Guidance and support

Our virtual school helps children in care (CiC), previously looked-after children (PLAC) and children with a social worker (CHwSW) to become successful learners.

We provide advice and support to help raise aspirations, and expectations and improve the educational outcomes of children and young people.

We work with designated teachers, social workers, carers and other partners at times of difficulty and need including dealing with the following:

• attendance
• suspension
• transition between settings

For more information about the range of guidance and support we provide download our ​Corporate parenting panel guide to virtual school document (Word, 896KB).

For a summary of the educational outcomes of our virtual school’s children and young people in care download our Essex Virtual School self-evaluation 2023 document document (Word. 940KB).

Recommended reading

To find out more about education for looked-after children, we recommend reading the following titles:

Learn the Child: Helping looked after children to learn

Kate Cairns and Chris Stanway

Published by BAAF

ISBN: 978-1-907-58573-9

Ten top tips on supporting education

Eileen Fursland with Kate Cairns and Chris Stanway

Published by BAAF

ISBN: 978-1-907-58571-5

To search for and buy these books you can use the Coram BAAF bookshop and other booksellers.

The Care Leaver Covenant

The Care Leaver Covenant (CLC) is part of the government's keep on caring strategy to support people leaving care to become independent.

To find out more, visit Care Leaver Covenant.

For guidance and resources to effectively recruit, onboard and nurture the immense talent of young care leavers, download the Care Leaver Covenant Toolkit (PDF, 4MB).

Request accessible formats

Not all the documents within this section are accessible. If you need information in an accessible format email virtual.school@essex.gov.uk