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Supporting Looked After Children’s Mental Health

The mental health of Looked After Children (LAC) is significantly poorer than that of their peers. Many Looked After Children are in care due to abuse or neglect and the trauma that they have experienced can have a lasting impact on their mental health and emotional wellbeing.
 
Over the past year we have worked with Virtual Schools across the UK to support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of the Looked After Children in their areas. Thanks to generous funding from our supporters,  we have been able to train and supply Skills for Life programme materials to designated teachers in local schools and staff within the Virtual School who provide after school groups for Looked After Children.
 
Many teachers had reported that Looked After Children were showing difficulties in regulating their emotions, solving conflict and dealing with change.
Initial feedback from this project has shown that those Looked After Children taking part in Skills for Life Programmes have increased their social skills, improved their ability to ask for help if they are struggling, and demonstrated the use of conflict resolution skills with friends. Teachers have also reported improved classroom behaviour which has allowed Looked After Children to engage more with their learning.  
 
Virtual Schools, primary schools or other organisations supporting Looked After Children who are interested in taking part in our Skills for Life Project for LAC, please contact: Hannah.craig@partnershipforchildren.org.uk

Partnership for Children
8 February 2020