Supporting the Education of Children with a Social Worker
Supporting the Education of Children with a Social Worker
In July 2021, the DfE announced an extension to the Virtual School Head's remit to include all children with a social worker. For ease, the term 'children with a social worker' (CWSW) will be used to refer to this group of children. It includes all children who have been assessed as needing or previously needing a social worker within the past 6 years due to safeguarding and/or welfare reasons. It includes all children aged 0 to 18 across all education settings subject to a Child in Need (CIN) plan or a Child Protection (CP) plan. This cohort has been identified as a group of children who face significant barriers to education as a result of experiences of adversity, most commonly abuse and neglect.
Under Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014, all local authorities have duties to children with SEND. VSHs should not duplicate support available to children under existing local authority duties. The remit of the extended Virtual School Heads role includes children who are disabled and have, or have had, an allocated social worker.
This extended role does not require Virtual School Heads to provide direct intervention, help or support for individual children with a social worker or their families. This guidance does not change existing duties for looked-after and previously looked-after children, and should be read in conjunction with statutory guidance Promoting the education of looked-after and previously looked-after children.
The support Hillingdon Virtual School can provide to CWSW is as follows:
- impartial advice and information to key professionals working with CWSW
- guidance on use of PP
- invitations to CPD training for relevant professionals on trauma and attachment
- signposting to relevant services
- advice on further education and training
- tracking and analysing CWSW data to identify and implement targeted interventions
- consultation about education issues related to specific children or school-related issues for this cohort
- building relationships between social care and education professionals
However, Hillingdon Virtual School do not usually provide for CWSW:
- case work
- stationery or books
- educational visits
- payment for uniform, trips, exam entry fees, equipment, etc.
- regular meetings
For queries on CWSW support, please contact the CWSW team at virtualschoolCWSW@hillingdon.gov.uk or book a 20-minute consultation at a CWSW Education Virtual Clinic. These are held on Monday afternoons for Social Care and internal colleagues and on Tuesdays for DSLs and school staff. Please complete the consultation form to support with your appointment: Consultation Form
