The You Matter to Us - Corporate Parenting Board met on Thursday 9 July 2026 to discuss the educational outcomes for children in care and care leavers, and to review the Middlesbrough Virtual School Annual Report. The Board received an update on the Education, Employment, and Training (EET) offer for care leavers and agreed to gather further data on council initiatives to support them.

Middlesbrough Virtual School Annual Report 2024-2025

The Board received the Middlesbrough Virtual School Annual Report for 2024-2025, presented by Mark Middlemiss, Acting Virtual School Head. The report detailed the educational experiences and outcomes for Children Looked After (CLA), care leavers, and children with a social worker.

Key strengths highlighted included exceptional Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) outcomes for some children, positive Key Stage 2 (KS2) results that compared favourably with national and regional benchmarks, and strong GCSE outcomes for a number of young people. The report also noted the high completion rates for Personal Education Plans (PEPs), with 98% completed within four months and 99% within six months.

However, persistent challenges were also identified. Special Educational Needs (SEN) was highlighted as the strongest predictor of poorer outcomes across all key stages. Attendance was noted to decline sharply at the transition into secondary education for children with a social worker, and Key Stage 4 (KS4) outcomes remained sensitive to attendance, placement changes, social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs, and curriculum access. The post-16 phase was identified as the most complex and vulnerable, with a notable proportion of young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET) and an increase in Amber and Red PEPs.

The Virtual School's key priorities for the upcoming year were outlined as strengthening early SEND identification and specialist intervention, targeting attendance earlier, particularly around the Year 6-7 transition, reducing reliance on suspension through earlier relational intervention, increasing strong passes in English and maths, and strengthening post-16 planning and employability pathways.

Councillor Anne Romaine noted that SEN was a significant predictor of poorer outcomes, but emphasised that young people with SEN, including those with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), could still have high aspirations. Mark Middlemiss, Acting Virtual School Head, agreed but explained that looked-after children often faced different challenges and pathways compared to SEN pupils in mainstream education, including issues with attendance and gaps in schooling. Councillor Jack Banks, who declared a non-pecuniary interest as he works in a school, queried the difference in outcomes between primary and secondary school-aged children and whether these were affected by the age at which a child entered care. The Board was advised that children entering care during their secondary education often experienced greater instability.

Members sought assurance regarding early help and intervention, and were informed that daily tracking systems were used to monitor attendance, with similar arrangements to be introduced for post-16 learners. Funding from the Department for Education's Pupil Premium Plus grant was noted as being utilised flexibly to support wider needs.

The Board agreed to receive and note the information provided in the Virtual School Annual Report.

Employment, Education, and Training (EET) for Children in Our Care and Care Leavers

The Service Manager provided an update on the Education, Employment, and Training (EET) offer for children in care and care leavers. The Board heard that care leavers are significantly more likely to be NEET and experience unstable employment due to factors such as educational disruption, limited support networks, trauma, and abrupt transitions into independence.

Statistics presented showed that out of 245 care leavers, 46.9% were in EET, while 22.9% were NEET. The presentation outlined the comprehensive EET offer, including dedicated support through Pathway Planning, Personal Education Plans (PEPs), Personal Advisors, and the Work Readiness Team. Education opportunities included support from the Virtual School, further education colleges, sixth forms, and higher education providers. Employment and training options encompassed apprenticeships, traineeships, supported internships, council employment pathways, and programmes like Trailblazer and Connect to Work.

Significant financial assistance was detailed for young people in education or training, including weekly living allowances, incentive payments, and grants for higher education students, covering tuition, accommodation, equipment, and travel costs. The Skills and Employment Hub offers support with CV writing, interview preparation, and access to EET opportunities. Middlesbrough Council also offers guaranteed interviews for care leavers who meet the essential criteria for advertised vacancies.

Members raised concerns about the main barriers care-experienced young people face in securing employment, which were identified as systemic issues including childhood instability and trauma, poor school attendance, and a lack of entry-level job opportunities. The benefits system was also noted as a potential barrier, with concerns raised about housing benefit entitlement reductions impacting rent affordability upon gaining employment.

The Board agreed that these issues required a collaborative, multi-agency approach. It was noted that the Education Alliance Board provides strategic direction for reducing NEET rates and tackling youth disengagement.

The Board agreed to the following:

• The information provided was received and noted.
• Data would be collated and circulated to Members on the Council's Guaranteed Interview Scheme for care leavers, including the number of applications and successful candidates.
• Data would be collated and circulated to Members on the number of supported internships, apprenticeships, and work experience opportunities provided to care leavers by Middlesbrough Council over the previous two years.
• Consideration would be given to arranging an ad hoc meeting with the Leadership Management Team (LMT) and young people to explore further support for care leavers and care-experienced children in relation to employment, education, and training.
• A Member visit to the Employment and Skills Hub would be arranged with the Head of Community Learning and Employability.