Virtual Schools' new duty to children with a social worker

Extension of the Virtual School role

As a result of the Department for Education’s Children in Need review 2019, new guidance and an extension of the Virtual School role is now available.

Virtual School Heads are now strategic leaders for children assessed as being in need under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989, and who have/have had a social worker.

What the guidance covers

The guidance covers all children who were assessed as needing a social worker at any time due to safeguarding and/or welfare reasons.

This includes children aged 0 - 18, in all educational settings, subject to a Child in Need (CiN) plan or a Child Protection (CP) plan.

This is a strategic role, with Virtual School Heads using their knowledge and expertise, from promoting the educational outcomes of looked-after and previously looked-after children, to champion the education, attendance, attainment and progress of children with a social worker.

They will work to:

  • make visible the disadvantages that children with a social worker can experience, enhancing partnerships between education settings and local authorities to help all agencies hold high aspirations for these children
  • promote practice that supports children’s engagement in education, recognising that attending an education setting can be a protective factor in helping to keep children safe
  • level up children’s outcomes and narrow the attainment gap so every child can reach their potential. This will include helping to make sure that children with a social worker benefit from support to recover from the impact of COVID-19
  • identify the needs of children and young people eligible for the service 
  • support and advise key professionals to help children make progress, including through increasing their confidence in using evidence-based interventions

Haringey Virtual School Strategy

Main aims of the strategy:

  • providing initial support though information and training
  • running regular surgeries/networking for social workers, Special Education Need or Disability (SEND) teams, Educational Psychologists, Designated Teachers and Designated Safeguarding Leads
  • extending opportunities for Designated Safeguarding Leads to join surgeries in order to provide a support network and share good practice
  • extending the Virtual School training offer focused on supporting vulnerable groups in school to Designated Safeguarding Leads
  • building Relational Schools using the Anchor Approach
  • using local and national data to monitor attendance, suspensions and exclusions for vulnerable groups and make consultation available for schools, education settings and Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) to explore approaches and strategies to increase attendance and reduce exclusions

Resources and signposting

Haringey's Local Offer

Some children with a social worker may have Special Education Needs or Disabilities (SEND). Education settings are under a duty to use their best endeavours to meet the educational needs of these children.

School attendance

Regularly attending school, education or college is vital for children’s educational progress, for their wellbeing, and for their wider development. Children and young people become more vulnerable when they are not in education every day. Children of statutory school age should be in education 25 hours a week.

THRIVE Framework

Children with a social worker are more likely have Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). This often impacts on their social, emotional and mental wellbeing. Many schools have wellbeing and/or nurture support, others may have a dedicated social worker or a senior mental health lead. These roles help to make links with mental health services.