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1713880

registered interest
date	25/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Education: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the findings in the report by Action for Children in their report entitled Above and beyond, published on 25 April 2024, on the number of children that experience barriers to their education due to issues outside school.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	23758
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2024 answer text <p>This government recognises the importance of providing early and timely help for children to support them to achieve their full potential at school so that they can thrive in adulthood.</p><p>At the last spending review, the department announced over £1 billion toward programmes to improve early help services from birth to adulthood, including delivering on Family Hubs and helping families facing multiple disadvantage through the Supporting Families and Holiday Activities and Food programmes.</p><p>The department’s statutory guidance, titled ‘Working together to safeguard children’, which was updated in 2023, confirms the expectation that local areas should have a range of evidence-based services available to provide early support for children and families who need it.</p><p>In ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’, the department announced plans to build on the strengths of early help services through the implementation of Family Help. In the Families First for Children Pathfinder, the department is investigating how multi-disciplinary family help teams can provide targeted support to help children and families overcome challenges at the earliest opportunity.</p><p>The department is spending more on children’s mental health services than ever before and working across government to ensure partnerships working across different sectors are delivering for children who need support.</p><p>The department is also continuing to roll out Mental Health Support Teams in education settings and supporting schools and colleges to train senior mental health leads, ensuring that as many young people as possible have access to the support they need.</p><p>Up to an additional £2.3 billion of additional funding a year since 2018/19 has been allocated to expand and transform mental health services. This is with the aim that 345,000 more children and young people will have been able to access NHS-funded mental health support by March 2024.</p><p>The department is making the ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance statutory from September 2024. This sets out how schools, local authorities and other services need to work together to support pupils at risk of poor attendance and how support provided to these families is consistent across the country.</p><p>The department’s package of wide-ranging reforms designed to support schools to improve attendance means there were 440,000 fewer children persistently absent or not attending in 2022/23 compared to 2021/22.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 23759 question first answered 01/05/2024 14:18:36 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1713883

registered interest
date	25/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Education: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the findings in the report by Action for Children in their report entitled Above and beyond, published on 25 April 2024 on the number of children that experience barriers to their education due to issues outside school, what steps her Department is taking to provide (a) early and (b) timely help to affected families.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	23759
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2024 answer text <p>This government recognises the importance of providing early and timely help for children to support them to achieve their full potential at school so that they can thrive in adulthood.</p><p>At the last spending review, the department announced over £1 billion toward programmes to improve early help services from birth to adulthood, including delivering on Family Hubs and helping families facing multiple disadvantage through the Supporting Families and Holiday Activities and Food programmes.</p><p>The department’s statutory guidance, titled ‘Working together to safeguard children’, which was updated in 2023, confirms the expectation that local areas should have a range of evidence-based services available to provide early support for children and families who need it.</p><p>In ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’, the department announced plans to build on the strengths of early help services through the implementation of Family Help. In the Families First for Children Pathfinder, the department is investigating how multi-disciplinary family help teams can provide targeted support to help children and families overcome challenges at the earliest opportunity.</p><p>The department is spending more on children’s mental health services than ever before and working across government to ensure partnerships working across different sectors are delivering for children who need support.</p><p>The department is also continuing to roll out Mental Health Support Teams in education settings and supporting schools and colleges to train senior mental health leads, ensuring that as many young people as possible have access to the support they need.</p><p>Up to an additional £2.3 billion of additional funding a year since 2018/19 has been allocated to expand and transform mental health services. This is with the aim that 345,000 more children and young people will have been able to access NHS-funded mental health support by March 2024.</p><p>The department is making the ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance statutory from September 2024. This sets out how schools, local authorities and other services need to work together to support pupils at risk of poor attendance and how support provided to these families is consistent across the country.</p><p>The department’s package of wide-ranging reforms designed to support schools to improve attendance means there were 440,000 fewer children persistently absent or not attending in 2022/23 compared to 2021/22.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 23758 question first answered 01/05/2024 14:18:36 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1713925

registered interest
date	25/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Lancashire
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of support for children with SEND in Lancashire.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	23756
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2024 answer text <p>Lancashire were last inspected under the previous Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) framework and were issued with a Written Statement of Action (WSoA) with 12 areas of significant weakness. Following their revisit inspection, published in August 2020, Lancashire were moved onto an Accelerated Progress Plan (APP) for five areas of significant weakness which were deemed to have not made sufficient progress. A department Case Lead, alongside a NHS England and a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) adviser, worked with the local authority and monitored their progress against the APP. After a series of reviews and data analysis, in 2021 the decision was taken that based on the evidence provided, that Lancashire had demonstrated clear and sustained progress against the areas highlighted in the accelerated progress plan.</p><p> </p><p>As with all local areas, the department has continued to provide support and challenge to Lancashire through their regional case lead, who seeks regular assurance, through conversations with SEND leads, that they are sustaining the progress made. The department also analyses Lancashire’s position through the annual SEN2 data publication, assessing their data performance and using this information to shape discussions. This progress will be assessed in the next Ofsted and CQC inspection, with all local authorities due to be inspected by the end of 2027.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 03/05/2024 13:40:48 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1713929

registered interest
date	25/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Carers: Childcare
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy for carers who work less than 16 hours a week to be eligible to access 30 hours of free childcare.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	23757
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2024 answer text <p>To be eligible for the working parent entitlement, which includes the current 30 hours offer, parents will need to earn the equivalent of 16 hours a week at National Minimum Wage, which is £183 per week or £9,518 per year in 2024/25, and less than £100,000 adjusted net income per year. A parent on carer’s leave, or in receipt of certain benefits, may be eligible provided their partner is working and meets the eligibility criteria. Currently, there are no plans to change the eligibility criteria.</p><p> </p><p>All 3 and 4 year olds are eligible for the universal 15 hour free entitlement, regardless of their parents’ circumstances. This is available the term after a child turns three and is available for 38 weeks a year. Further information on the entitlement can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs</a>.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 03/05/2024 13:42:51 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1713398

registered interest
date	24/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Childcare: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 2.8 of the Spring Budget 2024, HC 560, what metric was used to calculate the hourly rate childcare providers are paid to deliver free hours childcare for children aged nine months to four years.
tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
uin	23460
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2024 answer text <p>The Spring Budget 2024 announcement confirms how the department will uplift costs in the 2025/26 and 2026/27 financial years. The department will use average earnings growth and National Living Wage (NLW) to forecast how staff costs are changing for providers and Consumer Price Index (a general measure of inflation) to forecast how non-staff costs will change. This is the same metric that was used at Spring Budget 2023 and as such, levels of inflation and the NLW were taken into account when calculating the funding rates paid by the department to local authorities for all of the entitlements in the financial year 2024/25.</p><p>The department’s methodology and the uplift to the rates are informed by data it receives from providers and parents to ensure it meets the pressures faced by the sector. The department regularly surveys a nationally representative sample of over 9,000 providers to gain insights into how they run their provision and the challenges they face. The department also regularly surveys over 6,000 parents to understand their usage of childcare.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 23461 question first answered 07/05/2024 15:30:36 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1713399

registered interest
date	24/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Childcare: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 2.8 of the Spring Budget 2024, HC 560, whether trends in the level of (a) wage growth, (b) inflation and (c) National Living Wage rises were used to calculate the hourly rate paid to childcare providers to deliver free hours childcare for children aged nine months to four years.
tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
uin	23461
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2024 answer text <p>The Spring Budget 2024 announcement confirms how the department will uplift costs in the 2025/26 and 2026/27 financial years. The department will use average earnings growth and National Living Wage (NLW) to forecast how staff costs are changing for providers and Consumer Price Index (a general measure of inflation) to forecast how non-staff costs will change. This is the same metric that was used at Spring Budget 2023 and as such, levels of inflation and the NLW were taken into account when calculating the funding rates paid by the department to local authorities for all of the entitlements in the financial year 2024/25.</p><p>The department’s methodology and the uplift to the rates are informed by data it receives from providers and parents to ensure it meets the pressures faced by the sector. The department regularly surveys a nationally representative sample of over 9,000 providers to gain insights into how they run their provision and the challenges they face. The department also regularly surveys over 6,000 parents to understand their usage of childcare.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 23460 question first answered 07/05/2024 15:30:36 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1713474

registered interest
date	24/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps her Department has taken to increase the number of places for (a) children with autism and (b) children with special needs in schools.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Sir Mark Hendrick
uin	23389
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2024 answer text <p>In March 2024, the department announced trusts to run 30 new special free schools, which included 17 designated to cater for pupils with autism. The Spring Budget announced funding for 15 special free schools. The department will announce the location of these new schools in May.</p><p>In March the department also published just under £850 million of High Needs Provision Capital Allocations for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years. This funding forms part of our transformational investment of £2.6 billion in new high needs provision between 2022 and 2025. Local authorities can use the funding to deliver new places in mainstream and special schools, as well as other specialist settings, and to improve the suitability and accessibility of existing buildings.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 02/05/2024 16:56:54 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

1713517

registered interest
date	24/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs
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 tackle the backlog in issuing education, health and care (EHC) plans for children; and whether she plans to make an assessment of the impact of delays on the (a) short and (b) long term development of children.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Sir Mark Hendrick
uin	23392
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2024 answer text <p>Where local authorities are failing to deliver consistent outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) – including failing to produce timely Education, Health and Care (EHC) assessments – the department will work with them using a range of improvement programmes and SEND specialist advisors to address weaknesses.</p><p> </p><p>The department’s SEND and alternative provision (AP) Improvement Plan recognised the need to reduce delays in children and young people receiving timely assessments and support and has a clear focus on early intervention. Through the SEND and AP Change Programme, the department is testing a range of reforms to improve the EHC plan process, including standardised templates and guidance, the use of multi-agency panels to improve decision-making, digital reforms, and strengthened mediation arrangements.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 02/05/2024 16:54:42 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

1713573

registered interest
date	24/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs
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 help ensure a smooth transition for students with special educational needs and disabilities from (a) key stage 2 to key stage 3 and (b) key stage 4 to key stage 5.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	23498
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2024 answer text <p>The government is committed to ensuring that all children and young people have access to a world-class education that sets them up for life and supports them to achieve positive outcomes.</p><p>Mainstream schools and colleges should use their best endeavours to make sure a child or young person with special educational needs gets the special educational provision they need. This might include tailored support to prepare for transitions.</p><p>In addition, for those with an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan, there must be a focus from year 9 onwards on preparing the young person for transitions as part of their plan’s annual review. Planning for the transitions should result in clear outcomes being agreed that are ambitious, stretching, and which are tailored to the needs and interests of the young person.</p><p>The department is developing good practice guidance to support consistent, timely, high-quality transitions for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and for those in alternative provision (AP). This will ultimately look at transitions between all stages of education from early years and will focus initially on transitions into and out of post-16 settings. This includes transitions into higher education, employment, adult services, and, for young people leaving AP at the end of key stage 4, building on learning from the recent Alternative Provision Transition Fund.</p><p>The department is working with the Department for Work and Pensions and key partners from the SEND and post-16 sectors, including the Association of Colleges and Natspec, to develop the guidance. The department is working with young people with different types of need, including those with and without EHC plans, to co-produce the guidance to ensure it improves experiences and outcomes. The department will also involve parents and carers.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 29/04/2024 16:54:48 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1713590

registered interest
date	24/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Childcare: Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the National Audit Office's value for money report entitled Preparations to extend early years entitlements for working parents in England on the expansion of government funded childcare, published on 24 April 2024, what steps she is taking to track the number of childcare staff required in each region for the expansion in 30-hours funded childcare, in addition to her Department’s national level projection.
tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
uin	23463
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2024 answer text <p>Under Section 6 of the Childcare Act 2006, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area.</p><p> </p><p>The department has regular contact with each local authority in England to discuss the rollout of the expanded entitlements and the sufficiency of childcare. This includes understanding whether early years workforce recruitment and retention in each local authority is sufficient to meet the demand for new places.</p><p> </p><p>Where local authorities report sufficiency challenges, the department discusses what action the local authority is taking to address those issues and where needed provide support to the local authority with any specific requirements through the department’s childcare sufficiency support contract.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, the department collects information on the childcare workforce through the Survey of Childcare and Early Years Providers and regular pulse surveys. The Childcare and Early Years Providers survey is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-providers-survey-2023" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-providers-survey-2023</a>, and the pulse survey is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-impact-of-childcare-reforms-on-childcare-and-early-years-providers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-impact-of-childcare-reforms-on-childcare-and-early-years-providers</a>.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 02/05/2024 16:58:19 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson