What is a Virtual School for Children in Care?
The role of the Virtual School is to help improve the educational journey and outcomes for children in care, from early years to the end of Year 13. Support and guidance to care leavers maybe offered and also to the staff supporting them.
The Children and Social Work Act 2017 set out new duties for local authorities, maintained schools and academies, effective from September 2018. It has extended the role of virtual school heads and designated teachers to certain previously looked-after children. This is because these children may continue to experience educational challenges after leaving care. The new remit extends to those children with:
• Child arrangements orders
• Special Guardianship Orders (SGO)
• Adoption orders
Each Local Authority is required to have a Virtual School for Children in Care and Post Looked After Children, but sizes of teams will vary across the different geographical areas depending on the demographic. It is a statutory requirement that every Virtual School has a Virtual School Head.
The Virtual School Head is the statutory lead (Children and Families Act 2014) within the local authority. They have responsibility for ensuring that arrangements are in place to improve educational experiences and outcomes of looked after children and young people. This includes those placed outside of the county.
Services that maybe offered by the Virtual Schools for Looked After and Previously Looked After Children:
Provision of training for:
Schools, early years settings and Post 16 providers
Professional colleagues, for example social workers and foster carers
Support with and signposting to interventions and resources to improve learning
Advice, guidance and support to:
Schools, early years settings and Post 16 providers
Professional colleagues, for example social workers, foster carers
Children
Support and guidance for Personal Education Plans (PEPs)
Provision of out of school activities to support learning
Events that celebrate and recognise the achievements of children and young people.
Other News
AiMH UK Lunchtime Skills Box with Caroline Guard
Thursday 9th February 2023 - 1.00pm to 2.00pm
'Hearing the baby’s voice in early years practice – establishing unhurried moments of connection with babies'
POSTPONED – AiMH UK AGM and Awards Presentation including an interview with Dilys Daws
POSTPONED - Friday 27th January 2023 11.30am - 1.00pm. A new date will be announced shortly. We are delighted to annouce that our founder and honorary trustee, Dilys Daws will be joining us at our Annual AGM and Awards to discuss her new book: 'Quietly Subversive: The Selected works of Dilys Daws'
Launch of the AiMH UK Awards and Bursaries 2022
This year the Awards and Bursaries will be presented at the AiMH UK AGM on Friday January 27th 2023. To read more click on the photo
The International Journal of Birth and Parent Education – Volume 10
The latest edition of the International Journal of Birth and Parent Education is now available to members to download from the members area.
AiMH UK and Home-Start UK Membership Partnership
We are delighted to announce that the AiMH UK and Home-Start membership partnership was launched in October 2022.
The Anna Freud Centre releases its latest study results on psychotherapy interventions
and how they can prevent and reduce mental health difficulties in parents and caregivers and their babies and young children. Read the full report.
Honorary Trustee, Penny Leach awarded the CBE
In the Queens Honours List
Getting it right for our infants.
Babies’ emotional health and wellbeing begin before they are born, especially in the last trimester of pregnancy.
IMH Discussion on Birmingham Radio
On Tuesday 8th December, Rachel Pardoe (child psychotherapist and AiMH Bristol Hub lead) was invited to be a guest speaker on Birmingham’s Unity Radio ‘parenting hour’ programme.
The WAIMH Award for our President Jane Barlow, Congratulations!
Professor Jane Barlow received an Award in recognition of all her hard work and dedication to Infant Mental Health.
Cardiff Parents Plus and Parents First
We deliver home-based interventions that meet the strengths, needs and circumstances of each individual family. Building safe and trusting relationships is the golden thread running through our work with parents and infants.
Become a member
Join AiMH UK and your local hub to develop your knowledge, skills, and confidence, and access a wealth of specialist information on the AiMH UK website.
Sharing expertise on how we work with infants and their families increases the effectiveness of our work.
Donations & Fundraising
We’re using easyfundraising, a free fundraising platform that allows us to earn free funding when you shop or book personally or professionally online.
For everything you buy or book online, we will receive money directly from the retailer – so it doesn’t cost you a penny.