The government has recently published its own analysis on the review of children in need showing the scale of children needing social care support: 1.6 million children between 2012-13 and 2017-18. Whilst official statistics show that the number of children in need of help and protection has remained broadly stable since 2010, we welcome the Commissioner\u2019s report and its contribution to a developing evidence base.<\/p>
<\/p>
Across government, we are taking action to address childhood vulnerability, whether this is through reforming children\u2019s social care, prioritising mental health or better protecting victims of domestic abuse. The government has also committed £920 million to the second phase of the Troubled Families Programme, which aims to achieve significant and sustained improvement for up to 400,000 families with multiple, high-cost problems.<\/p>
<\/p>
We have established a What Works Centre for Children\u2019s Social Care to develop the evidence base on what works to support vulnerable children and families. We are also investing a further £84 million over the next 5 years through the Strengthening Families, Protecting Children programme, which will support up to 20 local authorities with high or rising demand for children\u2019s social care services to improve the support offered to vulnerable children and their families.<\/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" : "2019-07-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-10T13:10:37.547Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Disadvantaged"} , "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 steps he is taking to support the 2.3 million children estimated by the Children's Commissioner to be growing up with a vulnerable family background.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4598", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mohammad Yasin"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bedford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mohammad Yasin"} ], "uin" : "273477"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1136943", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1136943/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In light of changes over time to how Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs) interact with the school system, we are reviewing the published Regional Vision Statements, and expect to decide on any replacements or revisions shortly.<\/p>
The RSC for the West Midlands will be meeting my hon. Friend, the Member for Walsall North, on 22 July 2019 at which time he will be able to discuss the regional vision for the West Midlands RSC area.<\/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" : "2019-07-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-09T16:51:54.333Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Regional Schools Commissioners: West Midlands"} , "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, when he plans to update the April 2016 Regional Vision Statement for the West Midlands and publish a new statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4635", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Eddie Hughes"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Walsall North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Eddie Hughes"} ], "uin" : "273482"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1136954", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1136954/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The government set out a strategy to radically reform the adoption system in the document \u2018Adoption: a vision for change\u2019, published in March 2016.<\/p>
<\/p>
Since 2012-13, the government\u2019s adoption reform programme has improved the average time taken from entering care to a child being placed with their adopted family. This has decreased by 7 months to 14 months in 2017-18.<\/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" : "2019-07-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-10T13:15:52.077Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Adoption"} , "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 steps he is taking to reduce the time it takes to go through the adoption process.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1428", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Bill Wiggin"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Herefordshire"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Bill Wiggin"} ], "uin" : "273346"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1137004", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1137004/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The department is investing up to £26 million in a breakfast club programme, using funds from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy revenues. This money will kick-start or improve breakfast clubs in over 1,700 schools. The focus of these clubs has been to target the most disadvantaged areas of the country \u2013 including the Department for Education\u2019s Opportunity Areas \u2013 to help make sure every child gets the best start in life.<\/p>
A contract was awarded to Family Action in March 2018 and will run until March 2020. Family Action, in partnership with Magic Breakfast, have been named as the leading charities responsible for running the breakfast club programme. Family Action are distributing the appropriate funding to participating schools who meet the eligibility criteria. In March 2019, Family Action indicated that by the start of the summer term, over 250,000 children would be benefiting from the programme.<\/p>
The programme is available to primary schools, as well as secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units that are eligible to take part. We monitor management information from the programme on an ongoing basis and will also review the effectiveness of the programme fully once the programme concludes.<\/p>
<\/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" : "2019-07-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-09T11:51:42.253Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Breakfast Clubs"} , "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 recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding to support breakfast clubs in primary schools.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4667", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mike Amesbury"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Weaver Vale"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mike Amesbury"} ], "uin" : "273492"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 4, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }