Children Looked After and
Children Previously Looked After (CLA/ PCLA)
Kate Hurst
Designated Teacher for CLA/ PCLA
Link Governor for CLA/ PCLA: Jacqui Radford
A child who has been in the care of their local authority for more than 24 hours is known as a child looked after.
Children looked after may:
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live with foster parents
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live in a residential children's home or other residential settings such as a school.
There are a variety of reasons why children and young people become a child looked after:
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The child’s parents might have agreed to this – for example, if they are too unwell to look after their child or if their child has a disability and needs respite care.
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The child could be an unaccompanied asylum seeker, with no responsible adult to care for them.
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Children's services may have intervened because they felt the child was at significant risk of harm. If this is the case the child is usually the subject of a court-made legal order.
A child stops being looked after when they are adopted, return home or turn 18. However local authorities are required to support children leaving care at 18 until they are at least 21.
Children previously looked-after are those who are no longer looked after by a local authority because they are the subject of an adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements order.
If you would like to look at our Child looked after and Child previously looked after (CLA/ PCLA) policy, please follow the link to our policies page.
The Virtual School is a statutory service which exists to support and challenge those involved with CLA/ PCLA. Wiltshire Virtual School is the lead education advocate for CLA and PCLA. They monitor children’s attendance, attainment and achievement to ensure that their educational success is a top priority.
If you would like advice or support regarding CLA/ PCLA or have any questions then please contact Kate Hurst – Designated Teacher for CLA/ PCLA.
Children Looked-After and Previously Children Looked-After Policy
