Education in care

If you are in care

If you are in care by agreement of your parents or under a care order (a looked-after child), your Local Authority will look at your educational needs as part of your core assessment.

The Local Authority must make sure that you have a Personal Education Plan which should set clear objectives for your academic achievement, any extra-curricular activities and your personal and behavioural targets. Your social worker must make sure that you have a Personal Education Plan within 20 school days of you being a looked-after child.

The Virtual School Headteacher (VSH) must promote your educational achievement. The VSH is an experienced teacher who works for your council to watch over the education given to all looked-after children in their area. The VSH will work with your school to make sure that your Personal Education Plan is being followed.

If you are in care and you do not think that your school is following the above advice you might want to make a complaint.

See our pages on:

Advocacy

Complaints to schools

 

Find out how you can access support with this issue by contacting the Coram Voice free Advocacy Helpline for Children and Young People on 0808 800 5792 or visit www.coramvoice.org.uk/alwaysheard