Learning Links Team

Where 

Civic Offices, Holton Road, Barry, CF63 4RU

Directorate

Learning and Skills

Service Area

Standards and Provisions

Contact Us

• 01446 709130
• learninglinksteam@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

What We Do 

The Learning Links Team (LLT)  make the links to ensure children who face additional challenges can learn and grow. With the child/young person at the centre, we monitor how learners are doing and put systems, processes, structures, in place to help children and young people do their best, and to support and challenge schools/education providers and other agencies to help them do better. This is delivered through advice, and training and ensures services for these groups of learners:

• Pupils from the Global Majority

• Pupils who are refugee and asylum seekers

• Children of migrant workers

• Pupils who speak with English as an additional language (EAL)

• Pupils of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller heritage (GRT)

• Children looked after (CLA)

• Previously looked after children

• Young carers

• Service children

Our main responsibilities and goals:

Our work is person centred. We work with children and young people, designated teachers in schools, social workers, carers, families, and other professionals to ensure high aspirations and targeted support is the shared goal of everyone involved with the child or young person.

The service is delivered in partnership with a range of stakeholders, including parents/carers, Children and Young People Services, other local authorities, and schools. The Learning Links Team (LLT) is focussed on ensuring the needs of pupils who face additional challenges are consistently met by being ambitious. The team strives to achieve this ambition by operating in two discrete but linked ways to support all pupils who face additional challenges particularly looked after children and young people.

• Children Looked After and Previously Looked After Children

  Vale Virtual School

  The Vale Virtual School for children who are looked after exists to improve the educational experience and outcomes of these children. We are part of the Corporate Parenting Team for children in care. 

   

  The Vale Virtual School does not have its own school building, but we do have a staff team namely the Learning Links Team (LLT). Our pupils go to real schools or education settings. We work with the staff in those settings to action plan and offer support and we can monitor and track how well our children and young people are doing.

   

  Why do we need a virtual school? 

  Many individual children and young people in care, or who are previously looked after, enjoy and do well at school. However, some children and young people can face extra challenges in their education. The Virtual School has a Lead Officer to fulfil the local authority’s statutory duty to promote the educational achievement of its looked after children, and children who were previously looked after, wherever they live or are educated.

   

  We work in close partnership with children and young people, Children’s Services, parents/carers, and schools to meet the individual needs of children looked after so that they can access an appropriate education and achieve the best possible educational outcomes.

   

  We provide a first point of contact and linking service for schools, foster carers, social workers, supervising social workers, Independent Reviewing Officers, in the Vale of Glamorgan and other local authorities, ensuring a joined up multi agency approach to support children looked after on their road to success.

   

  We work with children in Early Years, Statutory School Age and Post 16

   

  The Vale Virtual School is for children and young people who are: 

  • In the care of the Vale of Glamorgan and educated in the Vale of Glamorgan 
  • In the care of the Vale of Glamorgan and educated in another local authority 
  • Children and young people who are previously looked after by virtue of an Adoption Order, Special Guardianship Order or Child Arrangement Order 

   

  Children and Young People

   

  The Fostering Network 

   

  Adoption UK

   

   

• Children with English as an additional language (EAL), and pupils from the Global Majority and Traveller Communities

   Removing barriers and inequalities in attainment and achievement

  The Learning Links Team (LLT) supports schools to address the educational needs of pupils from a wide variety of backgrounds as well as children of Traveller heritage, so that they can access an appropriate education and achieve the best possible educational outcomes.

   

  We understand the importance of promoting open and positive relationships between schools, parents, carers, children, and young people to remove any barriers to learning. Through our specialist team, resources, and support, we provide expert advice, guidance, and training to help raise attainment for children and young people fromthe Global Majority and Traveller Communities.

   

  As a team we advocate for learners and provide a first point of contact and linking service for schools, and pupils from the Global Majority, including refugee and asylum seekers, third sector partners, and other local authorities in Wales. This ensures a joined up multi-agency approach to support pupils from the Global Majority, traveller communities and pupils with English as an additional language (EAL) on their road to success.

   

   

  We support the City of Sanctuary Organisation and are the Local Authority Leads for the Vale of Glamorgan Schools of Sanctuary Network.

   

  

• Young Carers

  Young carers are children and young people who look after or help look after a family member or friend who has an illness, or a disability.

   

  They may provide practical or physical care, help with personal care, and help with domestic tasks and/or emotional support. 
  
  The Learning Links Team (LLT) provides support and training for schools to meet the educational needs of learners who are identified as young carers, so that they can access an appropriate education and achieve the best possible educational outcomes.

  
  The Learning Links Team (LLT) are a first point of contact for Schools, Designated teachers, Children’s Services, health, and third sector partners, to meet the individual needs of young carers. This ensures a joined up multi agency approach to support young carers on their road to success.

   

  Our work is person centred. We work with children and young people, and designated teachers in schools, to ensure high aspirations is the shared goal of everyone involved with the child or young person.

   

  Carer's Assessment  

  Young carers can request an assessment, an assessment gives you a chance to talk to someone about what support might make caring easier.

   

  Young Carer's Assessment

   

  Families First Advice Line

  
   

• Children from Service Families

  It is not uncommon for Service children to experience regular changes to their family and school lifestyle, which can be at relatively short notice.

  Service families are adaptable and generally very resilient in times of uncertainty and  a school community plays a vital part in ensuring our families feel safe and supported during a potentially challenging time.

   

  The Learning Links Team (LLT) provides support and training for schools to address the educational needs and embed provision to best support children and young people whose parent/s currently serve or have previously served in the Armed Forces, so that they can achieve the best possible educational outcomes.

   

  As a team we work with schools, children and young people, education professionals, Armed Forces families and support organisations to gather their views and experiences and raise awareness and understanding of the experiences of children of Armed Forces personnel. This ensures a joined up multi agency approach to support Service children on their road to success.

   

  SSCE Cymru: Supporting Service Children in Education in Wales