Caring for a SEND child is rewarding but can be challenging. It’s important to understand what your family is entitled to so you can make the right choices when choosing a school for your child.
How schools can support children in kinship care
Schools have a responsibility towards children and young people in kinship care. Find out how the school should be supporting your child.
This advice applies to: England and Wales
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Only 54% of children in kinship care are getting the support they need in education
A lot of the support that schools and local authorities are obliged to provide is for children that are, or have been, in the care of children’s services.
If this doesn’t apply to you, you should still contact the school to see what support they can offer your child. Schools should support the needs of all pupils, particularly those in kinship care who may have experienced past trauma and/or who have special educational needs.
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All schools should provide the following support
Designated teachers
The Department for Education specifies that schools should have a designated teacher for looked-after and previously looked-after children. It is their role and responsibility to promote the educational achievement of those children.
In larger schools, especially secondary schools, the designated teacher duties might be shared with other staff. Ask your school which staff have the role of ‘designated teacher’.
Specialist support from the virtual school
Each local authority has a virtual school. This is not a physical school, but rather a service to promote the educational achievement of looked-after and previously looked-after children, as well as all children in kinship care. Every virtual school has a virtual school headteacher.
The role of the virtual school is to give information and advice to parents and schools about the needs and educational progress of children who are or have been in the care of children’s services. As a kinship carer with a special guardianship or child arrangements order, you can go directly to the virtual school. The designated teacher may also seek the advice of the virtual school about meeting the needs of your child, with your agreement.
To find your virtual school, type your postcode into our Kinship Compass and find your virtual school details under ‘support from your local authority’.
Your virtual school should be:
- raising the visibility of the needs of children in kinship care and the disadvantage they might experience
- promoting practice that encourages attendance and engagement in education
- promoting practice that improves outcomes for children in kinship care
Special educational needs
Your school will inform you if the child you are caring for has special educational needs (SEN). The designated teacher or the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) at their school will explain to you what extra support will be put into place and why it is necessary.
Most pupils with special educational needs are helped within school by a process known as SEN support. A proportion of pupils with special educational needs may have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) if their needs are more complex. This will be assessed by the local authority.
Additional funds for disadvantaged pupils
The government provides special funding for schools in England to promote the education of pupils who are or have been in the care of children’s services.
Pupil premium plus
Pupil premium plus is special funding for schools, at around £2500 per pupil year. It is paid to schools to promote the education of pupils who have been in the care of children’s services. The funding is not a personal budget for a particular child but must be spent on improving educational outcomes for children in the care of (or previously in the care of) children’s services.
Pupil premium for children eligible for free school meals
Pupil premium is extra funding given to schools by the government to support disadvantaged pupils. It is for children who are eligible for free school meals or have been eligible in the past 6 years.
If your child is eligible for both pupil premium and pupil premium plus, the school will only receive pupil premium plus funding.
Early years pupil premium
Your child might be entitled to early years pupil premium plus if they:
- are under 5
- in nursery or attending a childminder
- left care through a special guardianship order or a child arrangements order
This could be around £350 per year per child and is paid directly to the provider to be spent in a way that benefits children who have left care. Speak to your childcare provider about how they can apply.
Some schools provide the following support
The following is provided by some schools and is good practice.
Support with behaviour
A child or young person in kinship care may have past experiences that impact their behaviour. The school should recognise this and support your child to improve their behaviour. They should consider their difficult past experiences and incorporate trauma-informed, attachment aware practices.
Where a previously looked-after child is at risk of exclusion, the designated teacher should talk to you about their behaviour. They can also ask the advice of the virtual school to help avoid excluding your child from school.
One point of contact
As a kinship carer, you should expect clear lines of communication with the school. This is much easier in primary schools, where a child usually has a single class teacher. In secondary school it can be harder because a child has many teachers.
You can ask the school for a single person to communicate with, to avoid confusion or duplication of information. This could be the designated teacher, form tutor, or a member of the pastoral team.
It is also good practice for your child to have a trusted adult in school. This would be a member of staff they could go to if they experience any sort of difficulty.
Information on academic progress, aspirations and teaching methods
Schools should have high aspirations for children in kinship care. They should realise that all pupils can achieve their academic potential, despite their past traumas. They should also understand that experiencing care is not a reflection of a child’s academic ability.
The school should keep you informed about the academic progress of your child. You should be made aware of your child’s strengths and areas where they need more support. If you are not being kept up-to-date or want to talk about your child’s academic progress, contact your child’s teacher or school.
Support with transitions
A transition is a move between schools, for example primary to secondary school, or a move between classes, for example reception to year 1. This change can be a difficult experience for children who may have already experienced significant disruption in their lives.
Transitions should be managed carefully by schools. Teachers should be mindful that children in kinship care may need a longer and a more gradual transition than other pupils. For example, they may need to visit a secondary school earlier and more frequently than others before they start. Transport to school should be organised well before the pupil’s start date, with a ‘trial run’ of the journey if possible.
Support from Kinship
Here at Kinship, we offer a range of free support for all kinship carers, including workshops, online advice and information, and support groups.
Contact the Kinship advice team to speak to an adviser or book an appointment.
Find services, information and support in your local area using our Kinship Compass, including information about your local children’s services.
Related advice and information
Pupil Premium Plus is special funding for schools in England to promote the education of pupils who are or have been in the care of children’s services.
Finding the right school for a child in kinship care is an important decision for your family. This guide steps you through the main considerations.
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