The department places a high priority on supporting parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).<\/p>
Engaging parents fully in determining support for children with SEND is a critical part of the SEND reforms. Section 19 of the Children and Families Act places a duty on local authorities and others to listen to and take account of the views of parents in SEND matters.<\/p>
The department continues to support families by funding parent carer forums (PCF) in each local authority area, providing £15,000 per year per PCF. The department also funds plus £1.9 million per year until March 2020 to support strategic participation and co-production with local authorities and other partners, by parents and young people through the charity Contact.<\/p>
The department is also providing £20 million until March 2020 to improve the quality of local authority SEND Information, Advice and Support Services (IASS), and to provide a national helpline and online support.<\/p>
The IASS support builds on the £60m per year Independent Supporters programme (between 2014-18), which provided support to families going through the Education, Health and Care needs assessment and plan process.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4113", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stratford-on-Avon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nadhim Zahawi"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-24T11:30:22.57Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Schools: Mental Health Services"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for resources to engage parents and carers of children in receipt of therapeutic services within school; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4662", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ruth George"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "High Peak"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ruth George"} ], "uin" : "279406"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140518", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140518/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The recommendations in UNESCO\u2019s report of July 2019: Meeting commitments: are countries on track to achieve SDG 4<\/em> align well with DFID\u2019s education policy: Get Children Learning <\/em>and the work the UK is supporting in such areas as learning measurement, education financing, research and policy dialogue. We welcome UNESCO\u2019s report and look forward to hearing more about suggestions for a Global Plan of Action for Education.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4044", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Stephenson"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pendle"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Stephenson"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-08-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-08-05T16:23:53.633Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Developing Countries: Education"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the merits of a Global Plan of Action for Education as called for by UNESCO in its report of July 2019 entitled meeting commitments: are countries on track to achieve SDG 4; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/167", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Twigg"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Liverpool, West Derby"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Twigg"}
], "uin" : "279358"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140519", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140519/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department listens to a range of stakeholders and considers recommendations, such as those from Save the Children\u2019s recent report, that may improve support for our claimants. We have already improved Universal Credit\u2019s (UC) childcare support; for example, our Work Coaches are already providing increased support through the Flexible Support Fund to help eligible claimants who need help with paying upfront childcare costs, as well as allowing greater flexibility in when claimants can report their childcare costs.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p> As UC is paid as a single monthly amount directly into people\u2019s bank accounts, it helps families have control over their own budget and making the move into work easier. However, we recognise that childcare costs can affect parents\u2019 decisions to both obtain and maintain employment and we are committed to removing barriers that prevent parents moving into work.<\/p> <\/p> Claimants are able to claim up to 85% of their childcare costs on UC, compared to 70% on the legacy system. This can be worth up to £13,000 a year for families with two children. The UC childcare policy aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare and, during 2019/20, a record amount of £6 billion is being spent on childcare support overall. This offer means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p> We are aware of the difficulty that some claimants might have in paying childcare costs over the summer holidays and our work coaches are able to discuss this with them and explain and promote both the UC childcare offer and the wider government childcare offer. In addition to this, budgeting advances are available for eligible claimants that can be used to cover the cost of paying additional upfront childcare cost or a deposit that might be needed during the school holidays.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Will Quince"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colchester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Will Quince"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-23T11:10:11.957Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for her Department's policies of the statement in the press release by Save the Children on 3 July 2019, that 30,000 families on universal credit face paying up to £800 in childcare costs this summer.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/167", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Twigg"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Liverpool, West Derby"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Twigg"}
], "uin" : "279359"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140523", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140523/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Information on mental health bed availability is not collected centrally.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4065", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Jackie Doyle-Price"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thurrock"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jackie Doyle-Price"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "279410"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-25T16:07:48.123Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Mental Health Services: Hospital Beds"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of occasions when there have been mental-health beds available in hospital wards in England in (a) 2018 and (b) 2019.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3952", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chesterfield"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Toby Perkins"}
], "uin" : "279409"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140524", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140524/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Information on mental health bed availability is not collected centrally.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4065", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Jackie Doyle-Price"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thurrock"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jackie Doyle-Price"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "279409"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-25T16:07:48.187Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Mental Health Services: Hospital Beds"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of occasions when a patient needed a mental-health bed but none were available in each CCG area in (a) 2018 and (b) 2019.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3952", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chesterfield"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Toby Perkins"}
], "uin" : "279410"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140525", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140525/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The information is not held in the format requested.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4065", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Jackie Doyle-Price"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thurrock"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jackie Doyle-Price"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-25T16:05:57.547Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Mental Health Services: Hospital Beds"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of occasions when a patient was transported to a mental-health bed in a different area because none were locally available in each CCG area in (a) 2018 and (b) 2019.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3952", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chesterfield"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Toby Perkins"}
], "uin" : "279411"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140536", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140536/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Enforcement actions reported by local authorities and published in annual statistics on a financial year basis are summarised in the table below.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>