Education and Children in Care Conference

The conference, that took place 13 June, marks ten years of Letterbox Club in the UK.

The aim was to highlight the success of the programme in helping to improve the educational outlook for children age 7-13 in foster care and promote discussion and focus on the educational needs of children in care.

Key note speakers and workshop leaders included Lemn Sissay MBE, Professor Sonia Jackson OBE, Prue Goodwin, Gaynor Weavers and Anne Fine OBE.

Anne Fine, who is publishing a book in July called Blood Family* based on a child taken into care, said:

 'Every young person needs books, and children in care probably need them most of all: as a treat, as an occasional escape, as encouragement to learning and, perhaps most importantly, as a way of understanding a little better a complicated and demanding world.'

*Publisher: Doubleday Childrens (4 July 2013) ISBN-13: 978-08575324

Letterbox founder Rose Griffiths, of the University's School of Education, said:

'We are really pleased to be celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Letterbox Club this year. Children and foster carers say that the scheme really makes a difference - so the more children we can reach the better.'

Edward Timpson MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families, wrote:

'I congratulate Letterbox Club on celebrating its tenth anniversary. This is an achievement of which you can all be proud.

A monthly gift of books and numeracy games in an envelope addressed personally to a looked after child is an exciting and innovative way of sparking their love of books, their engagement in reading and work with numbers. Including books and fun materials in their monthly packages that they can use with their carers gets the whole family involved.

I particularly enjoyed reading the Joke Book produced to celebrate your tenth anniversary as did my son. It's lively, colourful and I'm sure will bring a smile to all those who read it.'

Download the full letter to Letterbox Club from Edward Timpson MP

Please keep checking the website for further updates on the conference and also the Letterbox Club 10^th Anniversary film.