Children with a Social Worker (CWSW) (Coming Soon)

Section outline

• Select section Children with a Social Worker

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  Children with a Social Worker

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  Supporting the Education of Children with a Social Worker

  From September 2021, the Virtual School Head’s role has been extended to include the strategic leadership of promoting the educational outcomes of all children and young people with a social worker, or those who have had a support of a social worker in the past six years. It covers all children who are, or were, assessed as needing a social worker at any time in the past six years due to safeguarding and/or welfare reasons, which includes all those subject to a Child in Need plan or a Child Protection plan. This includes children aged from 0 up to 18 in all education settings.

  Our key aims are 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.

  Click here to access important resources, including:

  • Virtual School Guide to PEPs, Statutory Duties and More
  • The PEP Toolkit
  • Course: Training Offer
  • Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQs)
  • Supporting Learning
  • Reach to Teach App
  • Early Years Resources
  • Education Psychologists Consultations
  • Attendance, Suspensions and Exclusions
  • Admissions
  • Governors
  • Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

  • Select activity Signposting to External Agencies- Areas Covered Include: Safeguarding, Trauma, SEND, Health and Wellbeing and Roles and Responsibilities

    

    Signposting to External Agencies- Areas Covered Include: Safeguarding, Trauma, SEND, Health and Wellbeing and Roles and Responsibilities File PDF

    

• Select section Responsibilities of Early Years Settings

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  Responsibilities of Early Years Settings

  The responsibilities Early Years Settings for Children with a Social Worker (CWSW) and Children with a Social Worker EVER 6 (CWSW EVER 6) are:

  • to identify and know their CWSW and CWSW EVER 6 cohort
  • for key colleagues (Designated Teacher/Designated Lead, Key Person, DSL, SENDCO, safeguarding governor/committee member/manager) to liaise and collaborate to ensure consistency in support for CWSW and CWSW EVER 6
  • to identify and understand the barriers and needs for this group of children
  • to ensure prioritisation in planning, interventions, and support
  • to ensure relationships and pupil voice are at the centre of any approach
  • work in partnership with carers/parents, social workers, and the Virtual School
• Select section Virtual School Offer

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  Virtual School Offer

  • Enhancing partnerships between early years settings and social care
  • Training and development offer to early years settings and partners
  • Providing advice and guidance
  • Free tools, resources and information for schools
• Select section Early Years Funding

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  Early Years Funding

  Early Years Pupil Premium Funding – Preschools/Nurseries/Childminders

  The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) aims to support early years settings in narrowing the achievement gap between children from certain potentially vulnerable groups, including looked after children, and their peers. Its purpose is to enhance the progress of these children in education through focused and strategic interventions and support, encouraging practitioners to give particular attention to their development.

  Having a social worker does not automatically make a child eligible for Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP). Children may be eligible if they receive funded early education and their parent/carer receives certain qualifying benefits. If a child has a social worker but is not looked after by the local authority, eligibility must be assessed against the EYPP income-based or care-status criteria.

  Further information on Early Years Pupil Premium is available via the resources links at the top of this page.

  Early Years Funded Hours - Preschools/Nurseries/Childminders

  Early Years funded hours are government-funded hours for children to attend EYs education (preschools, nurseries or childminders) before they begin formal schooling. Depending on the age and circumstances of the child, different amounts of hours are available via government funding.

  Children with a Social Worker (CWSW) are not automatically entitled to additional Early Years funded hours because of their social worker status alone. However, they may be eligible for funded early education if they meet the criteria for the disadvantaged 2-year-old offer, having an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), receiving Disability Living Allowance, or meeting certain family income thresholds. All children are also entitled to the universal 15 hours of funded early education from the term after their third birthday, with some families eligible for up to 30 hours through the working parent entitlement. 

  Key entitlements:

  • Age 2: 15 hours funded childcare if eligible through the disadvantaged 2-year-old criteria
  • Age 3 and 4: Universal 15 hours for all children
  • Eligible working families: Up to 30 hours for 3 and 4 year olds (and eligible younger children under the expanded childcare offer)

  Term time hours are calculated on the child attending for 38 weeks per year.
• Select section Key Documents

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  Key Documents

  • Promoting the education of children with a social worker and children in kinship care arrangements: virtual school head role extension - GOV.UK
  • Working Together to Safeguard Children 
  • Working Together to Improve School Attendance 
  • Pupil Premium Plus Overview 
  • Early Years Entitlements: Local Authority Funding