If your child is taken into care

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Educating children in care

The council will be responsible for your child鈥檚 education if they鈥檙e taken into care. They must have someone called a 鈥榲irtual school head鈥� to make sure social workers and others give proper attention to your child鈥檚 education while in care.

There will also be a 鈥榙esignated teacher鈥�, who is responsible for all of the children in care at your child鈥檚 school.

Your child will have an overall care plan, which will include education.

Most of the decisions about the child鈥檚 welfare will be taken by their social worker and foster carer (or residential care worker). You might also be involved, depending on the circumstances.

The social worker is responsible for making sure your child can achieve their potential, including:

  • working with your child鈥檚 school to draw up a personal education plan
  • making sure they are well supported at school
  • making sure they go to school every day
  • choosing and applying for a school place when required
  • making sure that there are good links between social services and the child鈥檚 designated teacher
  • being involved in any assessment for special educational needs
  • making sure that foster carers attend parents鈥� evenings and any other school events which parents would attend