The most common reason for children becoming looked after is because of abuse and/or neglect. We ensure that staff have the skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to keep looked after children safe. In particular, we ensure that appropriate staff have the information they need in relation to a child’s looked after legal status (whether they are looked after under voluntary arrangements with consent of parents or on an interim or full care order) and contact arrangements with birth parents or those with parental responsibility. They also have information about the child’s care arrangements and the levels of authority delegated to the carer by the authority looking after him/her. The designated safeguarding lead has details of the child’s social worker and the name of the virtual school head in the authority that looks after the child. Under the Children and Social Work Act 2017, a ‘registered Student’ is any child who has ever been looked after by the local authority but has now ceased to be looked after as a result of child arrangements order, or a special guardianship or an adoption order – schools must have a designate member of staff for promoting the educational achievement of such ‘registered Students’. Designated member of staff for ‘registered Students’ - Looked after child, looked after child in past, Special guardianship or adoption order is Mr Boothe, Deputy Head of School

If staff have a concern, they should discuss any such case with the DSL and involve social care or specialist services as appropriate.