Question: What criteria are used to classify children as vulnerable?

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Actions for schools during the coronavirus outbreak
section_headers: Prioritising pupils
How are vulnerable children defined?
section_content: During the coronavirus outbreak vulnerable children and young people are
defined as those who:

are assessed as being in need under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, including children who have a child in need plan, a child protection plan or who are a looked-after child
have an education, health and care (EHC) plan and it is determined, following a risk assessment, that their needs can be met as safely or more safely in the educational environment; or
have been assessed as otherwise vulnerable by education providers or local authorities (including children’s social care services), and who are therefore in need of continued education provision - this might include children and young people on the edge of receiving support from children’s social care services, adopted children, those at risk of becoming NEET (‘not in employment, education or training’), those living in temporary accommodation, those who are young carers, and others at the provider and local authority discretion

Read the guidance on how schools should continue to support vulnerable
children.
*[EHC]: Education, Health and Care

Reviewer feedback on this answer:
Has detailed information about which children are classified as vulnerable during the pandemic.
This is a great response which specifically lays out exactly who is classified as a vulnerable child. This directly answer the question very well and also includes ways to support them

Reviewer ratings:
Excellent
Excellent

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Actions for early years and childcare providers during the coronavirus outbreak
section_headers: Prioritising children
How are vulnerable children defined?
section_content: The government encourages vulnerable children and young people to attend
educational settings, unless they have underlying health conditions that put
them at severe risk.
During the coronavirus outbreak, vulnerable children are defined as those who:

are assessed as being in need under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, including children who have a child in need plan, a child protection plan or who are a looked after child
have an education, health and care (EHC) plan, and it is determined, following risk assessment, that their needs can be as safely or more safely met in the educational environment
have been assessed as otherwise vulnerable by educational providers or local authorities (including children’s social care services), and who are therefore in need of continued educational provision. This might include children on the edge of receiving support from children’s social care services, adopted children, those who are young carers, and those living in temporary accommodation
and others at the provider’s and local authority’s discretion

Vulnerable children’s attendance is encouraged, where it is appropriate for
them. A brief summary of attendance expectations, across the different groups
of vulnerable children and young people, is as follows:

for vulnerable children who have a social worker, attendance is encouraged where this is appropriate in line with the advice set out by Public Health England
for vulnerable children who have an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan, attendance is encouraged where it is determined, following risk assessment, that their needs can be as safely, or more safely, met in the educational environment
for vulnerable children who are deemed otherwise vulnerable, at the childcare setting, school or local authority’s discretion, attendance is encouraged where this is appropriate

Educational providers, local authorities, social workers, parents/carers, and
other relevant professionals (where applicable), should work together closely
to consider factors, such as the balance of risk, including health
vulnerabilities, family circumstances, risks outside the home, and the child
or young person’s assessed special educational needs. Further detail on
supporting vulnerable children is set out in Supporting vulnerable children
and young people during the coronavirus (COVID-19)
outbreak.
*[EHC]: education, health and care

Reviewer feedback on this answer:
Has clear criteria for defining which children are considered vulnerable during the pandemic.
This is an excellent and very detailed response about who is considered to be a vulnerable child. There's more information about expected attendance for them and how to support them during the outbreak

Reviewer ratings:
Excellent
Excellent

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Supporting vulnerable children and young people during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak - actions for educational providers and other partners
section_headers: Identification of vulnerable children and young people
section_content: Vulnerable children and young people for the purposes of continued attendance
during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak are those across all year groups
who:

are assessed as being in need under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, including children and young people who have a child in need plan, a child protection plan or who are a looked-after child
have an education, health and care (EHC) plan and it is determined, following risk assessment, that their needs can be as safely or more safely met in the educational environment
have been assessed as otherwise vulnerable by educational providers or local authorities (including children’s social care services), and who could therefore benefit from continued attendance. This might include children and young people on the edge of receiving support from children’s social care services, adopted children, those at risk of becoming NEET (‘not in employment, education or training’), those living in temporary accommodation, those who are young carers and others at the provider and local authority’s discretion.

The term ‘all year groups’ in this context for attendance purposes refers to
children under 5 eligible for early years entitlements and children and young
people aged 5 to 18 (or aged 5 to 25 for children and young people with an EHC
plan).
[EHC]: education, health and care
  [NEET]: not in employment, education or training

Reviewer feedback on this answer:
Clearly defines which children are considered vulnerable during the coronavirus pandemic.
This answer does a very good job addressing the point of the question by defining who is considered to be a vulnerable child in a bullet point list

Reviewer ratings:
Excellent
Acceptable