Education Forum February 2026
Supporting numeracy and educational outcomes for children and young people with care experience
For our first Education Forum of 2026, we were delighted to welcome Professor Rose Griffiths, a former mathematics teacher, foster carer and adoptive parent, and researcher specialising in interventions for learners with care experience.
Professor Griffiths, Professor of Education at the University of Leicester, brought together lived experience and research insights to explore why some children and young people with care experience may find mathematics challenging, and how this can impact their educational outcomes and life chances.
During the session, attendees gained insight into:
- Professor Griffiths’ case study research with children with care experience who were identified as having challenges in mathematics, including work with primary-aged learners;
- Key factors affecting numeracy outcomes for learners with care experience, including instability in living arrangements, time out of school, and gaps in foundational and sequential mathematical understanding;
- The skills, confidence and understanding needed by teachers, carers and other adults to effectively support children with care experience in mathematics, particularly where learning gaps are significant.
Download Professor Griffith's slides
About the Education Forum
At CELCIS, we are privileged to convene and coordinate a free, open-access network of practitioners and leaders who are involved or interested in the education of children with experience of care, and their families. We encourage and facilitate opportunities for practitioners to come together in a reflective, challenging and enabling space.
Membership is free and open to anyone with an interest in this area of education. We have members who are students, foster carers, health visitors, teachers and academics - so many different roles are represented.
To find out more about the Forum, visit the Education Forum webpage