Children with a social worker or in care

The local authority has specific responsibilities to oversee the attendance patterns of children who have, or have had, an allocated social worker and also those children who are in care.

Children with a social worker

If your child:

  • has an allocated social worker
  • is previously looked after
  • previously had a social worker
  • is in a kinship arrangement 

and you are concerned about school attendance patterns, please contact your child’s school or your child’s social worker to discuss what support may be available to enable your child to improve their engagement with their education. Schools and social workers are able to contact the Essex Virtual School directly to access advice, support or training.

Children in care

If your child is in care and is not attending school regularly, the local authority has increased responsibilities and powers to work with relevant partners to remove any known barriers to regular attendance. Find more information and guidance about children in care and the specific role of the Essex Virtual School on our website.