YOUNGSTERS in social care are the focus of the 33rd pledge made to people in Swindon.

As part of the borough council's 50 pledges to be acted upon by 2010, it promises to help the most vulnerable young people to achieve what it calls an appropriate qualification and help them achieve their future prospects.

Their education is overseen by a dedicated Looked-After Children Education Service, which liaises with schools, social workers, foster carers and parents in order to ensure that educational needs are met.

Currently, all schools in Swindon have a designated teacher and a nominated governor responsible for overseeing the welfare and promoting the education of looked- after children.

Looked-after children have a personal education plan drawn up within 20 days of being taken into care.

Targets are identified and agreed with the young person and these are reviewed every six months and further targets set.

Arrangements can be made for youngsters to attend Swindon College and New College, while the town's Connexions service also offers valuable advice to young people who may be career planning.

The council's cabinet member for children's services, Garry Perkins, said: "We have to create a level playing field for the vulnerable to have the opportunity to achieve and we have a dedicated team to make sure of the best possible outcomes."

Foster carers are offered training to enable them to support the education of young people in their care.

One scheme, called Putting Reading First In Swindon, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Swindon Libraries and the Laces team, has put literacy back in the spotlight.

Across the country, looked-after children achieve at a lower level than their peers, with many having problems with reading.

But the project has raised the profile of reading with children and young people as well as foster carers.

The Swindon Library Service has also created a foster carers ticket that waives fines on children's books returned late and also allows 24 books instead of the normal 16 to be borrowed.

In addition, a storysack library has been set up and a literacy support manual is currently being written for foster carers.

The focus for the next round of training planned by Laces for foster carers will be numeracy.

Pledge Watch 33

We will help our most vulnerable looked after young people to achieve an appropriate qualification, paying particular attention to literacy, numeracy and vocational skills to help future prospects.

factfile

Swindon Council has made 50 promises to the people of the town.

Each week the Advertiser looks at a pledge, and will be monitoring the council's progress until 2010, which is when the pledges have to be met.

The first 15 pledges centre around "your council" and the way it serves Swindon.

Pledges 16 to 28 focus on "your culture, leisure and learning," with targets including improving school exam results and building a library.

Pledges 29 to 34 cover social service issues under the heading "your children, your family the people who matter."

Pledges 35 to 44 are about "your town," looking at town centre regeneration and improving other areas of the town.

Pledges 45 to 50 are about "your communities, " covering crime and recycling.