The extension of the Virtual School Heads role in relation to children with a social worker
From September 2021 virtual school heads will be responsible for promoting the education of all children with a social worker.
This means they will help 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 an important factor in helping to keep children safe from harm.
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.
Virtual Heads are not being asked to:
Work with individual children and their families - including tracking and monitoring the educational progress of individual children or providing academic or other interventions.
Respond to requests from parents or carers to offer advice, intervention and support in relation to individual children with a social worker.
Take responsibility for children with Special Education Needs and Disability
(SEND) who do not require or need a social worker.