I have had the privilege of working in schools for over 30 years and have been part of the transformation in the education sector over that time, in the quality of education, safeguarding and teacher development.  

I now want to see this same spirit of transformation applied to children’s services.

With the publication of the School’s White Paper, the SEND Green Paper, and now the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, there is a golden opportunity to grasp these major reforms and work towards a more integrated support system that can transform children’s lives.

So what does the care review mean for schools?

Why schools must be included in care overhaul 

I know from my experience of working in education that, too often, schools are left holding the reins when other services are not in place to support a child.

I also know it is not a teacher’s job to play the role of a social worker, but it is vital that there is a team of support built around a school so that it is easy to refer children to the get the help and support they need.

At present, this team of support just isn’t always there when it is needed though.

I know that families of schools are putting some of this support in place and the Care Review sets out a vision to transform children’s social care, starting with a stronger support offer for families, and this is to be welcomed.

However, schools play an integral role in safeguarding and protecting children in need and, for too long, the voice of education has been missing from multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.

I was pleased, therefore, to see the review’s call for schools to contribute to the strategic and operational delivery of multi-agency working.

I wholly support their recommendation that schools should become a full and statutory member of safeguarding partnership, something I have been calling for.

Why early intervention is a must

We also need to bring social care closer to communities, with a child protection scheme that intervenes early, and having schools at the heart of safeguarding discussions will do just that.

In The Big Ask, children told us that they wanted more mental health support in schools.

The review called for Mental Health Support Teams to be rolled out faster and senior mental health lead training provided to all schools and colleges in England.

I want to see further investment in early mental health support, particularly in schools, so this recommendation can become a reality.

While this is a step in the right direction to support children with their mental health, I would have liked to see more focus in the review on the join up between the care system and care for children with mental health needs, particularly those who need inpatient care.

The proposed Regional Care Cooperatives provide a golden opportunity to work closely with Integrated Care Systems in the NHS to join up care more effectively.

I believe major reform is required in this area, including an expectation that all NHS areas have a pathway for children who have experienced trauma.

Stability will benefit schools 

Children in care are too often forced to move home, and change school, because of a lack of appropriate foster carers and children’s homes.

Providing greater stability for children in care is an important priority that I have highlighted and it was great to see this included in the review.

The current system sees children moving from school to school when they move home, which has a significant impact on their ability to settle and thrive in school.

Indeed, for many, this means a period of being out of education altogether.

The new national standards and regional commissioning structures will be crucial to ensuring that children do not have to move home so many times, and that more children are placed closer to home. 

Lack of attendance focus

However, I was disappointed not to see any recommendations relating to improving attendance rates, particularly among children known to children’s services.

I believe that school is the right place for children to be, especially for those who might be at risk.

I know that there are a plethora of reasons for poor attendance, and it is vital that we explore the reasons why children are absent and ensure they get the support they need.

Schools have a vital role in being able to systematically track every child who is missing from school and get them back into the classroom.

But attendance is everyone’s business, and children’s social care services have a key role to play in ensuring vulnerable children are supported to be in school.

My Attendance Audit has highlighted the risk that local authorities do not always have the data they need to do this effectively.

I want the efforts to get children back into the classroom to go further and I believe we need to establish a single unique identifier for children across systems and age groups, as this would enable records to be brought together more readily and reduce the number of children falling between the gaps.

This approach would support teachers, social workers, and everyone working in children’s services, to protect and keep children safe.

I understand that all educational professionals are under immense pressure to digest these reforms, understand how they link together, and what they mean for their children and their communities.

I will make it my mission to work together with partners across government to join these reforms together and deliver an education and care system that works for all.

Dame Rachel de Souza is the Children’s Commissioner for England