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1666940

registered interest
date	24/10/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Health Services and Social Services
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made with the establishment of pilot schemes to assess the feasibility of introducing a common identifier for children across health, care, and education services.
tabling member printed	Lord Warner
uin	HL10795
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 26/10/2023 11:30:48 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	1732 label Biography information for Lord Warner

1624231

registered interest
date	26/04/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Medical Records
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government why the NHS number has been a mandatory consistent identifier for adults across health and adult social care since 2015 but no such identifier has been established across health and social care and protection services for children.
tabling member printed	Lord Warner
uin	HL7489
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2023 answer text <p>In response to the Health and Social Care Act 2015, the department commissioned Ivana La Valle to conduct a research report into extending the duties of the NHS number as a unique identifier from adult social care to children’s social care. The findings concluded that while there was general support for using the NHS number as a unique identifier, there was limited evidence on how this could be achieved or whether it would be possible. The government therefore supported the voluntary use of the NHS number where the local authority and health agencies decide that this is an effective way for them to share information. In 2021, as the Bill for the Health and Care Act 2022 progressed through Parliament, the debate on the need for and feasibility of introducing a consistent identifier was revisited, resulting in the government's commitment to explore the issue further in this report. Consequently, the government will report in July 2023 on government policy on the use of a consistent child identifier for children.</p><p>The department is leading a cross-government programme to meet the legislative commitment in the Health and Social Care Act 2022. A cross-government steering group, including officials from the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Home Office, have overseen the programme. The programme has also reported into the Child Protection Ministerial Group. The programme has undertaken targeted research with frontline practitioners across agencies, including health, police, schools and social care, and analysed current systems and good practice. The findings of the research and analysis will be included in a report laid before Parliament in July on the government policy on information sharing, including policy related to a consistent child identifier for children.</p><p>The focus of the research responding to the commitment in the Health and Social Care Act 2022 has been on how to improve information sharing between agencies for child safeguarding and promotion of welfare purposes. However, current and future policy recommendations may have wider reach across children’s health and social care. The government will report in July on its policy on information sharing, including policy related to a consistent child identifier for children.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL7491 HL7492 question first answered 15/05/2023 15:52:38 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	1732 label Biography information for Lord Warner

1624233

registered interest
date	26/04/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Medical Records
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made in discussions between the Department for Health and Social Care and the Department for Education regarding the preparing of a report regarding the benefits and implementation of a consistent child identifier, as proposed under section 179 of the Health and Social Care Act 2022; and when such a report will be published.
tabling member printed	Lord Warner
uin	HL7491
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2023 answer text <p>In response to the Health and Social Care Act 2015, the department commissioned Ivana La Valle to conduct a research report into extending the duties of the NHS number as a unique identifier from adult social care to children’s social care. The findings concluded that while there was general support for using the NHS number as a unique identifier, there was limited evidence on how this could be achieved or whether it would be possible. The government therefore supported the voluntary use of the NHS number where the local authority and health agencies decide that this is an effective way for them to share information. In 2021, as the Bill for the Health and Care Act 2022 progressed through Parliament, the debate on the need for and feasibility of introducing a consistent identifier was revisited, resulting in the government's commitment to explore the issue further in this report. Consequently, the government will report in July 2023 on government policy on the use of a consistent child identifier for children.</p><p>The department is leading a cross-government programme to meet the legislative commitment in the Health and Social Care Act 2022. A cross-government steering group, including officials from the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Home Office, have overseen the programme. The programme has also reported into the Child Protection Ministerial Group. The programme has undertaken targeted research with frontline practitioners across agencies, including health, police, schools and social care, and analysed current systems and good practice. The findings of the research and analysis will be included in a report laid before Parliament in July on the government policy on information sharing, including policy related to a consistent child identifier for children.</p><p>The focus of the research responding to the commitment in the Health and Social Care Act 2022 has been on how to improve information sharing between agencies for child safeguarding and promotion of welfare purposes. However, current and future policy recommendations may have wider reach across children’s health and social care. The government will report in July on its policy on information sharing, including policy related to a consistent child identifier for children.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL7489 HL7492 question first answered 15/05/2023 15:52:38 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	1732 label Biography information for Lord Warner

1624234

registered interest
date	26/04/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Medical Records
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether the proposed report on a consistent child identifier (CCI) as provided under section 179 of the Health and Social Care Act 2022 will ensure that a CCI relates to both (1) children’s health and social care, and (2) the safeguarding and welfare of children; and if not, why not.
tabling member printed	Lord Warner
uin	HL7492
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2023 answer text <p>In response to the Health and Social Care Act 2015, the department commissioned Ivana La Valle to conduct a research report into extending the duties of the NHS number as a unique identifier from adult social care to children’s social care. The findings concluded that while there was general support for using the NHS number as a unique identifier, there was limited evidence on how this could be achieved or whether it would be possible. The government therefore supported the voluntary use of the NHS number where the local authority and health agencies decide that this is an effective way for them to share information. In 2021, as the Bill for the Health and Care Act 2022 progressed through Parliament, the debate on the need for and feasibility of introducing a consistent identifier was revisited, resulting in the government's commitment to explore the issue further in this report. Consequently, the government will report in July 2023 on government policy on the use of a consistent child identifier for children.</p><p>The department is leading a cross-government programme to meet the legislative commitment in the Health and Social Care Act 2022. A cross-government steering group, including officials from the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Home Office, have overseen the programme. The programme has also reported into the Child Protection Ministerial Group. The programme has undertaken targeted research with frontline practitioners across agencies, including health, police, schools and social care, and analysed current systems and good practice. The findings of the research and analysis will be included in a report laid before Parliament in July on the government policy on information sharing, including policy related to a consistent child identifier for children.</p><p>The focus of the research responding to the commitment in the Health and Social Care Act 2022 has been on how to improve information sharing between agencies for child safeguarding and promotion of welfare purposes. However, current and future policy recommendations may have wider reach across children’s health and social care. The government will report in July on its policy on information sharing, including policy related to a consistent child identifier for children.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL7489 HL7491 question first answered 15/05/2023 15:52:38 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	1732 label Biography information for Lord Warner

1603394

registered interest
date	13/03/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Faith Schools
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the written answer by Baroness Barran on 9 March (HL5960), what further checks they have made to the 81 settings that claimed to have changed their operations; what steps they have taken to ensure that the 21 settings that have closed their operations have not reopened in another location; what powers local authorities have to close settings that are not compliant with safeguarding requirements; and whether, in the consultation to be launched later this year, they will seek to define "school" so as to enable Ofsted to close unsatisfactory settings more speedily.
tabling member printed	Lord Warner
uin	HL6437
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2023 answer text <p>It is a criminal offence under Section 96 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 to conduct an independent school which is not registered with the Department. Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools (HMCI) may, under Section 97 of that Act, inspect without notice any setting which they have 'reasonable cause to believe' is the site of an unregistered independent school. Settings that have previously been inspected under Section 97 and where the proprietor has been issued with a warning notice are likely to be inspected again under Section 97 to check compliance. This includes settings where the second inspection confirms closure or a change to compliant operation. A setting may not be inspected again under Section 97 where HMCI no longer has reasonable cause to believe that an unregistered school is being conducted. This may occur, for example, if the setting has registered as a school and is then subject to inspection as such. Ofsted considers all intelligence it receives about unregistered independent schools and will undertake a Section 97 inspection where it has reasonable cause to believe that an unregistered independent school is operating. This includes where new intelligence is received about previously closed sites or where proprietors that have received warning notices may be operating on alternative sites.</p><p>The department has consulted on expanding the categories of full-time institutions that will be regulated in the same way as independent schools, as well as defining what is ’full-time’ for these purposes. Following this consultation, the government intends to legislate in this area at the next available opportunity.</p><p>Local authorities have overarching responsibility for safeguarding children and young people in their area, whether these children attend a school (either registered or unregistered), or an out-of-school setting (a setting not offering full-time education). They have a range of legal powers already in place to support them in this responsibility. The department will continue to work with authorities to ensure they are utilising the existing legal powers available to them. The department will also be reviewing and strengthening our existing guidance for local authorities on unregistered schools and out-of-school settings to support them to do this.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 27/03/2023 16:59:05 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	1732 label Biography information for Lord Warner

1603395

registered interest
date	13/03/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Home Education: Registration and Regulation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer of Baroness Barran on 9 March (HL5961), what estimates they have made of the number of children not regularly in school; whether there has been an increase in the number of children absent from school since the COVID-19 pandemic; and whether they will fund local education authorities to maintain registers of children not in school until they can legislate to make such registers a statutory requirement.
tabling member printed	Lord Warner
uin	HL6438
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2023 answer text <p>School attendance has improved since 2010, but COVID-19 and its aftermath significantly damaged attendance levels. COVID-19 caused higher levels of sickness absence, and exacerbated existing problems with persistent absence, with vulnerable children particularly affected. Attendance is now improving, and the government is committed to returning to pre-pandemic levels and better.</p><p>In autumn/spring 2018/19 overall attendance was 96.7%. The current academic year to date attendance is 4.3 percentage points lower at 92.4%.</p><p>Local authorities have a statutory duty to make arrangements that enable them to establish, the identities of children in their area who are not receiving a suitable education. To assist with fulfilling this duty, the department expects all local authorities in England to maintain some form of register to help identify these children, in line with our guidance to local authorities on elective home education. This function is funded through existing budgets and resources.</p><p>When the suitable legislative opportunity arises to take forward the Children Not in School measures, the department will review and undertake a further new burdens assessment to assess the level of funding required to support implementation of the registers, as well as for the proposed local authority duty to support home educating families.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 27/03/2023 15:29:18 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	1732 label Biography information for Lord Warner

1599748

registered interest
date	27/02/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Foster Care: Registration and Regulation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what arrangements there are for the registration and regulation of private fostering agencies; whether there is a statutory basis for such registration and regulation; and whether other agencies and local authorities are informed of misconduct by an individual foster carer provided by a private fostering agency.
tabling member printed	Lord Warner
uin	HL5959
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2023 answer text <p>All independent fostering agencies (IFAs) are registered with Ofsted under the Care Standards Act 2000 and must meet the legal requirements set out in the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011. IFAs are inspected by Ofsted under the Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF) on a three-year inspection cycle.</p><p>Under the National Minimum Standards IFAs have a duty to ensure the welfare of the children in care and a duty to work effectively in partnership with other agencies concerned with child protection, such as the responsible authority, schools, hospitals and general practitioners.</p><p>Serious incidents must be reported by IFAs to Ofsted, including any serious complaints about an approved foster parent. Local authorities must notify the Child Safeguarding Practice Review panel, and by extension the department and Ofsted, within five working days of becoming aware of a serious incident. These incidents are where abuse or neglect is known or suspected.</p><p>If a foster carer’s approval to foster is terminated, a copy of the notice must be sent to the responsible authority for any child placed by another local authority, and to the relevant local authority if the foster carer lives outside the area of the fostering service.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 13/03/2023 13:48:18 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	1732 label Biography information for Lord Warner

1599749

registered interest
date	27/02/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Faith Schools
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what progress Ofsted has made on the (1) registration, (2) regulation and (3) inspection of religious schools such as (a) madrassas, (b) yeshivas, and (c) Sunday schools where concerns have been raised about the appropriateness of the material being taught to children at such places; and what powers Ofsted has to take action, as necessary.
tabling member printed	Lord Warner
uin	HL5960
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2023 answer text <p>Out-of-school settings, such as supplementary religious schools, are not regulated under education or childcare law and are therefore not required to register with the department or Ofsted. However, the department remains committed to ensuring that children are safeguarded across all education settings and are working closely with key safeguarding partners, sector representatives, and parent groups to develop proposals for how we might further enhance safeguarding in this sector. The department will look to consult on such proposals later this year. We will be publishing updated safeguarding guidance for providers and parents, as well as a new e-learning package aimed at strengthening providers’ understanding of the arrangements they should have in place to keep children safe.</p><p>Any education setting which makes full-time provision to five or more pupils of compulsory school age (or one or more such pupils who is looked after or has an education, health and care plan), is not maintained by a local authority and is not a non-maintained special school is required to register with the department as an independent school. It is a criminal offence to conduct an educational setting which meets the definition of an independent school if this is not registered with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education.</p><p>The government has been working proactively since 2016 to identify, investigate and, where appropriate, prosecute those operating unregistered independent schools. Between 1 January 2016 and 31 August 2022, Ofsted issued warning notices to 132 settings that may be operating as unregistered schools (this includes all settings including those with a secular or faith ethos). Of those settings, 81 changed their operation to comply with legislation, 21 closed and 16 registered. There have been six successful prosecutions against those operating unregistered schools and there are several ongoing investigations.</p><p>If safeguarding concerns are raised about a specific setting, we expect local authorities to intervene, as they are legally responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in their areas, regardless of the educational setting they attend.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 09/03/2023 13:24:40 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	1732 label Biography information for Lord Warner

1599750

registered interest
date	27/02/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Home Education: Registration and Regulation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made, if any, in (1) registering, and (2) regulating, the home tuition of children to ensure that they (a) are taught a balanced curriculum, and (b) are able to secure recognised national qualifications.
tabling member printed	Lord Warner
uin	HL5961
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2023 answer text <p>The department remains committed to introducing statutory local authority registers for children not in school, as well as a duty for local authorities to provide support to home-educating families. The department will legislate for these at the next suitable opportunity, to help local authorities undertake their existing duties to ensure all children receive a suitable education and are safe, regardless of where they are educated. However, local authorities’ existing powers and duties, if used in the way set out in our guidance, are enough for a local authority to determine whether provision is suitable.</p><p>Elective home education needs to be suitable, although there is no requirement to follow the national curriculum, nor are parents required to enter children for public examinations. However, if the home education does consist of one or more of these, that would constitute strong evidence that education was ‘suitable’ in terms of section 7 of the Education Act 1996.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 09/03/2023 13:22:33 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	1732 label Biography information for Lord Warner

1199298

registered interest
date	02/06/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Private Education: Regulation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government when they plan to re-open the public consultation on "Regulating independent educational institutions"; and what measures they will be taking to protect pupils at risk in unregistered settings, including illegal religious schools, until the law is changed.
tabling member printed	Lord Warner
uin	HL5139
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2020 answer text <p>The department intends to reopen the consultation on 'Regulating independent educational institutions' when stakeholders ability to respond is less likely to be significantly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Responses received to date will be combined with responses received after the consultation reopens and fully reviewed after the consultation finally closes.</p><p>It is not yet appropriate to set a date for reopening the consultation as the situation in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak continues to change.</p><p>Ofsted continues to investigate potential illegal schools including consideration of new intelligence. Where appropriate, Ofsted have liaised with local authorities and other statutory bodies to consider whether there is appropriate action that should be taken, for example, to close settings where people are gathering illegally during the COVID-19 outbreak.</p> answering member printed Baroness Berridge grouped question UIN HL5140 question first answered 12/06/2020 13:22:20 answering member 4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge
tabling member	1732 label Biography information for Lord Warner