The Extended Role of the Virtual School Head in Kinship Care
Last month saw Kinship Care Week (7 – 13 October 2024), an opportunity to raise awareness about the amazing role that kinship carers play in children’s lives and society.
It’s essential to acknowledge the incredible work kinship carers do. Every day, these carers provide stability and love for children who cannot live with their parents, often stepping in with little preparation or support. Despite their efforts, the educational needs of children in kinship care are frequently overlooked. There is increased national awareness following the welcome publication of the first-ever National Kinship Care Strategy in December 2023 but we still need to do more.
The UK’s recent extension of the Virtual School Head (VSH) role to include children in kinship care is a welcome step, but significant challenges remain. In this post I explore the complexities of kinship care, the extended role of the VSH, and how we can overcome key barriers, particularly around funding and identifying children in these arrangements.
The Role of the Virtual School Head in Kinship Care
The extension of the VSH role to cover children with social workers and those in kinship care recognises the unique educational challenges these children face. VSHs, who are traditionally responsible for the educational attainment of children looked after (CLA), must now support a much broader cohort. This includes children in need (CIN), those on child protection (CP) plans, and, more recently, children in kinship care.
While this expansion acknowledges the vulnerabilities of these children, it has created immense pressure on VSHs. They are now expected to manage a larger cohort with minimal additional funding or resources. This leaves VSHs struggling to provide the same level of tailored educational support to kinship care children that CLA receive.
The Problem of Identification
One of the most significant issues VSHs face in supporting kinship care children is that they often don’t know who these children are. Unlike CLA, who are tracked and monitored through established systems, children in kinship care can easily slip through the cracks. Local authorities and VSHs are currently undertaking a massive exercise to identify these children, but progress is slow.
Without this critical data, it’s nearly impossible to provide targeted educational support. Schools may not be aware of a child’s kinship care status, and without accurate identification, VSHs and local authorities are unable to offer the necessary interventions. The challenge here is twofold: identifying who these children are and ensuring that their educational needs are monitored effectively.
Funding: A Critical Shortfall
While the government has extended the VSH’s remit, the funding to support these new responsibilities has been described as insufficient. VSHs are now tasked with overseeing the educational outcomes of three distinct groups—CLA, CIN/CP, and children in kinship care—but with no substantial increase in funding. This lack of resources forces VSHs to spread their attention thinly, which can lead to gaps in support, particularly for children in kinship care who may not receive the same statutory protections as CLA.
This funding shortfall means VSHs are often unable to provide the tailored interventions required to meet the educational needs of this growing cohort. With more children to support and no extra staff or resources, VSHs face the impossible task of trying to ensure that kinship care children are not left behind.
The Role of Welfare Call
One of the most significant gaps in the system is the lack of reliable data on these children. Tools that provide daily attendance tracking for CLA could be invaluable in tracking the progress of children in kinship care once they’ve been identified. At Welfare Call we specialise in tracking attendance and educational outcomes for vulnerable children, an essential service in this regard.
What Virtual School Heads Really Need
To make real progress, VSHs need more than just symbolic extensions of their role. They need targeted funding to support the identification of children in kinship care and the development of personalised educational strategies. Additionally, they require clearer government guidelines on identifying and monitoring these children, along with the tools to track their educational progress in the same way they do for CLA.
Crucially, a collaborative approach is needed. Schools, social care, and health services must work together to identify and support children in kinship care. VSHs can only succeed if they are given the resources and data to develop robust, multi-agency strategies that ensure no child is left behind.
A Path Forward
Kinship care is a vital yet underappreciated part of the UK’s child protection landscape. The extension of the VSH role to include these children is a welcome step, but significant challenges remain. Identifying these children and securing the necessary funding to support them are critical to ensuring their educational success.
Our systems at Welfare Call offer valuable tools for monitoring these children’s attendance and progress, the real issue is the lack of visibility and support for kinship care children within the education system. It’s something we collaborate with Local Authorities on regularly. With a clearer strategy, better funding, and enhanced collaboration between agencies, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of these children
For more information on kinship care and how you can get involved in supporting kinship carers, visit Kinship Care Week. To learn more about Welfare Call’s services, see Welfare Call.