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Advice and Guidance can be accessed via the authority in which the child in educated. This means that Peterborough Virtual School provide advice and guidance for children attending Peterborough Early Years settings, schools, and colleges.

If you are seeking advice and guidance for a child who attends a setting outside of Peterborough but are unsure how to access support please contact us as we can signpost you to the relevant Virtual School. 

Peterborough Virtual School provide a ‘tiered’ offer of advice and guidance for Children previously in Care and those living in Kinship Arrangements. This has been created following research of good practice and available evidence, as well as consultation with a range of stakeholders. We are committed to regularly review our offer based on stakeholder need and available research and data.  

Advice and information is available to:

  • Parents or Carers of children/young persons aged 2-16 (CPiC) or aged 2-18 (Kinship)
  • Staff of education settings including Early Years settings, schools and colleges
  • Social Workers
  • Other Local Authority teams (e.g. SEND services)
  • Any other relevant party that the Virtual School Headteacher deems appropriate

Prior to being offered advice and guidance, consent will always be sought form the persons holding parental responsibility. Additionally, if the school has not been informed of the child's legal status, families may be asked to provide evidence of this. Generic advice may be offered to professionals in the form of "What if...?" conversations.

Specific advice or information is aimed at empowering others to act in the best interests of the child, to promote educational outcomes.

This may include:

  • Details on what is included within the statutory guidance
  • Details of roles and responsibilities; along with what could reasonably be expected
  • Signposting to other relevant Local Authority teams and support organisations
  • Signposting to relevant resources and websites

The Virtual School is not the corporate parent, as they are for Children in Care. The role of advice and information does not extend to acting as a lead professional.

The Virtual School will not:

  • Lead on school searches
  • Chair multiagency meetings
  • ‘Casehold’

Requests for advice and guidance should, wherever possible, be submitted ahead of bespoke advice and guidance being sought.

Parent/Carer Request for Advice and Guidance form

Social Worker Request for Advice and Guidance form

Education setting Request for Advice and Guidance form

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