Support and guidance for adopted and permanently placed children and young people

Welcome to the Devon Virtual School’s page for supporting children and young people who have previously been looked after. Here you can find information, guidance and resources to support parents/carers/guardians, school and young people themselves.

For support and guidance specific to you or your role, please click one of the buttons below:

• Parents, carers and guardians
• Designated teachers and other school staff
• Children and young people

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What do we mean by children who were previously looked after?

These are children who were previously looked after in England and Wales but who have left care through:

• Adoption Order (AO)
• Special Guardianship Order (SGO)
• Child Arrangements Order (CAO)
• Adoption from ‘state care’ outside of England and Wales

A list of key terms used on these pages is available here.

Needs after leaving the care system

We recognise that the needs of children don’t change overnight when they leave the care system. We know that the impact of their early experiences may be long-term and mean that they need extra support at times during their schooling.

Schools and education settings have a statutory duty to support previously looked after children, from aged two in a funded education place, up to post 16 when educated in a maintained school or academy.
Maintained schools and academies must have a designated teacher responsible for previously looked after children.

At the Virtual School, we have a statutory duty to provide information and advice about previously looked after children, from aged two in a funded education play to the end of Year 11 who are educated in a maintained school or academy.

Contacts

If you need advice regarding previously looked after children, please contact :

• • Deryn Dewing – Deryn.Dewing@devon.gov.uk or 01392 383000
  • Kate Clarke – kate.clarke@devon.gov.uk or 01392 384786