Designated teachers

Personal Education Plan (PEP)

A Personal Education Plan (PEP) is an evolving document that forms part of a looked after child’s care plan. The aim of a PEP is to ensure young people who are looked after in the care of the local authority make good progress and are supported to achieve. Darlington Virtual School uses Welfare Call’s EPEP [external link] system that enables schools and social workers to produce an electronic PEP.

If you would like any extra support in completing a PEP, Darlington Virtual School holds regular training events.

Alternatively, training can be found on the welfare call website under the tutorials section on the home tab.

Useful resources and training materials

• Achieving emotional wellbeing looked after children whole system approach [pdf document]
• Hidden needs [pdf document]
• Looked after children in England [pdf document]
• Supporting transitions [pdf document]
• The three r's [pdf document]
• What survival looks like for me [pdf document]
• Whole class happy pack [pdf document]

Online resources

• National association of virtual school Headteachers [external link ]
• Children experiencing loss & trauma [external link]
• Rees Centre Oxford University [external link]
• National network for the education of care leavers [external link]
• NICE [external link]

Books 

• Attachment in the Classroom: The links between children's early experience, emotional well-being and performance in school: A Practical Guide for Schools by Dr. Heather Geddes [external link]
• Inside I'm Hurting: Practical Strategies for Supporting Children with Attachment Difficulties in Schools by Louise Bomber [external link]
• A teacher’s introduction to attachment by Nicola Marshall
• Becoming an Adoption friendly School by Dr Emma Gore Langton
• Why Love matters by Sue Gerhardt
• The A-Z of therapeutic parenting by Sarah Naish (Actually any of her titles!!!)
• Making a Difference: A Practical Guide for the Emotionally Focused School Practitioner by Cath Hunter
• When the Adults Change Everything Changes by Paul Dix
• The boy who was raised as a dog by B D Perry (good overview of the impact of early childhood trauma on brain function – but have tissues ready as it can be a tough read.)
• A guide to attachment by Timpson trust

Statutory Document Links 

Promoting the education of looked after children and previously looked-after children [pdf document]