Children who were previously looked after and children who are in kinship care arrangements

Previously looked after children

A Previously Looked After Child is a child who was in care at the point at which they were adopted, made subject to a Special Guardianship Order or Child Arrangement Order. Milton Keynes Virtual School can offer information, advice and guidance to parents / guardians of previously looked after children who attend education settings in Milton Keynes.

Children in kinship care arrangements

Research has shown that children who grow up in kinship care have better outcomes than children who grow up in other types of non-parental care. However, their outcomes fall behind those children with no social worker involvement. In line with new responsibilities, the Virtual School can also offer advice and guidance to Kinship carers (and the professionals supporting these families) regardless of whether the child was ever in the care of a local authority.

How to access advice and guidance

The Virtual School team can offer advice and guidance on educational matters for parents and carers of Previously Looked After Children and Kinship carers, as well as for professionals working to support these children and young people. If you would like to access this support please complete the Consent Form and email it to Louise.Cooper@milton-keynes.gov.uk. 

Further information

These documents provide information on the guidance that underpins the work of the Virtual School for previously looked after children.

Research and further reading 

  • The Adoption Barometer is a report covering all aspects of adoption. It is divided into sections covering Early Stages, Established Adoptive Families, Families with Older Children and Young People, and Adult Adoptees. It draws on a large survey of adopters and adoptees, and analysis of policy and practice relating to adoption.
  • The Virtual School has a duty to offer advice and information to parents, guardians and carers of children who have left care in England and Wales through an Adoption Order, Special Guardianship Order or Child Arrangement/Residence Order (referred to as ‘permanency orders’) or were adopted from state care outside England or Wales. This duty lasts until the end of statutory education. This document ‘Education Advice for Parents, Guardians and Carers of Children who have left Care through a Permanency Order’ was created in collaboration with other Virtual Schools in the South East Region and we hope it will support you in navigating the education system.

Useful websites

  • Adoption Connects – This is the regional adoption agency for Milton Keynes. It is a shared service and hosted by Central Bedfordshire Council. You can find information here about support including adoption drop-ins, training programmes, youth groups and much more.
  • PAC-UK – Services for adopters, prospective adopters and other permanent carers.
  • Adoption UK – Adoption UK connects adopters and adopted people with resources, webinars, support and community networks.