Social workers and Independent Reviewing Officers (IROs)

Securing appropriate education for children in care

This statutory guidance, promoting the education of looked-after children and previously looked-after children (publishing.service.gov.uk), states that social workers for children in care should:

  • do everything possible to minimise disruptions to the child’s education. Stability and continuity in education is important at all stages of education but particularly at the end of key stage 2 (years 5 and 6) and key stage 4 (years 10 and 11)
  • if a child must move from an existing education placement, the new education placement should be arranged in consultation with virtual school at the same time as the care placement. Virtual school will support social workers to ensure that delays in getting education provision in place is minimised
  • in the case of an emergency placement move, or a child new to care not being on roll at a school, suitable education should be secured within 20 school days
  • seek a school / setting that is best suited to the child’s needs and follows these principles:
    • education provision should be full-time placement
    • schools judged by ofsted to be ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ should be prioritised when seeking a new school. children in care should not be placed in schools graded ‘inadequate.’ When considering schools judged ‘requires improvement’ social workers would need to evidence to the virtual school head that the school is providing high-quality support to its vulnerable pupils
    • the child’s wishes and feelings should be considered and the suitability of the setting tested by arranging an informal visit with the child
  • be aware of and comply with requirements in:

Useful resources to help you/carers when meeting with prospective schools for the first time: