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Contents

1. Actions which should be in Place in Advance of Instructions being given to another Local Authority
2. Instructions to Admit

1. Actions which should be in Place in Advance of Instructions being given to another Local Authority

1. In order for a child to be admitted to a school in another Local Authority the social worker must inform the Local Authority that they are residing there immediately this is known providing details of carer and address. The social worker in discussion with the carer then sources and appropriate school and applies for the child to be admitted.  The social worker is responsible for ensuring that the host Local Authority immediately has all the educational information they may require for example last Personal Education Plan, SEN information, Statement of SEN, Educational Psychology reports, Risk Assessments; all this information is available from the child's previous school and on frameworki.  Medical information should be provided by the Looked After Child Specialist Nurse. Advice should be sought from the Virtual School for Looked After Children Oxfordshire if a social worker is in doubt as to what to provide.  Any delay in providing information may lead to the child being out of provision.
2. Where the child has a statement the social worker will always discuss the appropriate placement with the Oxfordshire SEN officer allocated to the child.  This SEN officer will communicate with the SEN team in the host Local Authority.
3. Where an appropriate placement is not made available to the child within 20 days of joining their new care placement, in the first instance the social worker informs the Headteacher of The Virtual School for Looked after Children Oxfordshire who will liaise with the Headteacher of The Virtual School or the officer with responsibility for Looked After Child education in the host Local Authority.

2. Instructions to Admit

1. If a school placement is not available to the child within 25 days of coming into care the Headteacher of The Virtual School for Looked After Children, Oxfordshire will confer with the Independent Review Officer and social worker for the child and ask the legal team to write to the host Local Authority naming the appropriate school and requesting that they instruct the school to accept the child.
2. The letter will be addressed to the senior officer responsible for admissions in the host Local Authority and copied to: the Headteacher of The Virtual School Oxfordshire, the Headteacher of The Virtual School or equivalent officer in the host authority, the social worker and the independent review officer.

End