Section outline

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    Children with a Social Worker

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    Supporting the Education of Children with a Social Worker in Early Years Settings 

    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 Children's Services Practitioner, or those who have had the support of a Children's Services Practitioner in the past six years. It covers all children who are, or were, assessed as needing a Children's Services Practitioner 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 from birth to the age of 18 across all education settings.

    Our key aims are to:

    • make visible the disadvantages that CWSW 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:

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    Responsibilities of Early Years Settings

    The responsibilities of 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, Children's Services Practitioners and the Virtual School
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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
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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. 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 Children's Services Practitioner does not automatically make a child eligible for EYPP. Children may be eligible if they receive funded early education and their parent/carer receives certain qualifying benefits. If a child has a Children's Services Practitioner 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 EYPP 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 EY 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:

      • all 3 and 4 year olds, including children with a social worker, are entitled to 15 hours per week of universal funded early education for 38 weeks of the year
      • eligible children from 9 months to 4 year olds may receive up to 30 hours a week, if they meet the working parent eligibility criteria
      • children aged 2 who have an education, health and care plan (EHCP), receive disability living allowance or live in a household receiving certain qualifying benefits are entitled to a funded early education place, through the disadvantaged 2 year old entitlement.

      Term time hours are calculated on the child attending for 38 weeks per year.

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      Key Documents