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722089

registered interest
date	18/04/2017
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Sexting
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 prevent sexting by schoolchildren and to monitor trends in the level of that activity.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	71020
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2017 answer text <p>Keeping children safe in education is statutory safeguarding guidance for schools and colleges. The guidance sets out that all schools and colleges should have a child protection policy. The child protection policy should reflect the school or college’s approach to sexting.</p><p>To support schools and colleges the UK Council for Child Internet Safety Education Group has recently published advice for schools and colleges. The advice supports them in tackling the range of issues which sexting presents, including responding to disclosures, handling devices and imagery, risk assessing situations and involving other agencies. The advice also contains information about preventative education, working with parents and reporting imagery to providers.</p><p>High quality personal, social, health and economic education and Sex and Relationships Education are a vital part of preparing young people for life in modern Britain - helping young people make informed decisions, manage risks, stay safe and learn to respect themselves and others. Schools have the autonomy to tailor their programmes to reflect the needs of their pupils, and they are free to include teaching to support pupils to manage issues such as sexting.</p><p>The Government has produced advice for schools on searching, screening and confiscation which makes clear that school staff can search pupils for items that have been or could be used to cause harm or break the law, teachers can also search for items banned by the school rules such as mobile phones.</p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson question first answered 24/04/2017 14:42:15 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

674445

registered interest
date	17/01/2017
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Self-harm: Children
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 prevent children from self-harming due to social media.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	60480
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2017 answer text <p>Good mental health and wellbeing are a priority for this Department. We want all our children to fulfil their potential and we want to tackle the burning injustice of mental health problems, so that future generations can develop into resilient, confident adults, equipped to go as far as their talents will take them.</p><p>Self-harm, which occurs in relation to a wide range of personal problems, emotional turmoil and psychiatric disorders, is a serious concern. Schools and colleges should take prompt action to deal with cases of self-harm; as a part of an integrated approach to supporting mental health and wellbeing.</p><p>This Department has taken a range of actions to help schools and colleges to respond to and prevent self-harm. We have funded guidance and lesson plans on teaching about mental health in PSHE – which cover self-harm in an age-appropriate way. Training for teachers on self-harm is available through MindEd, a free online portal which has been developed to enable all adults working with children and young people learn more about specific mental health problems and how to support them.</p><p>We recognise that teachers are not mental health professionals, and where more serious problems occur, schools and colleges should expect the pupil/student to get additional specialist support. We are extending the joint training pilot to improve collaborative working across schools and mental health services to include up to a further 1200 schools and colleges in an additional 20 areas.</p><p>The Department has also produced the statutory guidance - Keeping Children Safe in Education – which schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. This guidance sets out that governing bodies and proprietors should ensure that children are taught about safeguarding, including online, through teaching and learning opportunities as part of a broad and balanced age-appropriate curriculum; and that governing bodies and proprietors should ensure that appropriate filters and monitoring systems are in place to protect children from accessing potentially harmful and inappropriate material online. The Department also requires all school and college staff to receive appropriate safeguarding and child protection training and know what to do if they suspect a child is at risk of harm, including self-harm.</p><p>In relation to internet safety, the new national curriculum computing programmes of study, introduced in September 2014, includes e-safety at all four key stages. There is progression in the content across the key stages to reflect the different and escalating risks that young people face as they get older.</p><p>In September 2016 the Department announced £1.6m of funding over the next 2 years, for four anti-bullying organisations to support schools tackle bullying, including cyber bullying. Organisations include Internet Matters, who support the reporting of cyber bullying to schools, via an online platform which works on a range of media devices and allows young people, parents and carers to report bullying incidents to schools. (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thousands-more-children-to-benefit-from-anti-bullying-app" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thousands-more-children-to-benefit-from-anti-bullying-app</a>). We have also ensured that schools have the power to confiscate and examine mobile devices as part of dealing with bullying incidents.</p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson question first answered 23/01/2017 13:36:55 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

661658

registered interest
date	19/12/2016
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 ensure special needs places are available for all children who have a statement of need; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	58188
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/01/2017 answer text <p>We will invest at least £200 million in places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities that have education, health and care plans. We will distribute this funding to local authorities in England to support them to provide new places and improve facilities in both mainstream and special schools. This is over and above the basic need funding that we allocate to local authorities to support them to provide new school places. Local authorities are also free to use basic need funding to invest in places for pupils with special needs and disabilities where they identify that to be where the need is greatest.</p><p> </p><p>We will allocate this funding to local authorities in England and we will say more about this in 2017. Education is a devolved matter, meaning that the Northern Ireland Assembly is responsible for pupil place policy in Northern Ireland.</p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson question first answered 11/01/2017 15:10:17 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

448271

registered interest
date	27/01/2016
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Obesity: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps are being taken in primary schools to address obesity.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	24437
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2016 answer text <p>A number of measures are already helping to address obesity in primary schools in England. The Government has committed over £600 million per year to funding free school meals for all pupils in reception, year 1 and year 2, providing nutritious meals every day and helping to form good eating habits early. The School Food Standards, introduced in 2015, ensure that healthy food is provided throughout the school day and severely restrict fat and sugar. We will continue to invest £150 million per year until 2020 to improve the quality of PE and sport in primary schools. PE is compulsory at all four key stages in the national curriculum for maintained schools.</p><p>The Government will launch its childhood obesity strategy shortly. It will look at everything that contributes to a child becoming overweight and obese. It will also set out what more can be done by all sides, including schools.</p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson question first answered 04/02/2016 11:29:02 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

436223

registered interest
date	08/12/2015
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Gun Sports
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to encourage school children to participate in rifle shooting (a) sports and (b) as part of armed forces cadet activities.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	19115
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2015 answer text <p>Physical education (PE) is a compulsory subject at all four key stages in the national curriculum for maintained schools in England. It sets out the expectation that pupils should be provided with opportunities to engage in a broad range of competitive sports and activities. Teachers have the flexibility to organise and deliver a range of activities; this can include rifle shooting where teachers have the specific expertise.</p><p>The government announced in the summer that it was allocating £50m from LIBOR fines to support the cadet expansion programme. This will deliver the Prime Minister's commitment to expand the number of cadet units to 500 across the UK by 2020.</p><p>The Cadet Expansion programme is a joint MOD/DfE initiative. Cadet units aim to build character, discipline and leadership skills, particularly among disadvantaged young people, through military themed activities. Cadets will have the opportunity to experience rifle shooting as part of the cadet syllabus under the supervision of fully trained Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.</p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson question first answered 16/12/2015 11:24:59 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

433194

registered interest
date	30/11/2015
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Gender: Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department issues on teaching of transgender issues to (a) four year olds and (b) other school children.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	18214
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2015 answer text <p>Whilst schools have the autonomy to teach about gender at KS1-4 as part of their personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, transgender is not prescribed in lessons for pupils age 4 (KS0).</p><br /><p>Gender is an important aspect of identity and developing a positive sense of one’s identity is a significant part of growing up. Schools can help to develop pupils’ understanding and respect, through the age-appropriate teaching of transgender issues. Schools can also provide any pupils who are questioning their gender with a nurturing and supportive environment.</p><br /><p>Schools in England can teach about transgender issues in their PSHE lessons, drawing on the guidance and resources available. The PSHE Association has produced a suggested programme of study as guidance for teachers, which includes teaching about gender and gender identity at key stages 2, 3 and 4. The programme of study is available on-line at: <a href="https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=1004" target="_blank">https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=1004</a></p><br /><p>The education of four year olds in England is covered by the Early Years FoundationStage (EYFS) Statutory Framework which sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop and are kept healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning and gives children the broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the right foundation for future progress.</p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson question first answered 08/12/2015 17:04:23 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

427597

registered interest
date	10/11/2015
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Foster Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average length of time was for the process of fostering a child in each constituent part and county of the UK in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	15862
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2015 answer text <p>As this is a devolved matter we can only provide information for England.</p><br /><p>Between 2013 and 2015, the government invested £900,000 to support local authorities and their partners in recruiting and retaining the foster carers they need to ensure that there is a range of placement options available to meet the needs of local looked-after children. In 2013, the government streamlined and strengthened the assessment and approval process for foster carers in England. The government introduced a two-stage process to ensure efficiency and transparency. The expected timeframe for approving a person wishing to become a foster carer is eight months but this can vary depending on individual circumstances.</p><br /><p>Information on the average duration of foster placements that ceased in England in the year ending 31 March 2014 is available on GOV.UK: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption--2" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption--2</a> .</p><br /><p>Information on the average duration of foster placements that ceased in England in the year ending 31 March 2013 is available on GOV.UK: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption</a></p><br /><p>Information on the average duration of foster placements that ceased in England in the year ending 31 March 2012 is available on GOV.UK: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-england-including-adoption" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-england-including-adoption</a>.</p><br /><p>Analysis of the average duration of foster placements has not been undertaken below national level.</p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson grouped question UIN 15861 question first answered 17/11/2015 16:47:56 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

427598

registered interest
date	10/11/2015
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Foster Care
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 expedite the process for fostering a child.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	15861
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2015 answer text <p>As this is a devolved matter we can only provide information for England.</p><br /><p>Between 2013 and 2015, the government invested £900,000 to support local authorities and their partners in recruiting and retaining the foster carers they need to ensure that there is a range of placement options available to meet the needs of local looked-after children. In 2013, the government streamlined and strengthened the assessment and approval process for foster carers in England. The government introduced a two-stage process to ensure efficiency and transparency. The expected timeframe for approving a person wishing to become a foster carer is eight months but this can vary depending on individual circumstances.</p><br /><p>Information on the average duration of foster placements that ceased in England in the year ending 31 March 2014 is available on GOV.UK: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption--2" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption--2</a> .</p><br /><p>Information on the average duration of foster placements that ceased in England in the year ending 31 March 2013 is available on GOV.UK: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption</a></p><br /><p>Information on the average duration of foster placements that ceased in England in the year ending 31 March 2012 is available on GOV.UK: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-england-including-adoption" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-england-including-adoption</a>.</p><br /><p>Analysis of the average duration of foster placements has not been undertaken below national level.</p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson grouped question UIN 15862 question first answered 17/11/2015 16:47:56 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

427083

registered interest
date	09/11/2015
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	First Aid: Education
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 encourage schools to teach (a) CPR and (b) other life-saving methods.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	15513
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2015 answer text <p>All schools are required to teach a balanced and broadly based curriculum that prepares them for adult life. The new national curriculum focuses on the essential knowledge so that teachers can design a wider school curriculum that best meets the needs of their pupils.</p><br /><p>Many schools already choose to include CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and defibrillator awareness as part of their PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education) teaching. The non-statutory PSHE Programme of Study produced by the PSHE Association, teaches young people how to recognise and follow health and safety procedures, ways of reducing risk and minimising harm in risky situations, and how to use emergency and basic first aid.</p><br /><p>Many schools also make use of organisations such as the Red Cross and St John Ambulance, to provide information to young people about first aid and dealing with emergencies.The British Heart Foundation has offered to provide free CPR training kits to every secondary school in the country, allowing young people to gain first-hand experience of this important life-saving skill. We have promoted this kit to schools through the all schools termly email and social media channels and we expect many schools to take up this offer.</p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson question first answered 17/11/2015 16:44:34 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

422305

registered interest
date	19/10/2015
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Sexual Offences: Schools
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many sexual offences have taken place in schools in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	12483
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2015 answer text <p>The department does not hold information on the number of sex attacks that take place in schools.</p><br /><p>The closest information we do hold is the number of pupils excluded due to sexual misconduct. However, this may not cover all sex attacks and would not include those committed by non-pupils.</p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson question first answered 27/10/2015 11:52:46 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon