The Virtual School: Children with a Social Worker

How and why the Virtual School supports children with a social worker

From September 2021, the duty of virtual schools extended so that virtual school Headteachers became strategic leaders for the cohort of children who are, or have ever been, assessed as needing a social worker at any time due to safeguarding and/or welfare reasons (including all those subject to a Child in Need or Child Protection plan). This cohort includes children 0 to 18, in all education settings. This cohort of children is collectively known as 'children with a social worker'. Rough estimates suggest this cohort accounts for an average of three children in every classroom.

According to the 2021 Department of Education (DfE) review, children with a social worker perform noticeably worse than their peers at every school level, and their poor academic performance continues long after their social work contact finishes. The review acknowledged the critical role virtual schools can play in supporting collaboration across education settings and local authorities to support this vulnerable group of children. It is important that professionals recognise that this group of children will have their own adverse experiences, including trauma, and this may therefore impact on their education engagement and outcomes.

Although the duty of the Virtual School in this area is a strategic oversight, in West Berkshire we also take a three tiered, 'drilling down' approach to supporting children with a social worker. We've explained these tiers below:

Tier 1

Global guidance, information and advice:

• make visible the disadvantages experienced by children with a social worker and how schools can support them
• training offer for all professionals (to include attendance, inclusion and trauma-informed cultures)
• enhance partnerships between education settings and our Local Authority
• coffee mornings for parents/carers
• online resources
• strategic monitoring and feedback to all Headteachers

Tier 2

Tailored guidance, information and advice:

• support professionals and services to apply our global guidance, information and advice to their context
• site specific training and advice (to include attendance, inclusion and trauma informed cultures)
• service-specific training
• facilitate effective cross-service support and accountability
• signposting for role-specific guidance, information and advice and our partner services
• multi-agency work (including Social Care, Education Welfare Service)

Tier 3

Specific guidance, information and advice (consultancy by request):

• support professionals and parents/carers when tailored guidance, information and advice doesn't reach individual pupils
• requested advice to parents/carers and professionals
• drop-in sessions for professionals
• multi-agency work (including Social Care, EWO, SEND) by professional invitation

Support we can offer

Although we are unable to work with families directly or attend multi-agency meetings, we are able to speak to social workers directly and advise them on any aspect of education. Our aim is to share our knowledge and understanding of educational issues with social workers, to enable them to advocate for the children they work for and work with schools effectively.

West Berkshire Virtual School can offer advice to social workers working with young people aged 0 to 18. Advice and further signposting can include:

• SEND processes
• young person's well-being
• interventions and strategies for school to consider meeting the needs of a child
• what support you can ask schools to put in place for a young person
• attendance and exclusions
• reduced timetables
• local area support systems, external activities/organisations that could support a young person

If you would like to speak to a member of staff supporting Children with a Social Worker, please contact us. We will then be in touch to arrange an initial consultation.