We are providing local authorities with more money to support vulnerable children, with an additional £410 million invested this year across adults\u2019 and children\u2019s social care. Separately, we are investing £84 million over 5 years to drive improvements in children\u2019s services across local authorities, especially through early intervention.<\/p>
In 2018, the department introduced a new, tougher Ofsted inspection framework to drive improvement in children\u2019s services. The department intervenes robustly in every local authority judged \u2018inadequate\u2019 by Ofsted, bringing in experts to assess which improvements will ensure better services. This might include removing service delivery from the council\u2019s control by establishing a trust, giving children\u2019s services a fresh start.<\/p>
Since May 2010, 46 local authorities have been lifted out of intervention and have not returned, and the number of inadequate local authorities has reduced from 30 to 19 since July 2017. We aim to continue making these improvements at pace so that, by 2022, less than 10% of local authorities are rated \u2018inadequate\u2019 by Ofsted, halving failure rates within 5 years and providing consistently better services for thousands of children and families across the country.<\/p>
To get ahead of failure, we are investing an additional £20 million in our regional improvement strategy, working collaboratively with the Association of Directors of Children\u2019s Services, Local Government Association, Solace and the rest of the sector to identify local authorities that need additional support. Our Regional Improvement Alliances and high-performing \u2018Partners in Practice\u2019 local authorities support those at risk of failure, embedding a system of sector-led improvement with more than 70 local authorities receiving support to date.<\/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" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T16:46:42.68Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Social 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 steps his Department is taking to improve local authority support for vulnerable children.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4649", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Thelma Walker"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colne Valley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Thelma Walker"} ], "uin" : "912085"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138494", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138494/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Partners in Practice programme includes one Community Interest Company (Achieving for Children) and one independent Trust (Doncaster Children\u2019s Services Trust). No funding has been provided from the Partners in Practice programme to assist with the setting up of these arrangements.<\/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" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-16T16:21:18.08Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Social 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 financial support Partners in Practice has provided to each local authority to help establish (a) Trust models and (b) Community Interest Companies in relation to local authority children's services departments.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4277", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Shields"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck"} ], "uin" : "276202"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131879", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131879/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The two serious case reviews published by Northamptonshire\u2019s local safeguarding children\u2019s board, on 5 June 2019, identify serious and systemic practice issues in the local area. It is imperative that the analysis in the serious case reviews identifies the right learning points and recommendations. We have taken urgent action to improve services in Northamptonshire by appointing Malcolm Newsam as the Commissioner for Children\u2019s Services. He has a remit to secure immediate remedial action and drive a longer-term programme of improvement in the county. The department has also written to Mr Newsam to ask that he consider the lessons learnt and assure himself that the recommendations are indeed the right ones to effect change.<\/p>
<\/p>
We are also funding Lincolnshire county council, an outstanding local authority and part of the Government\u2019s Partners in Practice initiative, to provide immediate improvement, support and capacity to Northamptonshire county council to ensure the safety of children in the county.<\/p>
On 14 May 2019, My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government made a written statement signalling the government\u2019s intention to act on recommendations from the Commissioner's report. The intention is to establish a Children\u2019s Services Trust that provides a stable base for improvement during a period of wider re-organisation in Northamptonshire. On 10 June 2019, a statutory direction was issued to Northamptonshire county council to co-operate with the Commissioner in the establishment of the Trust.<\/p>
<\/p>
This initiative is just part of an extensive range of support and comprehensive reforms that allow us to take swift, decisive action to either prevent or address failure in local authorities. These reforms include establishing a new specialist social work regulator, Social Work England, and rolling out a national assessment and accreditation system for social workers. We are also committing £84 million (over the next five years) to build on learning from the most promising innovation projects, such as the \u2018Strengthening Families, Protecting Children\u2019 programme. This programme aims to improve social work practice and decision-making so that children\u2019s social workers are confident in their support of children and young people to enable them to stay safely at home with their families, where this is deemed to be in their best interests.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4689", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Agnew of Oulton"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-25T13:18:25.083Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Social Services"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the Serious Case Reviews published by the Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Board on 5 June, and (2) the report by the Commissioner for Children\u2019s Services in Northamptonshire Optimum delivery and governance arrangements: children's services in Northamptonshire, published on 14 May; and what steps they are taking to ensure that local authorities are sufficiently equipped to ensure that preventable deaths of children do not occur in future.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4564", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bird"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bird"} ], "uin" : "HL16297"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128320", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1128320/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Funding for children\u2019s services is made available through the local government finance settlement. We are in the final year of a multi-year settlement deal and have made £46.4 billion available this year for local services including those for children\u2019s services. The government has also made £410 million available to local authorities this year specifically for adult and children social care.<\/p>
My department is working with the sector, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and with HM Treasury, as part of our preparation for the next Spending Review, to understand the level of funding local government needs to meet demand and deliver statutory duties.<\/p>
The Department for Education are also working closely with MHCLG on the review of relative needs and resources to develop a robust, up-to-date approach to funding distribution for children's services at local government finance settlements.<\/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" : "2019-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-05T07:56:25.27Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Social 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 recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for children's services.", "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" : "257561"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127602", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127602/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The information requested is not held centrally in the form requested. The department publishes information on the number of children who have ceased to be looked after through adoption or under a special guardianship order each year in table D1 of the Statistical Release \u2018Children looked after in England including adoptions: 2017 to 2018\u2019, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018<\/a>.<\/p> This data does not include information on children in need or child protection plans. Information on children in need and child protection plans is collected separately as part of the children in need census.<\/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" : "2019-05-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "256377"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-28T14:24:16.48Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Social 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, how many adopted children have (a) a child in need plan and (b) a child protection plan.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4277", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Shields"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck"}
], "uin" : "256376"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127604", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1127604/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "