Promoting the education of children with a social worker and children in kinship care arrangements: Virtual School Head Role As per the Department for Education September 2021 announcement, Virtual School Head Teachers are to become strategic leaders promoting the educational outcomes of children with a social worker. This means that the Virtual School Head Teacher will act as a local champion for children with a social worker in every local authority in England. Children with a social worker will receive greater focus and targeted support earlier in their lives, helping their engagement with education.
Virtual School Head Teachers will champion and improve the educational outcomes for care experienced children while supporting relationships between professionals who work with them such as schools, colleges and local authorities. Our ambition is to transform the lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The Department for Education has introduced an extended role for Virtual School Head Teachers in England. These strategic leaders will champion the educational outcomes of children with social workers, ensuing greater focus on their needs. The enhanced role builds upon existing responsibilities, fostering collaboration between schools, colleges and local authorities. This expanded role does not require direct intervention for individual children with social workers or their families.
The extended role of the Virtual School Head Teacher includes raising awareness among schools, colleges, and social workers and the vital role education plays in caring for these children. They should also raise the visibility of support services for children with social workers and advocate for this group in local authority planning. The guidance outlines the scope of children covered, explains the extended role, and provides directions for collaboration with educational settings to improve outcomes. Importantly, this additional role does not require direct intervention for individual children or their families, and it aligns with existing duties for looked-after and previously looked after children.
The Relational and Restorative Practice Team’s focus is children with a social worker, Child in Need/Child Protection plans, Special Guardianship Order, Kinship Care, Child Arrangement Order, Adoption Order or Previously a Child in Care (within the past 6 years).
Read the latest from the Children’s Commissioner about the purpose of Child in Need plans, and her recommendations for reform in this area.
We work closely with other Local Authority colleagues to try to ensure that every child in Staffordshire can receive support when required. Details of the extended duties can be found here: Kinship Care Arrangements
Introduction to the offer
Solution focused circles
Solution focused circles address the needs of children under an Adoption Order, Kinship Care, Child Arrangement Order, or those with prior care experience where no trained professional is available to facilitate. They provide information, advice, and guidance for practitioners, involving the organization and leadership of an initial meeting and up to two subsequent meetings. These meetings are divided into four parts: introduction to the issue, clarification through questions and answers, suggestions for advancing the situation, and action planning. Following the initial meeting, which may include the child or young person when appropriate, subsequent review meetings aim to ensure the completion of all actions and to discuss aspirations, aids, and obstacles. These meetings offer support to schools in situations that are "stuck" or do not warrant suspension or permanent exclusion.
Restorative conference
A restorative conference is a meeting designed to address conflict that may arise from incidents involving children under an Adoption Order, Kinship Care, Child Arrangement Order, or those with prior care experience, where no trained professional is available to facilitate. It provides information, advice, and guidance for practitioners skilled in Restorative Conferencing. The conference aims to discuss the events, share feelings, and plan for future improvements. Participants sit in a circle to ensure everyone can share their perspective without interruption. Attendance is voluntary, and all participants must consent to engage in the process and commit to seeking resolutions.
Staff Training Offer
We offer your school a range of training sessions through the Virtual School training calendar. These include an introduction to Raising Attainment for Disadvantaged Youngsters, Emotion Coaching, Attachment and Trauma, as well as Relational and Restorative Practice. Participation requires a commitment to ongoing training and CPD.
Training Calendar link:
• 6-day training in Relational and Restorative Practice for Senior Leadership Education Teams (by invitation).
• 2-day training in Relational and Restorative Practice for Education colleagues.
Additionally, we provide student ambassador training for schools that have completed Relational and Restorative Practice and have integrated the practice within their environment.
Relational Inclusion Network meetings
Colleagues from Education, Local Authority, and Children and Families will collaborate using Solution Focused Circles to discuss children's cases anonymously and develop a plan of action to advance in education. Sarah Rivers and Lesley Gill will provide an update on Children in Care, with support from Adam Blundell, the coordinator for the Virtual School Raising Attainment for Disadvantaged Youngsters program.
Training events can be booked using the Microsoft Forms Link on the trainng calendar.
To request the assistance of the RRP Team, please fill in this form and email it to restorativevs@staffordshire.gov.uk.
Who are we?
- Lisa Wood: Relational and Restorative Practice Coordinator
- Helen Mulligan: East Staffs and Tamworth
- Lucy Attwood: Cannock and Lichfield
- Catherine Hill: Stafford and South Staffs
- Carole Fairbrother and Aimi Barton: Newcastle and Moorlands
To contact your advisor email: restorativeVS@staffordshire.gov.uk.
View the full size version of this image.
Our Relational Conference was held in March 2024 and saw amazing guest speakers in attendance. Many thanks to Samantha James from Gloucestershire County Council who produced the amazing graphic above which encapsulates the keynote messages from the day. Following on from delegate feedback, we are hosting Mick and Steve back in November 2024. For further details of this event, please email the team at: restorativeVS@staffordshire.gov.uk.
Pictured: Sarah Rivers, Staffordshire Virtual School Head Teacher meets Professor Hilary Cremin, University of Cambridge and co-author of Positive Peace in Schools who attended our Relational Conference in March 2024 as keynote speaker.
RRP Testimonials:
The following testimonials have been written by parents, educational professionals and wider workforce professionals. These include feedback from solution focused circles and training delivery:
Solution Focused Circles
“Great impartial service. Have recommended to my colleagues at a team meeting. My young person was heard and participated in all meetings which is a huge milestone for her because of the calmness and approach from both facilitators. Thank you”
“A really valuable way to ensure that parents and all professionals involved with the young person come together in a productive, well scaffolded approach to improving outcomes.”
“Professional, empathic, child focused and keen to hear both the families and school’s view. She kept the meetings focused and outcomes at the top of the agenda. Brilliant, thank you!”
“A really useful and effective service that has had a lasting impact on our future approaches.”
“Brilliant, made sure all voices were heard and held people accountable in completing actions on the plan and ensured positive outcomes for the child and parents were pleased with the outcomes and support.”
“Professional and helped to ensure the process was valuable to all participants. From my perspective, I do think the circle has improved my relationship with the parent. I do feel we already had a reasonable relationship, but I feel optimistic that the process has strengthened it. Thank you!”
Relational Network Meetings
“Lovely opportunity to share ideas and really well presented.”
“I thought the opportunity to hear the suggestions and views from colleagues from different backgrounds, experiences and roles was invaluable.”
“Really simple concept that will be highly effective and good to network with other local schools.”
“Really useful information and well presented. A great team!”
“Fab info delivered brilliantly. Loved Solution Circles!”
2-Day Introduction to RRP Training for SLT
“Absolutely fantastic training, great resources and really knowledgeable trainers.”
“Thank you very much. It has made a lot of sense to many things that have happened in school and behaviours that we see.”
“The training & trainers were both brilliant. All schools and anyone working with children should be on this training.”
“Grateful to the team! RRP theory and approaches are exactly the foundation needed for quality relationships and behaviour support for all”
“Improved relationships with all children within School.”
“Children find the outcomes fair.”
“Enabled time to really consider reasons behind behaviour.”
Student Ambassador Programme
The Student Ambassadors programme is supported by Staffordshire County Council Virtual School. Children will be facilitated to support each other and problem solve to de-escalate situations following a structured strategy for schools to use when conflict arises. Through this programme, children will develop skills for life; active listening, negotiation, problem solving, conflict resolution, patience and understanding and modelling positive behaviours to others following a training programme of 5 sessions. They will be supported by a staff member Student Ambassador Champion to bring about change, creating a positive and inclusive environment for all.