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1346832

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Adoption Support Fund
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the budget is for the Adoption Support Fund for the financial year 2021-22; and how much and what proportion of that budget has been spent as of 14 July 2021.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	33209
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2021 answer text <p>The Adoption Support Fund budget, spend and proportion spent as at 14 July 2021, is set out below.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>2021/22 Budget</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Spend</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Proportion Spent</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>£46m</p></td><td><p>£31,203,545</p></td><td><p>67%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 19/07/2021 13:45:43 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1345517

registered interest
date	09/07/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Adoption: Young People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the report entitled Adoption UK’s Adoption Barometer 2021, published in June 2021, on the 28 per cent of adopted young people aged between 16-25-years who were not in education, employment or training at the end of 2020.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	30348
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2021 answer text <p>Improving adoption is a manifesto commitment and Adoption UK’s Adoption Barometer report is a valuable resource for informing policy debate. We will be considering Adoption UK’s barometer report carefully as part of our planning for funding for future years.</p><p>Contact will continue to be a challenge for adopted children, their birth parents, and their adoptive parents, particularly when this contact comes through social media. It is important that social workers help children, birth parents, and adoptive parents to understand the implications of disclosing personal information on social networking sites, and the harm unauthorised or unmediated contact can have.</p><p>We continue to work with Regional Adoption Agencies and Voluntary Adoption Agencies to ensure that services including contact support are delivered to a high-quality standard.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 30350 question first answered 14/07/2021 11:32:05 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1345518

registered interest
date	09/07/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Reviews
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the Department will publish its SEND review, commissioned in 2019.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	30349
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2021 answer text <p>The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Review has been making good progress, but the COVID-19 outbreak has frustrated the pace of this important review and materially altered the context for reform.</p><p>The SEND Review continues to work with system experts to make sure we are designing a system fit for the future. We are drawing on the best evidence available to review the system, before publishing proposals for public consultation as soon as possible.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 14/07/2021 11:25:18 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1345519

registered interest
date	09/07/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Adoption: Social Media
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to evaluate the potential (a) effects and (b) consequences of social media on contact between adopted children and their birth families.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	30350
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2021 answer text <p>Improving adoption is a manifesto commitment and Adoption UK’s Adoption Barometer report is a valuable resource for informing policy debate. We will be considering Adoption UK’s barometer report carefully as part of our planning for funding for future years.</p><p>Contact will continue to be a challenge for adopted children, their birth parents, and their adoptive parents, particularly when this contact comes through social media. It is important that social workers help children, birth parents, and adoptive parents to understand the implications of disclosing personal information on social networking sites, and the harm unauthorised or unmediated contact can have.</p><p>We continue to work with Regional Adoption Agencies and Voluntary Adoption Agencies to ensure that services including contact support are delivered to a high-quality standard.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 30348 question first answered 14/07/2021 11:32:05 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1345330

registered interest
date	08/07/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Adoption Support Fund
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the Adoption Support Fund being allocated on a yearly basis instead of a multi-year settlement; and what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the short-term funding announcements on families and adoption agencies accessing that Fund for therapeutic support services.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	29783
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2021 answer text <p>Improving adoption is a manifesto commitment, and Adoption UK’s Adoption Barometer report is a valuable resource for informing policy debate. We will be considering the report carefully as part of our planning for funding for future years.</p><p>We will also continue to work with regional adoption agencies and voluntary adoption agencies to ensure that services are delivered to the same high standard and quality across the country. Agencies are already working together closely to improve and standardise the front door service for prospective adopters.</p><p>With reference to the Adoption Support Fund, the department sets budgets through the Spending Review process. The 2020 Spending Review set departmental budgets for the financial year 2021-22. We will set out plans for future years funding in due course.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 29784 29785 29786 29787 question first answered 13/07/2021 14:12:24 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1345332

registered interest
date	08/07/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Adoption
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of Adoption UK’s recommendation in the Adoption Barometer Report 2021 on extending adoption support to at least age 26.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	29784
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2021 answer text <p>Improving adoption is a manifesto commitment, and Adoption UK’s Adoption Barometer report is a valuable resource for informing policy debate. We will be considering the report carefully as part of our planning for funding for future years.</p><p>We will also continue to work with regional adoption agencies and voluntary adoption agencies to ensure that services are delivered to the same high standard and quality across the country. Agencies are already working together closely to improve and standardise the front door service for prospective adopters.</p><p>With reference to the Adoption Support Fund, the department sets budgets through the Spending Review process. The 2020 Spending Review set departmental budgets for the financial year 2021-22. We will set out plans for future years funding in due course.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 29783 29785 29786 29787 question first answered 13/07/2021 14:12:24 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1345335

registered interest
date	08/07/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Adoption
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he plans to take in response to Adoption UK’s Adoption Barometer 2021 finding that 71 per cent of newly placed adopters surveyed did not have a support plan in place; and what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recommendation by Adoption UK that multi-disciplinary assessments be carried out for every child to be placed for adoption, and clear support plans put in place that anticipate future as well as current support needs.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	29785
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2021 answer text <p>Improving adoption is a manifesto commitment, and Adoption UK’s Adoption Barometer report is a valuable resource for informing policy debate. We will be considering the report carefully as part of our planning for funding for future years.</p><p>We will also continue to work with regional adoption agencies and voluntary adoption agencies to ensure that services are delivered to the same high standard and quality across the country. Agencies are already working together closely to improve and standardise the front door service for prospective adopters.</p><p>With reference to the Adoption Support Fund, the department sets budgets through the Spending Review process. The 2020 Spending Review set departmental budgets for the financial year 2021-22. We will set out plans for future years funding in due course.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 29783 29784 29786 29787 question first answered 13/07/2021 14:12:24 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1345336

registered interest
date	08/07/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Adoption
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will work with regional and voluntary adoption agencies to create and implement quality standards for the journey of prospective adopters through preparation, approvals and matching.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	29786
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2021 answer text <p>Improving adoption is a manifesto commitment, and Adoption UK’s Adoption Barometer report is a valuable resource for informing policy debate. We will be considering the report carefully as part of our planning for funding for future years.</p><p>We will also continue to work with regional adoption agencies and voluntary adoption agencies to ensure that services are delivered to the same high standard and quality across the country. Agencies are already working together closely to improve and standardise the front door service for prospective adopters.</p><p>With reference to the Adoption Support Fund, the department sets budgets through the Spending Review process. The 2020 Spending Review set departmental budgets for the financial year 2021-22. We will set out plans for future years funding in due course.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 29783 29784 29785 29787 question first answered 13/07/2021 14:12:24 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1345337

registered interest
date	08/07/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Adoption
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the (a) implications for his policies of the finding of Adoption UK’s report entitled Adoption Barometer Report 2021 that only 45 per cent of respondents felt their child’s teachers had a good understanding of the needs of care-experienced children and (b) potential merits of giving education and health professionals statutory training in early childhood trauma and associated conditions.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	29787
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2021 answer text <p>Improving adoption is a manifesto commitment, and Adoption UK’s Adoption Barometer report is a valuable resource for informing policy debate. We will be considering the report carefully as part of our planning for funding for future years.</p><p>We will also continue to work with regional adoption agencies and voluntary adoption agencies to ensure that services are delivered to the same high standard and quality across the country. Agencies are already working together closely to improve and standardise the front door service for prospective adopters.</p><p>With reference to the Adoption Support Fund, the department sets budgets through the Spending Review process. The 2020 Spending Review set departmental budgets for the financial year 2021-22. We will set out plans for future years funding in due course.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford grouped question UIN 29783 29784 29785 29786 question first answered 13/07/2021 14:12:24 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1281777

registered interest
date	28/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Extended Services: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the financial viability of out-of-school wraparound childcare providers that are not able to operate normally during the current covid-19 restrictions period; and whether he plans to offer them financial support.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	145007
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2021 answer text <p>Ensuring sufficient childcare for families continues to be a government priority. This is why we have ensured that wraparound childcare settings have been able to remain open for vulnerable children and children of critical workers during the current national lockdown, in line with those children eligible to attend school for onsite provision and have updated our guidance for providers of after-school and holiday clubs and other out-of-school settings to support providers to operate as safely as possible, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/guidance-for-schools-coronavirus-covid-19" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/guidance-for-schools-coronavirus-covid-19</a>.</p><p>As indicated in the answer I gave on 28 January 2021 to Question <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2021-01-25/142909" target="_blank">142909</a>, the department does not hold a central register of wraparound providers, and so we are unable to make an accurate assessment of the financial viability of providers. However, we recognise that the wraparound childcare sector, like many sectors, is facing unprecedented financial pressures as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.</p><p>Therefore, as explained previously, the government has made a range of financial packages of support available for businesses to access throughout the current crisis. This includes tax relief, business loans or cash grants through, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, as well as a £594 million discretionary fund for councils and the devolved administrations to support local businesses that may not be eligible for other support, during the current national lockdown.</p><p>We are also still encouraging all local authorities to consider using local grants that have been made available to them during the COVID-19 outbreak, to support the wraparound childcare sector in their areas, and to safeguard sufficient childcare provision for all families, but particularly those with vulnerable children and children of critical workers. This includes the expanded Holiday Activities and Food Programme mentioned in my previous answer to Question <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2021-01-25/142909" target="_blank">142909</a>, which comprises a £220 million fund to be delivered through grants to local authorities. This programme will give children eligible for free school meals the option to join a free holiday-time programme that provides healthy food and enriching activities during the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays in 2021.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 02/02/2021 12:32:29 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson