Don’t make promises you can’t keep: Why hasn’t the gap closed?

The Independent Care Review acknowledged that the care system in Scotland was not working and culminated in the publication of The Promise, a commitment to improve the lives of Care Experienced (CE) Young People (YP). For schools, The Promise states that the formal and informal exclusion of CE YP must end. Scottish Government statistics indicate that although exclusions rates for CE YP have decreased over time, a consistent inequitable gap persists between rates of exclusion for CE YP and their peers (Scottish Government, 2012; 2022). The present research aimed to capture secondary school teachers’ experiences of exclusion regarding CE YP via semistructured interviews with seven secondary schools within one local authority in Scotland. The research aimed to explore what secondary schools experienced as supports, challenges, contributing factors, and alternatives to the exclusion of CE YP. The purpose of this research was to inform future practice for Educational Psychologists (EPs) and wider education professionals, and to highlight tensions between policy and practice regarding the exclusion of CE YP. Data gathered through the seven semi-structured interviews was analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six phase thematic analysis. The overarching themes developed through analysis were CE YP as part of their school, ethos around exclusion, alternatives to exclusion, challenges for schools, and CE YP treated differently. Secondary schools described supports as the approach used, relationship with CE YP, and ethos of no exclusion. Challenges related to staff welfare, tensions with the CE identity, and tensions between policy and practice. Contributing factors to the exclusion of CE YP were associated with major incidents, typically relating to violence and aggression. Implications for EP and wider educational practice are discussed.