The government currently provides funding for adult learners aged 19 and over to undertake British Sign Language (BSL) qualifications through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), up to and including level 2. BSL forms part of the flexible local offer (non-statutory) and qualifications are either fully funded (if the learner is unemployed or participating in the low wage trial) or co-funded depending on the age, prior achievement and employment status of the learner. BSL qualifications at level 3 and above can be funded through an Advanced Learner Loan.<\/p>
<\/p>
We have not undertaken any recent assessment of the impact of costs on learners looking to participate in BSL courses, therefore we are unable provide a formal assessment of the impacts of cost on participation levels. However, the department publishes the National Aims Report showing the number of further education and skills enrolments by individual learning aim, broken down by different type of provision including BSL aims. Only aims with 50 or more enrolments per year are included in this report. This report can be found at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/777927/FEandSkills-National-Aims-1718-Final_v2.xlsx<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p> From the start of the 2019/20 academic year approximately 50% of the AEB will be devolved to 6 Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and delegated to the Mayor of London acting through the Greater London Authority (GLA). From that date the MCAs/GLA will be responsible for commissioning and funding AEB provision for learners in their areas. The Education and Skills Funding Agency will be responsible for funding AEB provision, including BSL provision, for learners in non-devolved areas.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mrs Kemi Badenoch"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-08-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140799/answer/previousversion/131207", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4039", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orpington"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Joseph Johnson"}
}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-08-02T13:58:05.827Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sign Language: 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 Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of the cost of learning BSL on take up of those courses.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4638", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Slough"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
], "uin" : "280364"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141311", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141311/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Regarding the number of children in need assessments undertaken in which criminal exploitation through county lines was identified as a potential risk to the child\u2019s life, the information requested is not held centrally.<\/p> <\/p> As part of the Children in Need census, we collect factors identified at the end of the assessment. These factors include trafficking, gangs and child sexual exploitation. However, this information gives no specific indication of county lines involvement or a risk to the child\u2019s life. The information in fact indicates that the child has been referred and assessed by the local authority and that these issues were a factor at the end of assessment.<\/p> <\/p> Information on the number of factors identified at the end of assessment, including trafficking, gangs and child sexual exploitation, is published in table C3 of the \u2018Characteristics of children in need\u2019 statistical release, which can be viewed at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-children-in-need<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mrs Kemi Badenoch"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-08-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141311/answer/previousversion/131235", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mrs Kemi Badenoch"}
}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-08-02T13:03:36.503Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Exploitation"}
, "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, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2019 to Question 273801 on Child Exploitation, how many children-in-need assessments were undertaken in which criminal exploitation through county lines was identified as a potential risk to the child\u2019s life in each year since 2015.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4268", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Reed"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Croydon North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Steve Reed"}
], "uin" : "281047"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141324", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141324/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Further to the answer provided by the former Home Secretary (Sajid Javid), my right hon. Friend, the Member for Bromsgrove, on 15 July, the statutory guidance \u2018Working together to safeguard children (2018)\u2019 sets out how the 3 safeguarding partners \u2013 the police, Clinical Commissioning Groups and the local authority - should have a clear understanding of the collective needs of children locally when commissioning effective services. These collective needs include the risks of criminal exploitation that are faced by children. In addition, the local authority is under a duty to monitor and report on serious child safeguarding incidents to the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel.<\/p> <\/p> The safeguarding partners must publish an annual report setting out what they have done as a result of the arrangements, including how effective these arrangements have been in practice. They must also include how they will use data and intelligence to assess the effectiveness of the help being provided to children and families as well as the procedures and processes for cases relating to the abuse, neglect and exploitation of children, including in relation to child criminal exploitation.<\/p> <\/p> As part of the department\u2019s annual \u2018Children in Need\u2019 census, local authorities are also required to report to the department on the factors identified at the end of the assessment of children, including trafficking, missing children, gangs and child sexual exploitation, all of which may be related to the risk of child criminal exploitation.<\/p> <\/p> The Home Office have provided £3.6 million for the establishment of the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre (NCLCC) to enhance the intelligence picture and support cross-border efforts to tackle county lines. The NCLCC supports operational policing as well as providing a central point at which intelligence and information is shared and the links with criminal exploitation and illegal drugs markets are identified.<\/p> <\/p> In November 2018, the Director General of the National Crime Agency formally tasked all Chief Constables to direct all forces to implement a more consistent and prioritised intelligence and operational response, in respect of county lines drugs supply, to include the submission of intelligence to the NCLCC and a prioritised response to high-risk lines and gangs.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mrs Kemi Badenoch"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-08-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "281117"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-08-02T12:44:18.357Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Exploitation"}
, "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, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2019 to Question 273801 on Child Exploitation, what plans his Department has to ensure that local authorities monitor the risk of criminal exploitation to children within their area.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4268", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Reed"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Croydon North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Steve Reed"}
], "uin" : "281056"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141338", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141338/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Further to the answer provided by my hon. Friend, the Member for Louth and Horncastle on 15 July 2019, the statutory guidance on inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, titled \u2018Working together to safeguard children 2018\u2019, is very clear that anyone who has concerns about a child\u2019s welfare should make a referral to local authority children\u2019s social care. This should be done immediately, if there is a concern that the child is suffering significant harm, or is likely to do so. This guidance can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p> That same guidance also sets out that assessments, including early help assessments, should look at the nature and level of risk faced by a child, and whether the risk is from within or external to the family. In response, local areas should have a comprehensive range of effective, evidence-based services in place to address assessed needs early.<\/p> <\/p> A number of our best performing local authorities, known as Partners in Practice, are testing different approaches to how best to assess and support children who are at risk of abuse from extra familial threats. This includes funding up to £2 million for the London Borough of Hackney to test a contextual safeguarding approach through the Innovation Programme. The project is being externally evaluated and we expect the final report in September 2020.<\/p> <\/p> The department is also funding the \u2018Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme\u2019 to provide evidence-based expertise, advice and practical support to safeguarding partners in local areas to develop an effective multi agency response to extra-familial harms, such as child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation, and gang and drug involvement that exploit vulnerable children.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kemi Badenoch"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Saffron Walden"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mrs Kemi Badenoch"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-08-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "281061"}
, {"_value" : "281116"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141338/answer/previousversion/131196", "answeringMember" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4113", "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stratford-on-Avon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nadhim Zahawi"}
}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-08-02T12:22:15.46Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Exploitation"}
, "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, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2019 to Question 273801 on Child Exploitation, what plans his Department has to ensure that services can safeguard children at the earliest opportunity.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4268", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Reed"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Croydon North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Steve Reed"}
], "uin" : "281060"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141340", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1141340/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "