A council has launched a new initiative to drive up the educational standards of children in care.

Derbyshire County Council has set tough new targets as a key part of its 'StepUp 2000' initiative, which aims to give the 500 Derbyshire young people in residential and foster care a better start in life and increase their chances of moving on to further education or a job.

Chair of social services at the county council, Councillor Dave Allen, says: "Nationally, three quarters of young people leave care with no formal qualifications and they are ten times more likely to be excluded from school.

"Fewer than one in five go on to further education, compared to a figure of 68 per cent for all young people - these are some of the issues StepUp 2000 is determined to address.

"Our targets are ambitious and exceed those set down by the government, but we're determined to achieve them and do our very best to help children in care succeed and reach their potential."

The campaign is being led by a 10-strong StepUp 2000 team, based in the council's social services department.

It aims to pull together all of the agencies which play a part in the education of young people in care. The team maintains close contact both with children and carers, offering guidance and support to help the young people reach their educational potential.

The StepUp 2000 targets include: