A proverb says that young people represent the future of a country. Whether this future will be good or bad depends mainly on the government’s reforms regarding the welfare of youngsters.If we check the figures, a presumption could be made about the Britain’s expectations. The 2001 census shows that in the UK live about twelve million people aged under sixteen which means that today’s adolescents will be in a couple of decades the leading generation.
But what about the children who are living on the streets? How did they end to be alone, without any help from those who are supposed to watch the well being of youngsters? Until the central administration of the country finds the answer, humanitarian associations work for the education of street children.
A recent report from the National Statistics shows that 60,300 children were looked after at 31 March 2006. Lately, the increasingly number of social services departments (SSDs) contributed to the drop off the education problems of the children that were looked after. This fact is very important because the education level of youngsters could tell us what the prospects are about the future of the country. The Government’s efforts should be focused on investments in the education system and also in children with special needs, even if the financial crisis is now considered the number one issue that has to be solved.
A National Children's Bureau study reveals the contribution of social services to support vulnerable children in school. This involvement is not limited only to children looked after by the local authority, but to a wider group of children in need. In this initiative were implicated families and they valued the mediating role and support that professionals adopt in the social work that is provided. Researchers conclude that the good job of the last years about the education of children in need lies in the partnership between SSDs and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The research was made during 1997/1998 and is based on questionnaire responses from SSDs in England and Wales.
Integrated Service Programme (ISP)
One of the best examples of organizations that help children that have issues it is the Integrated Service Programme (ISP).
This provider of childcare was formed by a group of foster carers back in 1987. They have specialist teams in education, therapy and social work. The goal of the ISP is to integrate children to whom life was not so friendly into society. On its website it is briefly stated the association’s target: “We care for "difficult to place" children and young people, whose development has been impaired by abuse or trauma, resulting in emotional, behavioral and social difficulties”.A multi-disciplinary approach enables them to create an individual care plan for each child, focusing on their complex needs.
The association is currently working with approximately fifty local authorities and caring for over 160 children and young people. An educational team monitors and co-ordinates the education of all children and young people placed with them. To do this effectively, the team continually gets in touch with the child or young person's mainstream school or college. In addition, ISP has created its own fully inspected schools for those children and young people who find it particularly difficult to access a conventional school environment.
Presently, 85% of ISP children attend local normal schools. ISP educates the remaining 15%. The foundation’s activity takes place mainly in South East England. There are 6 centres located in Kent (Rainham, Teynham and Whitstable), Buckinghamshire, North London and Sussex. The Central Office is based in Sittingbourne, Kent. A recent inspection report (2007) made by OFSTED (Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills)shows thatthe ISP Special School in Sittingbourne is prepared from all points of view to teach children with needs.
In 2006 an interesting report about children that are under the wings of ISP was released. Basically, the study shows the manner in which the youngsters progressed in respect of 4 major outcomes: health, safety, school results and entertainment. To the question “Are you a regular cigarette smoker?” 84% said no. Regarding the drug use, just 4% of the respondents said that they are consumers. The same situation is if we talk about the harmful use of alcohol. Only 4% of them drink alcohol. The children were asked if they were victims of discrimination. 93% answered “no” to this question. Regarding the education, 92% of ISP young people were regularly attending school or college. In terms of school results, 75% of the respondents who entered in examinations gained 5 GCSE’s, A – G Grade.
Lee Wright, an education manager who works for ISP for seven years told us that now they take care of 194 children. He is a member of an education team that works for the ISP Centre in Watford. “I’m working for the ISP from 2001and my role is to help that children that are in our care to be ready for school. That means that if we have a child who was abused, who had or still has some social and behaving problems and is not ready to start the school, we help him. We teach these children what they must know in order to attend again the school, if it was interrupted by his issues”, says Lee Wright. Regarding the financial sources which help ISP to accomplish its mission, he explained that the money come from the government, through social services. Mr. Wright told us a story about his first child that he helped. “The first child that I helped in the Watford I.S.P centre, seven years ago was Lewis, a 14 year old boy from North London. He had a gap in his education of about two years due to his family background. I can say that he was eager to learn the basics. I taught him Mathematics, English Language and Literature for three months. Over this period of time he learnt almost two years of educational knowledge that he had previously missed. He is now attending the university, he is doing well and I’m very proud of him”,Lee Wright remembers.
The good work that is made by this kind of organizations for the wellbeing of young people entitles us to look forward with hope about the future of the country.
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