The education of children who are looked after by local authorities is
now rightly a national issue. Manchester City Council is one of the f
ew local authorities to develop a substantial provision which specific
ally focuses on the educational needs of a group of children largely i
gnored by public service planners. This paper argues that in the conte
xt of children looked after by local authorities education and social
work objectives are interdependent. The Manchester Teaching Service ha
s been at the forefront of national development and change and a numbe
r of local authorities are seeking to develop a similar service based
on the same principles and objectives. The paper concludes with a part
icular case study designed to illustrate the philosophy and purpose of
the provision in a practical context.