Parents and Kinship Care
The Virtual School offers a wealth of advice and guidance for all parents and carers, including those in formal kinship arrangements such as Special Guardianship Orders (SGO) and Child Arrangements Orders (CAO). We work in partnership with families to help them navigate educational processes, understand available support, and ensure the children in their care receive the stability, encouragement and personalised educational provision they need to thrive.
Kinship families can email any queries to DLKinshipVirtualSchool@stockton.gov.uk
School age handbook
This handy guide to education offers all parents and carers tips for navigating education. You can also contact the Virtual School for advice and guidance.
Early years handbook
This handbook is designed to give you an insight into some of the ways we can best support the young children in your care. We hope to provide you with resources to support the early years development of children in local authority care. This handbook has been created by the virtual school with a specific focus on early years development and starting school. Additional support in relation to being a foster carer of young children can be sought from your social worker.
Guidance
This section provides helpful guidance designed to support parents, carers and those in formal kinship arrangements, such as Special Guardianship Orders (SGO) and Child Arrangements Orders (CAO), in understanding the educational processes that affect the children in their care. The Virtual School offers clear advice, practical information and signposting to help you navigate admissions, attendance, Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND), transitions and wider support, ensuring every child receives the stability, encouragement and opportunities they need to thrive in education.
Admissions
Schools must follow statutory admissions guidance to ensure fair, transparent and timely placements for children in care. Decisions should be made in partnership with the local authority, considering the child's educational, safeguarding and SEND needs to support a smooth and well‑planned transition.
Attendance
Should be monitored proactively, with early intervention and clear communication between schools, social care, carers and the Virtual School. A consistent, child‑centred approach helps address barriers quickly and supports stable engagement in education.
Exclusions and suspensions
Exclusions and suspensions must comply with Department for Education statutory guidance and should be used only as a last resort for children in care. Schools are expected to work collaboratively with the local authority and Virtual School to explore preventative strategies, provide timely support, and minimise disruption to the child's education.
Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
Schools must follow statutory SEND processes to ensure needs are identified early, assessed accurately and supported effectively. For children in care, provision should be personalised, regularly reviewed and aligned across the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), Personal Education Plan (PEP) and wider multi‑agency planning.
Transition
Whether between schools, key stages or placements, should be carefully planned with early communication between professionals. The Virtual School supports schools and social care colleagues to ensure transitions are smooth, well‑informed and focused on continuity, stability and the child's wellbeing.
Additional services, guidance and activities for parents, carers and kinship carers
There is a wide range of national and local support available to help parents, carers and kinship carers navigate education, wellbeing, therapeutic support and family life.
The National Kinship Care Framework sets out how the government aims to strengthen support, improve outcomes and recognise the vital role of kinship families.
Kinship UK is the leading charity for kinship families, offering advice, peer support groups, workshops and the Kinship Together podcast to help carers connect and access guidance nationwide.
The Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) provides therapeutic funding for eligible adoptive, Special Guardianship Order and Child Arrangement Order families up to March 2026, supporting children with emotional, behavioural or developmental needs through specialist services.
Stockton Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SEND IASS) offers free, impartial guidance to help families understand Special Education Needs and Disabilities processes, Education, Health and Care Plans and school support options, while Adoption Tees Valley provides regional adoption information and support.
Families can also access holiday activities and meals through the Holidays Are Fun (HAF) Programme, which offers enriching sessions for eligible children at Easter, summer and Christmas.
Additional wellbeing tools are available through international and specialist platforms such as the Out of Home Care Toolbox for out‑of‑home‑care resources, the Anna Freud resources library for mental health and family wellbeing and Be Body Positive, promoting healthy self‑esteem and body confidence.
Locally, families may also benefit from the Stockton Information Directory as well as community‑based groups such as Kinship - Stockton , Norton, Billingham KinCarers.
Parents and carers can also locate local Family Hubs offering early help, parenting support and community activities in their area.
