The Local Authority also has a non-statutory duty to support children known to social care under Child in Need (CiN) and Child Protection (CP) plans, and those in Kinship Care arrangements.
How it can help
The team works with schools, individuals and social workers to:
- provide individual support around education for children in area
- provide advice, guidance and support for parents/carers, schools and others around the education for Previously Looked After Children
- offer advice to professionals, training and projects for all children known to social care or in Kinship Care arrangements.
Age
The Virtual School work with children and young people age 0 to 18 who :
- are in care
- are previously looked after
- have formal Kinship arrangements (SGO and CAO)
Their main duties relate to children in care who are statutory school age. This means children from Reception Year to Year 11.
The Virtual School can also support professionals working with children aged 0 to 18 who:
- have a Child in Need (CiN) plan
- have a Child Protection (CP) plan
- were previously on a CiN or CP plan
- have informal Kinship Care arrangements
The Virtual School cannot support parents of this group directly.
Eligibility
Your child must be:
- a child in the care of Essex Local Authority
- previously looked after (has been in Local Authority care, and left care immediately as a result of an Adoption Order, Special Guardianship Order or Child Arrangements Order) and attending an Essex school
- a child open to Essex social care under a Child in Need (CiN) or Child Protection (CP) plan
- a child previously open to Essex social care under a Child in Need (CiN) or Child Protection (CP) plan
- a child in a formal (SGO/CAO) or informal Kinship Care arrangement
The Virtual School can also support the school, social worker or other professional with advice and guidance and access to projects, for a child who is:
- known to social care under a CiN or CP plan
- in informal Kinship Care
The virtual school does not work directly with parents or young people in this group.
How to access
You can request individual support for children in care or previously looked after via the student referral form on the website. If the matter is urgent, please email.
Your social worker, school or other professional can request support for children with a social worker via email.