http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2026/21/section/6Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026enStatute Law Database2026-06-04Expert Participation2026-06-01
Part 1Children’s social careSupport for children in care, leaving care or in kinship care and carersPromoting educational achievement
6
1
Part 3 of the Children Act 1989 (support for children and families provided by local authorities in England) is amended as follows.
2
In the italic heading before section 23ZZA, after “children” insert “and others”.
3
After that italic heading insert—
Educational achievement of children in need or in kinship care
23ZZZA
1
A local authority must take such steps as it considers appropriate for the purpose of promoting the educational achievement of children within subsection (2).
2
The children within this subsection are—
a
children for whom, by virtue of subsection (10)(a) or (b) of section 17, the authority is providing or has provided services under that section, and
b
children in the authority’s area who live in kinship care (within the meaning of section 22I(1)).
3
The steps that may be taken under subsection (1) include steps designed—
a
to enable children within subsection (2) to overcome barriers to their educational achievement;
b
to raise awareness of those barriers among, and to provide support for, persons who work with children within subsection (2);
c
to improve educational attendance and engagement of children within subsection (2);
d
to promote educational opportunities for children within subsection (2).
4
Subsection (1) does not require a local authority to take steps in relation to a particular child.
5
A local authority must appoint at least one person for the purpose of discharging the duty under subsection (1).
6
A person appointed by a local authority under subsection (5) must be an officer employed by that authority or another local authority.
4
In section 23ZZA (information and advice for promoting educational achievement), in subsection (6), in the definition of “relevant child”—
a
at the end of paragraph (a)(i) insert “or”;
b
omit paragraph (a)(ii) (including the “or” at the end of that paragraph);
c
omit the “or” at the end of paragraph (a)(iii);
d
after paragraph (a) insert—
aa
a child with respect to whom a special guardianship order is in force,
ab
a child with respect to whom a child arrangements order is in force, where the order provides that the child is to live with a person who is a kinship carer (within the meaning given by section 22I(6)) in relation to the child, or
.
S. 6 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 78(5)