Data Insight: Understanding the impact of time in care on educational attainment in England

This Data Insight by Xiaohui Zhang examines the impact of time spent in care on educational attainment, measured by the number of GCSE and advanced level qualifications achieved by children aged 15 and 17 in England. The findings are based on analyses of the Growing Up in England (GUiE) dataset.  

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Summary

Interest in the education of care experienced children has grown significantly over the past decades. The negative relationship between being in care and educational attainment is well-documented in existing literature. However, due to the complexity of the issue and data limitations, establishing a causal link remains challenging. This study contributes to the literature by examining the link, using data from the Growing Up in England (GUiE) dataset.

After accounting for various factors—including children’s individual characteristics, family and household backgrounds, pre-care experiences, and school absences and exclusions—we found that having ever been in care is associated with a reduction in the number of full GCSE qualifications attained at age 15 and A-level qualifications attained at age 17.

For children with care experience, a longer duration in care was linked to an increase in the number of full GCSE qualifications attained at age 15. Educational outcomes also varied based on the reason for entering care: compared to children who entered care due to abuse or neglect, those placed in care due to parental illness or disability had better educational attainment, while those in care due to absent parenting or socially unacceptable behaviour had poorer outcomes.

Regarding A-level attainment at age 17, factors such as length of time in care, changes in care placement, and the child’s needs at the start of care showed no significant effects.

Additionally, we found that 84% of the gap in GCSE attainment and 65% of the gap in A-level attainment between care experienced children and their peers not in care can be explained by observed characteristics. This suggests that if children in care had similar characteristics to those not in care, the attainment gap could be significantly reduced. All results presented in this document are based on unweighted estimates.

What we found

• Children with care experience attained significantly fewer GCSE A–C qualifications and advanced level qualifications compared to their peers without care experience
• Staying in care longer may lead to better educational attainment for care experienced children
• About 84% of the gap in GCSE qualifications and 65% of the gap in advanced level qualifications between children in care and those not in care can be explained by the observed factors

Why it matters

Our analysis using the GUiE Wave 1 and 2 data fills a gap in the existing literature and provides new evidence on how time in care and care-related experiences impact educational attainment.

Our findings reveal significant gaps in educational attainment, particularly in GCSE and advanced level qualifications, between children in care and those not in care. For children in care, spending more time in care appears to contribute to better educational outcomes, especially in terms of GCSE A to C qualifications. A large portion of the gap in both GCSE and advanced level qualifications between children in care and those not in care can be explained by their observed characteristics.

These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners to design care systems with proactive strategies that support care experienced children in achieving academic success.