Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has issued guidance for schools on supporting children with care experience with (a) trauma and (b) behavioural issues.

Statutory guidance for virtual school heads and designated teachers, for looked-after and previously looked-after children, recognises the prevalence of social, emotional, and mental health issues amongst the cohort, and the need for whole school awareness of the impact of trauma and attachment disorders. The guidance highlights the impact past experiences can have on behaviour, and the importance of recognising this when considering how best to support the pupil with their learning as well as in the design and application of school behaviour policies.

In July 2022, the department published updated guidance on Behaviour in Schools which is the primary source of help and support for schools on developing and implementing a behaviour policy that can create a school culture with high expectations of behaviour.

Any school behaviour policy must be lawful, proportionate reasonable and comply with the school’s duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the Education and Inspections Act 2006. Account must be taken of a pupil’s age, any special educational needs or disability they may have, and any religious requirements affecting them.

Within these legal parameters, it is then for individual schools to develop their own policies.