Previously Looked After Children

Previously looked-after children (PLAC) are defined as children who were in the care of the local authority and are now subject to an adoption order, special guardianship order, or child arrangements order.

The local authority are no longer the corporate parents for previously looked-after children. Therefore, Manchester Virtual School does not monitor the educational progress of individuals, and is not held accountable for their attainment.

Instead, the role of the Manchester Virtual School is to promote their educational achievement through the provision of information and advice to parents, educators, and other professionals. This duty includes previously looked-after children who attend an education setting within the Manchester local authority area, regardless of where the child lives or by which local authority area they were previously cared for.

We offer the following support:

Training for school staff to develop their understanding of the needs of PLAC, potential barriers to success, and how PP+ can be used to support these young people.

  • Forums and information-sharing initiatives so staff can share good practice

  • Guidance on making trauma-informed policies

  • Training and information for parents and carers

  • Signposting to other relevant services

If your child attends school outside of Manchester, the Virtual School in that local authority will be able to signpost you to service in their area.

Further support

Adoption Counts is the Regional Adoption Agency covering the adoptions services of five local authorities:

  • Cheshire East Council

  • Manchester City Council

  • Salford City Council

  • Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

  • Trafford Council

If your child has been adopted from one of these authorities, you can visit the Adoption Counts website for further support.

If your child has been adopted from another local authority, they will be the first point of contact initially. But after three years of living in one of the five local authorities mentioned above, you will be able to access support from Adoption Counts. 

Statutory Guidance

The following information applies to children who leave care through adoption, Special Guardianship Orders (SGO) or Child Arrangement or Residence Orders.


Outlines the duty of governing bodies of all maintained schools to appoint an appropriately qualified and experienced member of staff to promote the educational achievement of looked-after and previously looked-after children.

PLAC Pupil Premium

Pupil Premium for previously-looked after children

Previously looked-after children are eligible for the Pupil Premium Plus grant which currently stands at £2570 per annum. This grant is given in recognition of the effect of trauma and loss on young people. It is intended to help close the attainment gap between previously looked-after children and their peers. The Manchester Virtual School is not responsible for managing this funding and it is paid directly to the child’s school.

Parents and carers who wish for their child to have access to the PP+ are to declare their child’s previously looked-after status to the school before it completes the October census. This needs to be declared every time the child moves school, including the transition from primary to secondary school. We encourage schools to send out letters every year to remind parents and carers to declare their child’s previously looked-after status.

This grant is not ring-fenced to individual pupils and it is up to the setting to decide how the money is spent. However, schools will be held accountable for how this funding is used to support previously looked-after children, both through their annual report to governors and during Ofsted inspection. The PP+ can be spent on interventions, strategies and resources to meet the needs of previously looked-after children.

There is no statutory requirement to carry out the PEP process with regards to previously looked-after children. However, the Virtual School may recommend that the setting continues a similar planning process to offer support and monitor progress. This decision will be made collaboratively between the school and the young person’s parents/guardians.

Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)

Children aged 2 - 4 year olds who have left care under an Adoption, Special Guardianship or Child Arrangements Order are now entitled to Early Years Pupil Premium to help them reach their potential.

To access this funding, adoptive parents and special guardians will need to show evidence of the court order that proves the child formally in local authority care in either England or Wales. The setting can then record the number of adopted, SGO or CAO children on roll in order for the funding to be drawn.

Adoption and SGO support fund

The Adoption Support Fund (ASF) provides funds to local authorities and regional adoption agencies to pay for assessments and therapeutic services for eligible adoptive and special guardianship order (SGO) families.

The fund was established to promote emotional regulation and behaviour, improve engagement with learning, and enable children to enjoy positive family life and social relationships.

The ASF is available for children and young people up to and including the age of 21 or 25 with an education, health and care plan who:

  • are living (placed) with a family in England while waiting for adoption

  • were adopted from local authority care in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland and live in England

  • were adopted from abroad and live in England with a recognised adoption status

  • were in care before an SGO was made

  • left care under a special guardianship order that was subsequently changed to an adoption order or vice versa

  • are under a residency order or child arrangement order (CAO) and were previously looked after

  • were previously looked after but where the adoption, special guardianship, residency or CAO placement has broken down, irrespective of any reconciliation plans.

For more information, please visit the following websites: