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1682854

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children in Care: Mental Health Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to his Department's planned update to the statutory guidance on Promoting the Health and Wellbeing of Looked After Children, if he will include a (a) specific focus on mental health services for that group as part of that update and (b) strategy for delivering those services in a culturally sensitive manner.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield South East
	tabling member printed	Mr Clive Betts
	uin	10002
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2024 answer text <p>The government gave a commitment to update the statutory guidance, ‘Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked-after children’ and extend it to care leavers up to age 25, in the ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’ strategy for the reform of children’s social care. The update forms part of the wider mission in the strategy, to reduce the disparities in long-term mental and physical health outcomes and improve wellbeing for care-experienced people.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care are taking forward this update together, and work is underway to understand how the current guidance is working in practice and where changes are necessary. This includes consideration of whether there is a need to include further guidance regarding mental health support for looked-after children and care leavers, as well as consideration of whether there is a need to include further guidance relating to cohorts with particular characteristics.</p><p> </p><p>The department will work with a wide range of stakeholders with a diversity of professional and personal experience to ensure that the guidance is sensitive to the health and wellbeing needs of all looked-after children and care leavers, including those with protected characteristics as part of government’s duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 22/01/2024 17:44:08 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	394 label Biography information for Mr Clive Betts

1466426

	registered interest
	date	26/05/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Regional Planning and Development: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will take steps to ensure that children are integral to the Government's levelling up agenda.
	tabling member constituency	Southport
	tabling member printed	Damien Moore
	uin	10007
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2022 answer text <p>The government’s Levelling Up White Paper includes a specific education mission which states that by 2030, the number of primary school children achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and maths will have significantly increased. In England, this means 90% of children will achieve the expected standard, and the percentage of children meeting the expected standard in the worst performing areas will have increased by over a third. The Levelling Up White Paper can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/levelling-up-the-united-kingdom" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/levelling-up-the-united-kingdom</a>.</p><p>The department is committed to levelling up education standards. The recent Schools White Paper sets out our long-term vision for a school system that helps every child to fulfil their potential, by ensuring that they receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time founded on achieving world-class literacy and numeracy. The Schools White Paper can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/opportunity-for-all-strong-schools-with-great-teachers-for-your-child" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/opportunity-for-all-strong-schools-with-great-teachers-for-your-child</a>.</p><p>This is why the government is building capacity in the places that need this most. We are offering significant support for our 55 Education Investment Areas (EIAs) so that we can improve outcomes for pupils in these areas where attainment is weakest. The government will also be offering additional intensive investment in a subset of 24 Priority EIAs.</p><p>In all 55 EIAs, we will be taking steps to support underperforming schools to make the necessary improvements, build trust capacity, support improved digital connectivity in the schools that need this most and offer the Levelling Up premium, worth up to £3,000 tax-free, to eligible teachers.</p><p>In the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021, the government announced £82 million to create a network of family hubs in 75 areas. This is part of a wider £302 million package to transform services for parents, carers, babies, and children in half of council areas across England. The 75 local authorities eligible to receive the funding were announced on 2 April 2022. Information on support for vulnerable families can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/infants-children-and-families-to-benefit-from-boost-in-support" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/infants-children-and-families-to-benefit-from-boost-in-support</a>.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 10/06/2022 11:42:01 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4669 label Biography information for Damien Moore

1466489

	registered interest
	date	26/05/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Turing Scheme: Labour Mobility
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on the decision to exclude staff mobility from the Turing Scheme; and what assessment he has made of the impact of that decision on staff and participants under the scheme.
	tabling member constituency	North East Fife
	tabling member printed	Wendy Chamberlain
	uin	10015
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/06/2022 answer text <p>Teaching and college staff mobility will not be funded as part of the Turing Scheme in the 2022/23 academic year, to maximise the amount of student, learner, and pupils’ access to life-changing mobilities. The department will continue to keep this decision under review and plans to assess the impact of the scheme following its first year of delivery.</p> answering member constituency Brentwood and Ongar answering member printed Alex Burghart question first answered 06/06/2022 12:06:42 answering member 4613 label Biography information for Alex Burghart
	tabling member	4765 label Biography information for Wendy Chamberlain

1466318

	registered interest
	date	26/05/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Special Educational Needs
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make it his policy to (a) require local authorities to ask parents who request an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) form whether or not English is their first language and (b) offer additional language support to parents throughout the EHCP process.
	tabling member constituency	St Albans
	tabling member printed	Daisy Cooper
	uin	10016
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2022 answer text <p>The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to have regard to the importance of the child or young person, and the child’s parents, participating as fully as possible in decisions, and being provided with the information and support necessary to enable participation in those decisions. All local authorities must have arrangements for information and advice and should ensure that advice and guidance for children and young people is tailored appropriately for them. All local authorities must publish a local offer about all their services. One of the requirements of local offers is that they must be accessible to the local population, which does include ensuring access those for whom English is not their first language. The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) code of practice also makes clear that the format of an education, health and care (EHC) plan is agreed locally. Local authorities must decide on the languages that EHC plans are available in, depending on local need.</p><p>In addition, it is the department’s aim, through the proposals set out in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Green Paper to provide parents and carers with a clearer understanding of the support that should be available to meet their child’s needs. This includes a proposal to standardise the EHC plan process to drive consistency in how needs are identified and assessed. The public consultation for the Green Paper is due to close on 22 July 2022.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 10/06/2022 15:11:25 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4769 label Biography information for Daisy Cooper

1466319

	registered interest
	date	26/05/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Special Educational Needs
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make it his policy to require upper tier local authorities and clinical commissioning groups to provide parents of children with special educational needs or disabilities with a list of potential sources of financial support to which they might be entitled.
	tabling member constituency	St Albans
	tabling member printed	Daisy Cooper
	uin	10017
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2022 answer text <p>Local authorities must provide information on personal budgets as part of their local offer. This should include a policy on personal budgets that sets out a description of the services across education, health and social care that currently lend themselves to the use of personal budgets, how that funding will be made available, and clear and simple statements of eligibility criteria and the decision-making processes. Personal budgets are optional for the child’s parent or the young person, but local authorities are under a duty to prepare a budget when requested. Local authorities must provide information about organisations that may be able to provide advice and assistance to help parents and young people to make informed decisions about personal budgets.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 10/06/2022 16:56:34 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4769 label Biography information for Daisy Cooper

1466320

	registered interest
	date	26/05/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Appeals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish the (a) shortest, (b) average and (c) longest period of time between a pre-tribunal settlement for education, health and care provision being agreed and a settlement order being signed for each upper tier local authority.
	tabling member constituency	St Albans
	tabling member printed	Daisy Cooper
	uin	10018
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2022 answer text <p>The department does not hold or collect information on the period of time between a pre-tribunal settlement for education, health and care provision being agreed and a settlement order being signed.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 10/06/2022 10:11:17 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
	tabling member	4769 label Biography information for Daisy Cooper

1682882

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Universities: Transphobia
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will hold discussions with the Committee for Academic Freedom on its news story entitled Nine UK universities label gender-critical academics transphobes, investigation reveals, published on 15 January 2024.
	tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
	tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
	uin	10033
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2024 answer text <p>Securing academic freedom is a high priority for this government. That is why the government introduced the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.</p><p>The Act will ensure that universities in England are a place where academics, students and visiting speakers can express a diverse range of views without fear of repercussion. The main provisions of the Act will come into force on 1 August 2024.</p><p>This Act will require reasonably practicable steps to be taken to secure freedom of speech within the law. It will not change the current legal position on what speech is lawful and unlawful. The department wants academics to feel confident to express their lawful views and challenge received wisdom, even if their views are unpopular.</p><p>There are currently no plans to hold discussions with the Committee for Academic Freedom.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 24/01/2024 17:56:42 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
	tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1683004

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Hearing Impairment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to provide support for children with auditory impairments in schools.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	10051
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2024 answer text <p>The department’s ambition is for all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), to receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is creating a new single national SEND and Alternative Provision system for how needs are identified and met across Education, Health and Care. This new single national system will set standards on what support should be made available in mainstream settings, including for children with hearing impairments, and when specialist provision may be more appropriate for meeting a child or young person’s needs.</p><p>It is the responsibility of local authorities, schools, and further education settings to commission appropriately qualified staff to support the education of children and young people in their area.</p><p>To teach a class of pupils with sensory impairments, a teacher is required to hold the relevant mandatory qualification, which is a Mandatory Qualification in Sensory Impairment (MQSI). Teachers working in an advisory role to support these pupils should also hold the appropriate qualification.</p><p>To offer MQSIs, providers must be approved by my right. hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. The department’s aim is to ensure a steady supply of teachers for children with visual, hearing, and multi-sensory impairments, in both specialist and mainstream settings. There are currently six providers of the MQSI, with a seventh to begin in September 2024.</p><p>The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education has also developed a Sensory Impairment apprenticeship and expects it to be available from 2025. This will open a paid, work-based route into teaching children and young people with sensory impairments by enabling people to undertake high-quality apprenticeships.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 25/01/2024 17:30:01 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1683006

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting: Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has issued guidance to schools on teaching school children about the (a) history, (b) purpose and (c) value of (i) the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings and (ii) this year's meeting in Samoa.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	10053
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2024 answer text <p>The National Curriculum for citizenship, which is compulsory at key stages 3 and 4, covers the Commonwealth in the context of teaching about local, regional and international governance and the United Kingdom’s relations with the rest of Europe, the United Nations and the wider world including the Commonwealth. The National Curriculum does not mandate specific content about the Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings, but schools are free to include content about Heads of Government meetings in this context, including this year’s meeting in Samoa.</p><p> </p><p>There are also a number of opportunities in the National Curriculum for history for pupils to be taught about the history of the Commonwealth. For example, pupils are taught about British history from 1745 to 1901, including the development of its Empire, and they are taught the end of Empire and Britain’s place in the world since 1945. The latter could include teaching about the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings, including the first meeting in 1971.</p><p> </p><p>The National Curriculum for citizenship can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-citizenship-programmes-of-study" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-citizenship-programmes-of-study</a> and the National Curriculum for history can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-history-programmes-of-study" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-history-programmes-of-study</a>.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 24/01/2024 17:12:07 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1682972

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Learning Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to assess pupils with profound and multiple learning disabilities who are unable to respond to existing test measures but demonstrate language development by their use of sub vocal utterances.
	tabling member constituency	Hemel Hempstead
	tabling member printed	Sir Mike Penning
	uin	10059
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2024 answer text <p>The department recognises the importance of providing high-quality support for this group of children with very severe needs, and the work of special schools to provide these children and their parents with education and support that helps them prepare for adulthood. The department’s ambition for Special Educational Needs policy is for all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are, to receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.</p><p>The department knows that the development of communication for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties is critical, which is why the department places a huge emphasis on its teaching in special schools. For those pupils with profound multiple learning difficulties in special schools who are working below the level of the national curriculum and who are therefore not engaged in subject-specific study, the department has developed the ‘engagement model’ which is driven by a teacher assessment tool. This model has been designed to enable all pupils’ achievements and progress to be identified and celebrated, including the area of communication and interaction which is one of the four areas of need in the SEND code of practice. The model uses a holistic approach which takes into account their preferred ways of communicating, in recognition of the different barriers that each individual child can face to their communication skills.</p><p> </p><p>Assistive technology (AT) such as alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) devices can remove barriers to learning for students with SEND. The department is committed to building the evidence base around the effective use of AT to ensure it understands the needs of staff and pupils. Following the promising results of a pilot training programme to increase mainstream school staff confidence with AT, the department extended the training to capture more detailed data on the impact on teachers and learners. The department will publish the impact report in May. The department is exploring the AT support needs of staff at special schools, including those working with pupils with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) and/or those using AAC.</p><p> </p><p>All schools, including special schools, have duties under the Equality Act 2010 towards individual disabled children and young people. They must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services for disabled children, to prevent them being put at a substantial disadvantage. This is particularly important in ensuring that schools are providing tailored support for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties that help with their communication.</p><p> </p><p>More widely, the department is creating a new single national SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) system for identifying and meeting needs. This new single national system will set standards on what support should be made available in mainstream settings, as well as guidance on when specialist provision may be more appropriate for meeting a child or young person’s needs.</p><p> </p><p>As part of this, the department is developing practitioner standards to provide advice to frontline professionals, including teachers and early years staff. The practitioner standards will set out evidence-based best practice in identifying and meeting individual needs. They will cover the areas of need in the SEND code of practice, including speech, language and communication needs.</p><p> </p><p>Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) is a two year pathfinder programme being co-led by the department and NHS England, and is one of the reforms being tested in the SEND and AP Change Programme. The programme will fund innovative workforce models to identify and support children and young people with Speech, Language and Communication Needs at an early stage and support them through universal and targeted interventions, to reduce exacerbation of need that might lead to a specialist speech and language therapy and/or Education, Health and Care plan referral.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 10060 10061 10062 10063 question first answered 25/01/2024 17:47:51 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning