Evaluation of the implementation of the Pupil Development Grant for looked after children

In 2015, it was decided to separate Pupil Development Grant (PDG) funding provided for children eligible for free school meals and Looked After Children (LAC) through two separate grants.

This evaluation examines the implementation of the new funding arrangements for the PDG for Looked After Children.

Overall the study finds that although progress has been made since the new funding system was introduced and there are some promising areas and activities where positive impacts on LAC were emerging not all of the Government’s aims and expectations for the implementation of the new funding system have been met –the areas for improvement are mostly concerned with management and monitoring of the programme.

• Most stakeholders were aware of Welsh Government guidance on the use of the PDG LAC or wider PDG, particularly the more recent guidance documents, and the majority found them useful.
• There is some evidence that funding decisions at REC and LA level were based on evidence of what works and were funded in line with best practice but no systematic approach to identifying what works and feeding it into decision-making processes was identified.