Warwickshire Virtual School

Warwickshire Virtual School works strategically with schools, settings, social care and partner agencies to promote the education of children in formal kinship care. This page explains who is included, why the cohort matters and how Warwickshire Virtual School can support kinship carers, schools and professionals through advice, information, guidance and training.

This information is intended for kinship carers, school leaders, designated safeguarding leads, designated teachers, inclusion leads, governors, early years leaders and colleagues working with children and families. The Virtual School's role is primarily focused on strengthening whole-school and multi-agency approaches, whilst also providing advice and information on request to kinship carers, schools and professionals.

At a glance

Warwickshire Virtual School support for kinship care is organised around:

• strategic advice and guidance
• information for carers and schools
• training and professional development
• resources and partnership working.

National guidance on the Virtual School’s extended role can be found on the GOV.UK website.

Who is included?

For this area of work, kinship care means children who are being cared for by relatives, friends or other connected people when they cannot live with their parents. Warwickshire Virtual School provides advice and information, on request, where children are living in kinship care arrangements within the scope of the Virtual School’s extended non-statutory role.

Warwickshire Virtual School can provide advice and information on request for:

• kinship carers caring for a child under a Special Guardianship Order (SGO)
• kinship carers caring for a child under a Child Arrangements Order (CAO)
• schools seeking advice about supporting children subject to an SGO or CAO
• professionals working with kinship families where educational advice, signposting or guidance is required.

If a child in kinship care has previously been looked after by a local authority, please see Previously Children in Care for information about statutory support and Pupil Premium Plus.

Why this cohort matters

Children who grow up in kinship care often experience greater stability than children in other forms of non-parental care. However, many have also experienced adversity, loss, trauma, disruption or uncertainty, and national evidence shows that some children in kinship care may need additional support to achieve strong educational outcomes.

Schools and settings can make a significant difference by keeping children in kinship care visible within safeguarding, attendance, inclusion, SEND, transition and disadvantage planning, while working sensitively with carers and partner agencies.

Strategic role of Warwickshire Virtual School

Warwickshire Virtual School provides strategic leadership, advice and information to strengthen education practice for children in kinship care. The Virtual School is not a school and does not replace the responsibilities of schools, settings, social workers or other services.

Our role is to:

• Champion the educational needs and outcomes of children in kinship care.
• Raise awareness of different kinship care arrangements and the potential impact on education.
• Promote inclusive, relational and trauma-informed practice.
• Support schools and settings to strengthen attendance, engagement, inclusion and transition planning.
• Encourage effective communication between carers, schools, social care and partner agencies.
• Signpost local and national guidance, training and resources.
• Improve awareness and understanding of kinship care across education settings and partner agencies.

The Virtual School's role is primarily strategic. However, kinship carers, schools and professionals can request advice and information about an individual child's education. The Virtual School does not provide ongoing casework or family support services and does not replace the responsibilities of schools, social workers, SEND services or other agencies. Appropriate consent will be sought before information is shared or discussed.

This is not a casework role. Warwickshire Virtual School provides strategic advice, guidance and information to strengthen systems and practice.

Where individual advice is requested, consent from the kinship carer must be given before information is shared or discussed.

What schools and settings are asked to do

Schools and settings are asked to ensure children in kinship care are visible within leadership, safeguarding, attendance, inclusion, SEND and improvement systems.

• Identify children in formal kinship care sensitively and record relevant information appropriately.
• Work in partnership with kinship carers and avoid unnecessary duplication of communication.
• Monitor attendance, engagement, progress, wellbeing, suspensions and exclusions.
• Use inclusive, trauma-informed and attachment-aware approaches to support behaviour and belonging.
• Plan carefully for transitions, including moves between classes, phases, schools and post-16 settings.
• Consider the child’s needs within SEND, pastoral, attendance and disadvantage planning.

How Warwickshire Virtual School supports carers, schools and settings

Kinship carers and education professionals can contact Warwickshire Virtual School for advice and information about education matters, including attendance, inclusion, behaviour support, transitions, SEND signposting and school communication.

Advice and information are focused on formal kinship care arrangements. Informal kinship carers should usually speak directly with the child’s school or relevant local support services.

Strategic advice and guidance themes

• Attendance: early identification of barriers, supportive conversations with carers, and links with Warwickshire attendance guidance.
• Communication: a clear named contact in school and a trusted adult for the child where appropriate.
• Educational outcomes: high aspirations, regular monitoring of progress and targeted support where needed.
• Inclusion and behaviour: relational, trauma-informed and attachment-aware approaches that reduce the risk of suspension or exclusion.
• SEND and additional needs: use of the graduated approach, clear communication with carers, and signposting to the SEND Local Offer.
• Transitions: careful planning for moves between classes, phases, schools or post-16 pathways.
• Transition resources: Warwickshire Educational Psychology Service has produced videos to support parents, carers and children during key transition points, including moving to reception, primary and secondary school.

Resources and practical tools

• Warwickshire Local Kinship Offer: local support for kinship carers and families across Warwickshire.
• Virtual School Head role extension: CWSW and kinship care arrangements: national guidance on promoting the education of children with a social worker and children in kinship care arrangements.
• National Kinship Care Strategy for England: the national strategy sets out government commitments to improve support for kinship families, including the expansion of the Virtual School role.
• Kinship care statutory guidance for local authorities: national guidance on support for kinship families.
• Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF): therapeutic funding for eligible adoptive, Special Guardianship Order and Child Arrangements Order families. Local authorities and regional adoption agencies apply on behalf of eligible families following an assessment of support needs.
• Pupil premium guidance: schools should use their pupil premium strategy to meet the needs of eligible pupils and may also use it to support other pupils with identified needs who would benefit from additional support.
• SEND Local Offer: information about support for children and young people with SEND.
• School attendance and exclusions: Warwickshire guidance and information for attendance and inclusion.
• Kinship Compass: independent information, advice and support for kinship carers.

Warwickshire Local Kinship Offer

View a full overview of the support available to kinship carers and families across Warwickshire, including financial, practical and local services.

Training and professional learning

Training is available for foster carers, adoptive parents, special guardians, kinship carers and carers of children under Child Arrangements Orders. Topics include attachment and trauma, emotion coaching, therapeutic play, SEND processes, post-16 options, sensory needs, self-regulation, PACE, supporting play and development in the early years, reading, phonics and reading in Key Stage 3.

Download the training brochure (PDF, 459 KB) for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can contact Warwickshire Virtual School?
Kinship carers and education professionals can contact Warwickshire Virtual School for advice and information about education matters for children in formal kinship care arrangements.

Does this include informal kinship care?
The Virtual School’s advice and information are focused on formal kinship care arrangements. Informal kinship carers should usually speak directly with the child’s school or relevant local support services.

What should schools monitor?
Schools should monitor attendance, engagement, progress, attainment, wellbeing, SEND needs, suspensions, exclusions and transitions, using this information to identify barriers early and adjust support.

Can the Virtual School provide funding?
The Virtual School does not provide direct funding for pupils, families or schools through this area of work. Where a child has previously been looked after, schools should refer to the Previously Children in Care guidance for information about Pupil Premium Plus.

The local authority after looks my child. Is this support for us?
Children who are looked after by the local authority, including those living with foster carers or connected carers, are supported through Warwickshire Virtual School's Children We Care For offer. This page relates to the Virtual School's extended role in supporting children in formal kinship care arrangements.

Contact us

For advice, information or support with education matters for children in formal kinship care arrangements, contact Warwickshire Virtual School.

E: virtualschool@warwickshire.gov.uk
T: 01926 742018