.

Would there potentially be more people able to volunteer as respite holiday foster carers that couldn't do full time?

Children need permanence, not just part time carers. Who would the kids phone if they wanted a chat? Who would come and see their plays and events? Who would take them out on exceat weekends?

I happens and has done for years. Not ideal in my opinion but may offer those young people some stability they don,t otherwise have.

This has been happening for years. I read recently that Norfolk has the largest number of CIC in boarding schools and the outcomes for those kids way surpass other CIC. For example there are getting 5 plus GCSEs , which is fab.

It doesn't really matter if you're in the same place long term if there is a revolving door of support staff coming in to care for you. My experience is in adults social care and group settings have massive potential to be dehumanising and depersonalised.

I know of cases where it’s worked really well when the child has had a relative ( usually a grandparent) who can be the emotional support and care for them during the holidays but cannot have them full time.
Staff turn over is fairly low in many schools

No, using boarding schools as an alternative to investing in providing suitable care, which requires funding, training and ongoing support for the foster placements is not a sustainable option.

I think it really could help if there's potential kinship carers but they don't feel able to have the kids full time, particularly teens. Eg friends took in their niece but not everyone has the capacity to care year round for a teenager whereas they might be able to manage school holidays

Children really need loving ‘familial’ support day in day out at boarding school. Boarding staff will look after them but they’re not a substitute in any way.

Who would these children FaceTime for a quick chat before supper or a long rant when they’re feeling aggrieved or stressed? Who would show up for matches or plays or to take them out for lunch on their birthdays?

I really hope those suggesting this have a full understanding of the role of home/family in modern boarding life.

Some local authorities have been doing this for decades.

It's not a panacea, and it's definitely not right for some children, but it can work extremely well in some circumstances

As a social worker, I have secured funding for a child to attend private school as an alternative to care. However this child had very specific circumstances and this was the right option for that particular child. She was terrified of foster care and went on to thrive in the school. There are many children it would not work for. Every child should have a needs-led assessment and be treated as an individual.

I don’t think putting the majority of foster kids into private boarding schools will help. There would be a clear social divide between pupils and if the funding doesn’t match in pace to the increase in fees a difference in the quality of education / care provided too. The government needs more purpose build children’s homes.