Looked after children and young people

We have a Virtual Head Teacher for our care experienced children and young people. The Virtual Head Teacher is a champion for our care experienced children and young people who focuses on improving the educational experiences and outcomes of care experienced children and young people across East Lothian. They also provide key links between multi-agency teams and advocate for the needs and rights of care experienced children and young people.

Every East Lothian Council school has a teacher who is responsible for co-ordinating matters for looked after children:

• in primary schools, this is usually the Head Teacher
• in secondary schools, it's a senior member of staff

These teachers:

• maintain an overview of looked after children's progress
• take responsibility for ensuring appropriate measures are in place for supporting the children's education
• monitor all looked after children in the school, and report each child's progress to the Head of Education (or his/her nominee)
• liaise with local social work managers, residential unit staff and foster carers when an accommodated child comes into school or when someone who is already enrolled as a pupil becomes accommodated. (Accommodated children are looked after by the Council and live away from home. The Council may have placed them with foster carers or relatives, or in residential units.)
• liaise with the School Management Team co-ordinating information for and attending children's reviews and Children's Hearings
• liaise with the Psychological Service, social work services and other appropriate agencies
• liaise with the Education Officer and the Inclusion Support Co-ordinator as appropriate