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225156

	registered interest
	date	04/03/2015
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Protection
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to outsource child safeguarding functions from local authorities; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
	tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
	uin	226411
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2015 answer text <p>Where a local authority is judged to be failing in its provision and delivery of children’s services, the Secretary of State has a discretionary power to intervene under the Education Act 1996, as applied by section 50 of the Children Act 2004. This may include directing the local authority to review its children’s services operations and commissioning procedures, and this may include the delivery of specified functions by another body.</p><p> </p><p>The powers under part 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 and associated regulations are quite different and provide for local authorities to be able to delegate children’s social care functions, including safeguarding functions, to third parties on a voluntary basis. The Department for Education has no plans to instruct any local authorities to delegate their functions under these provisions.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Mr Edward Timpson question first answered 09/03/2015 15:48:50 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
	tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

443234

	registered interest
	date	07/01/2016
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Protection
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding has been given to Local Safeguarding Children Boards in each year since 2010; and whether her Department plans to institute a nationally-defined funding formula for such boards.
	tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
	tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
	uin	21473
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/01/2016 answer text <p>Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) are funded through contributions from their partners as agreed locally, including local authorities, health services and the police. LSCBs publish details of these contributions in their annual reports, but these figures are not collated centrally. The Government does not provide ring-fenced funding for LSCBs.</p><p>On 14 December 2015, the Prime Minister announced that there would be a review of LSCBs. This review has now commenced and will report by the end of March 2016.</p> answering member constituency East Surrey answering member printed Mr Sam Gyimah question first answered 12/01/2016 17:43:57 answering member 3980 label Biography information for Mr Sam Gyimah
	tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

709658

	registered interest
	date	09/03/2017
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Protection
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children have been (a) put on a child protection plan and (b) put back on a child protection plan within two years of coming off such a plan in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
	tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
	uin	67371
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2017 answer text <p>The number of children who have been placed on a child protection plan in each of the last five years is available in table A2 of the annual Children In Need statistical publication:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/characteristics-of-children-in-need-2015-to-2016" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/characteristics-of-children-in-need-2015-to-2016</a></p><p>We do not hold information in the requested format on the number of the children who came back onto a child protection plan within 2 years of coming off one.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson question first answered 14/03/2017 16:20:44 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
	tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

179749

	registered interest
	date	12/02/2015
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Protection
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to improve child safety, in the light of the levels of sexual coercion reported by teenage girls in England compared to other European countries.
	tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
	uin	HL5026
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2015 answer text <p>The findings on the levels of sexual coercion reported by teenage girls in England published by the University of Central Lancashire are part of a collaborative research project involving five European countries – Norway, Italy, Bulgaria, Cyprus and England. Protection from abuse is a fundamental right for all children and the Government continues to work to improve child safety.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Our recent key actions include:</p><p> </p><ul><li><p>Commissioning the PSHE Association to produce guidance for teachers on teaching about consent, which will be published shortly. The statutory sex and relationships education (SRE) guidance also makes clear that young people should be taught about how the law applies to sexual relationships and be taught positive values and a moral framework to guide their decisions, judgements and behaviour.</p></li><li><p>Revising statutory safeguarding guidance, <em>Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2013 </em>and<em> Keeping Children Safe in Education </em>(April 2014), to provide clear frameworks for professionals and for schools to take action to protect children from abuse. These updated versions will be published shortly.</p></li><li><p>To help children stay safe online, we have also put online safety on the curriculum, published advice for parents on keeping young people safe from cyberbullying, and announced £500,000 extra funding in December 2014 to the UK Safer Internet Centre to provide guidance and training for schools. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Command of the National Crime Agency has developed a specific educational resource to tackle ‘sexting’, which is designed for use by teachers.</p></li><li><p>We are committed to improving the child protection system and are working with local leaders and professionals on a radical programme of reform, including improving social worker training and children’s services. The overall aim of this work is to bring about long-term change to help vulnerable children.</p></li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 26/02/2015 17:05:48 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
	tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

515903

	registered interest
	date	26/04/2016
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Protection
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether professionals who work with children, such as social workers and teachers, are legally required to leave their professions if they continue to live, or resume living, with a convicted sex offender to whom they are married, or with whom they have had children who are no longer minors, after that offender has served a custodial or community sentence.
	tabling member printed	Lord Farmer
	uin	HL7969
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2016 answer text <p>Arrangements within the Childcare Act 2006 and the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2009 disqualify a person from providing, working in, or managing childcare provision on the grounds that a person in their household has committed a relevant offence. A number of the qualifying offences are of a sexual nature.</p><p>A person disqualified from working in any childcare setting for these reasons is able to apply to Ofsted for a waiver against disqualification. Where a waiver is granted the disqualified person is permitted to work in childcare.</p><p>The Department publishes guidance (attached) to assist schools, childcare providers and those working in childcare and help them understand the arrangements.</p> answering member printed Lord Nash attachment 1 file name HL7969 Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006.pdf title Disqualification under the childcare act 2006 2 file name HL7969 Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage.pdf title Statutory framework for the early years foundation question first answered 10/05/2016 14:57:12 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
	tabling member	4321 label Biography information for Lord Farmer

769257

	registered interest
	date	12/10/2017
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Protection
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to bring into force Part 2, sections 12 to 31, of the Children and Social Work Act 2017 (safeguarding of children).
	tabling member printed	Lord Watson of Invergowrie
	uin	HL1991
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2017 answer text <p>Since the Children and Social Work Act received Royal Assent in April 2017, the department has been discussing with government departments and others the drafting of the underpinning regulations and amendments to statutory guidance. We aim to consult on these this autumn. Subject to Parliamentary approval of the regulations following the consultation, sections 12 to 31 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017 will be commenced accordingly.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 26/10/2017 16:20:02 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
	tabling member	1241 label Biography information for Lord Watson of Invergowrie

776817

	registered interest
	date	24/10/2017
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Protection
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether conduct by a parent preventing a child from attending an inspected state or independent school for religious or other reasons is a factor taken into account in determining whether a child is at risk; if so, what other criteria are applied to decisions in those circumstances; and what guidance they have issued to local authorities regarding this matter.
	tabling member printed	Lord Warner
	uin	HL2481
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2017 answer text <p>Wherever local councils have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm, they are under a duty to investigate. While a parent preventing a child from attending school for the reasons outlined is not in itself evidence of a child being at risk, local councils may assess whether, when linked to a number of other factors, it may contribute to a decision that the child is at risk. The statutory guidance, Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015) sets out the principles and parameters of a good assessment, which should take account of the impact and influence of family and environmental factors.</p><p> </p><p>Under the Children Act 1989, local councils have a responsibility to provide services for the purposes of safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. It is important that every local council has clear criteria for taking action and providing help across the full continuum of need.</p><p> </p><p>In September 2016 we published updated statutory guidance on ‘Children Missing Education’ and ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’. The new guidance reinforces the roles and responsibilities of schools and local councils when it comes to working together to prevent children missing education. Children missing education are at significant risk of underachieving, being victims of harm, exploitation or radicalisation, and becoming not in education, employment or training later in life.</p><p> </p><p>This risk will not apply to all children withdrawn from school and educated at home, as those receiving good home education would not be “missing” education.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 07/11/2017 16:15:17 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
	tabling member	1732 label Biography information for Lord Warner

789904

	registered interest
	date	15/11/2017
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Protection
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government in the light of their Children in need and child protection statistics, for 2006–07 and 2016–17, showing an increase in the number of children who were the subject of a child protection plan in place at year end from 27,900 to 51,080, what assessment they have made of the factors leading to that increase.
	tabling member printed	Lord Porter of Spalding
	uin	HL3288
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/11/2017 answer text <p>The Department for Education considers that robust statistical comparisons using the Children in Need Census data can only be made between 2010-11 and 2016-17 due to different sources of data collection. Data preceding 2010 is drawn from the Child Protection and Referrals 3 (CPR3) statistical return.</p><p> </p><p>The number of children subject of a child protection plan (CPP) has been rising over the recent years, a pattern that has continued through the collection of data from both sources. However, whilst it is likely there was an increase between 2008-09 and 2009-10, due to the differences in the data sources, it is not possible to confirm if the increase was solely down to an increase in the number of children subject to a CPP, or partially explained by the change in data source.</p><p> </p><p>Since 2010 there has been a consistent increase in the number of section 47 enquiries, from 89,300 to 185,450. These are the enquiries initiated to decide whether and what type of action is required to safeguard and promote the welfare of a child who is suspected of, or likely to be, suffering significant harm.</p><p> </p><p>There has also been an increase in the number of initial stage child protection conferences since 2010, from 43,900 to 76,930. These are the meetings which bring together family members (and the child, where appropriate), with advocates and professionals, to make decisions about the child’s safety, health and development. Over the same period, the number of children who are then subject to a CPP has also increased, but at a lower rate, from 39,100 to 51,080.</p><p> </p><p>In recording the reason a child becomes subject to a CPP, since 2010, there has been an increase in the proportion of plans recorded under the initial categories of neglect and emotional abuse. Conversely, the proportion of plans under the categories of physical abuse and multiple forms of abuse have fallen.</p><p> </p><p>Wherever local councils have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm, they are under a duty to investigate. It is right that where local councils have concerns about a child, they undertake an assessment to determine what action is appropriate to take. As well as indicating some change in the categories of abuse under which social workers are recording CPPs, these trends indicate that local councils are undertaking more investigative action now than in 2010 – with an increasing number of children then going onto CPPs.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 29/11/2017 16:35:49 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
	tabling member	4555 label Biography information for Lord Porter of Spalding

825307

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2018
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Protection
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to reduce the number of children at risk, following the finding by the Local Government Association that an average of 1,770 children are being referred each day to local authorities' children's services; and what assessment they have made of the adequacy of the resources for, and responses to, the needs of vulnerable children.
	tabling member printed	Lord Ouseley
	uin	HL4840
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2018 answer text <p>The government is committed to ensuring that children at risk receive the right support. The 2015 Spending Review made available more than £200 billion to councils for local services (including children’s services) up to 2019-20. Local authorities are best-placed, and have the flexibility, to direct this towards locally determined priorities, including children’s services. The Department for Education and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government have recently commissioned a joint data-research project to gather evidence on cost and demand pressures in the sector, including data collection into ‘need to spend’ on children’s services.</p><p> </p><p>The government’s statutory guidance, ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’, attached, makes clear that providing support for children as soon as a problem emerges is more effective than reacting later. The guidance sets out that preventative action relies on local agencies working together to identify children and families who would benefit from early help. This should form part of continued support to respond to the different levels of need of individual children and families. Through the £200 million ‘Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme’, the government is investing nearly £5 million in targeted support for children in need, testing new approaches to prevent further harm.</p><p> </p><p>The government is carrying out a fundamental reform programme seeking to create a world-class child protection system, with the aim of achieving safety and stability for children, as set out in the government’s publication ‘Putting Children First: Delivering our vision for excellent children’s social care’, July 2016, attached. This work is organised around the key pillars of people and leadership, practice and systems, and governance and accountability. This wide-ranging programme of reforms underpins action to reduce the number of children at risk – such as through the introduction of new stronger local safeguarding arrangements, assessment and accreditation of social workers and targeted action to reduce risk, for example for children at risk of child sexual exploitation and unaccompanied asylum seeking children.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton attachment 1 file name Working_Together_to_Safeguard_Children_20170213.pdf title Working together to safeguard children 2 file name Putting_children_first_delivering_vision_excellent_childrens_social_care.pdf title Putting children first question first answered 31/01/2018 16:35:40 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
	tabling member	2170 label Biography information for Lord Ouseley

416258

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2015
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Protection
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what actions her Department is taking to promote a joined-up approach within and across Government departments to maintain and improve safeguarding for disabled children.
	tabling member constituency	Blackpool North and Cleveleys
	tabling member printed	Paul Maynard
	uin	8808
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2015 answer text <p>At the heart of the government’s agenda for all children, including those with disabilities, is how to safeguard and protect their wellbeing and help develop their resilience in preparation for modern life. An important part of this will be the work of the cross-government ministerial taskforce, chaired by the Secretary of State for Education, to take forward work on child protection.<br></p><p> </p><p>The taskforce will look at how we get the best people to deliver the right outcomes for all children. In particular through social work reform and improving leadership; through improving systems and practice – building a better performing, more innovative social care sector; and through accountability and governance, looking at how arrangements locally and nationally help to drive a strong and improving system. <br></p><p> </p><p>Through the Innovation Programme, the Department for Education is funding the Council for Disabled Children to lead a partnership of five local authorities for a one year project. They are testing new approaches to Social Work Assessment and aiming to determine accurate thresholds for service provision for disabled children which combine child and family centred services.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The newly-developed education, health and care (EHC) plan system is for children and young people aged up to 25 who need more support than is available through special educational needs support. EHC plans identify educational, health and social needs, setting out the additional support required to meet those needs, and many disabled children will benefit.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson grouped question UIN 9078 question first answered 14/09/2015 15:46:06 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
	tabling member	3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard