Funding for children\u2019s services is made available through the Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS), which gives local authorities flexibility to target spending according to local needs and to fulfil their statutory responsibilities, including services for looked-after children.<\/p>
<\/p>
Over the five-year period to 2019-20, councils have access, through the LGFS, to over £200 billion to deliver local services, including children\u2019s services. Core spending power has increased from £45.1 billion in 2018-19 to £46.4 billion in 2019-20.<\/p>
<\/p>
Social worker caseload data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childrens-social-work-workforce-2018<\/a>. The average caseload per children and family social worker was 17.4 cases (based on full-time equivalent counts) in 2018. Specific data on the ratios for social workers working with looked after children is not available.<\/p> <\/p> Along with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, we regularly meet key stakeholders, including Directors of Children\u2019s Services, to discuss children\u2019s services. Officials in regional teams also meet local authorities regularly and the most recent meeting with Durham County Council was earlier this month.<\/p> <\/p> The department recognises how important it is to speak directly with those who are delivering services for children and families and we are working between now and the Spending Review to get a sharper and more granular picture of children\u2019s services costs and pressures.<\/p> <\/p> We are also, through our \u2018Strengthening Families, Protecting Children\u2019 programme, investing £84 million over the next 5 years to support up to 20 local authorities with high or rising demand for children\u2019s social care to work more effectively with their most vulnerable 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" : "2019-03-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "235789"}
, {"_value" : "235790"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-27T16:59:08.117Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children in Care"}
, "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 additional financial support his Department provides to local authorities that experience a significant increase in the number of looked-after children under their care.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3973", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Grahame Morris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Easington"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Grahame Morris"}
], "uin" : "235757"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1093508", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1093508/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Funding for children\u2019s services is made available through the Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS), which gives local authorities flexibility to target spending according to local needs and to fulfil their statutory responsibilities, including services for looked-after children.<\/p> <\/p> Over the five-year period to 2019-20, councils have access, through the LGFS, to over £200 billion to deliver local services, including children\u2019s services. Core spending power has increased from £45.1 billion in 2018-19 to £46.4 billion in 2019-20.<\/p> <\/p> Social worker caseload data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childrens-social-work-workforce-2018<\/a>. The average caseload per children and family social worker was 17.4 cases (based on full-time equivalent counts) in 2018. Specific data on the ratios for social workers working with looked after children is not available.<\/p> <\/p> Along with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, we regularly meet key stakeholders, including Directors of Children\u2019s Services, to discuss children\u2019s services. Officials in regional teams also meet local authorities regularly and the most recent meeting with Durham County Council was earlier this month.<\/p> <\/p> The department recognises how important it is to speak directly with those who are delivering services for children and families and we are working between now and the Spending Review to get a sharper and more granular picture of children\u2019s services costs and pressures.<\/p> <\/p> We are also, through our \u2018Strengthening Families, Protecting Children\u2019 programme, investing £84 million over the next 5 years to support up to 20 local authorities with high or rising demand for children\u2019s social care to work more effectively with their most vulnerable 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" : "2019-03-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "235757"}
, {"_value" : "235790"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-27T16:59:08.167Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children in Care"}
, "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 average caseload ratios for social workers working with looked-after children.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3973", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Grahame Morris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Easington"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Grahame Morris"}
], "uin" : "235789"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1093509", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1093509/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Funding for children\u2019s services is made available through the Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS), which gives local authorities flexibility to target spending according to local needs and to fulfil their statutory responsibilities, including services for looked-after children.<\/p> <\/p> Over the five-year period to 2019-20, councils have access, through the LGFS, to over £200 billion to deliver local services, including children\u2019s services. Core spending power has increased from £45.1 billion in 2018-19 to £46.4 billion in 2019-20.<\/p> <\/p> Social worker caseload data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childrens-social-work-workforce-2018<\/a>. The average caseload per children and family social worker was 17.4 cases (based on full-time equivalent counts) in 2018. Specific data on the ratios for social workers working with looked after children is not available.<\/p> <\/p> Along with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, we regularly meet key stakeholders, including Directors of Children\u2019s Services, to discuss children\u2019s services. Officials in regional teams also meet local authorities regularly and the most recent meeting with Durham County Council was earlier this month.<\/p> <\/p> The department recognises how important it is to speak directly with those who are delivering services for children and families and we are working between now and the Spending Review to get a sharper and more granular picture of children\u2019s services costs and pressures.<\/p> <\/p> We are also, through our \u2018Strengthening Families, Protecting Children\u2019 programme, investing £84 million over the next 5 years to support up to 20 local authorities with high or rising demand for children\u2019s social care to work more effectively with their most vulnerable 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" : "2019-03-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "235757"}
, {"_value" : "235789"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-27T16:59:08.213Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children in Care: County Durham"}
, "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 discussions he has had had with Durham County Council on managing the increase in the number of looked-after children in County Durham.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3973", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Grahame Morris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Easington"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Grahame Morris"}
], "uin" : "235790"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1050120", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1050120/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The department is working alongside the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the sector as part of the review of relative needs and resources to develop a robust, up to date approach to funding distribution for children's services, which will determine new baseline funding allocations for local authorities in England in 2020-21. <\/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" : "2019-01-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-01-31T17:37:49.76Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-28", "_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, if he will link the funding of local authority children's services to levels of demand.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3973", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Grahame Morris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Easington"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Grahame Morris"}
], "uin" : "213328"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1050121", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1050121/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Local authorities are best placed to determine appropriate social worker caseload levels, taking into account their particular local needs, circumstances and structures. We are clear, however, that social worker caseloads must be manageable, so that social workers are able to make effective interventions to improve the lives of vulnerable children.<\/p> We are supporting local authorities to consider how they can best manage delivery of services so that resources are used effectively, including through our £200 million investment in the Innovation Programme. In addition, the Autumn Budget announced an extra £410 million in 2019-20 for local authorities to invest in adult and children\u2019s social care services. We are also investing £84 million, over five years, in targeted, evidence-based interventions to unlock better work with vulnerable children and their families. This will save money for local authorities and improve the quality of services for our most vulnerable children. We will consider long-term children\u2019s services funding at the forthcoming spending review.<\/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" : "2019-02-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-02-05T17:49:28.087Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Work: Finance"}
, "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, if he will (a) set a recommended social worker caseload figure and (b) provide funding to reduce the average caseloads of such workers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3973", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Grahame Morris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Easington"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Grahame Morris"}
], "uin" : "213329"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1050124", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1050124/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Information requested on the number of looked after children who have been transferred into County Durham from other local authorities is not held centrally.<\/p> During the year ending 31 March 2018, 560 children in England ceased care because they had been transferred into the care of another local authority. This figure is published in table D1 of the statistical release \u2018Children looked after in England including adoption: 2017 to 2018\u2019 which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018<\/a>. However, there is no universal child identifier which allows us to consistently track the movement of a looked after child between local authorities as children will receive a new identifier in the new local authority.<\/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" : "2019-02-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-02-05T17:42:16.047Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children in Care: County Durham"}
, "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 looked after children have been transferred into County Durham from other local authorities.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3973", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Grahame Morris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Easington"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Grahame Morris"}
], "uin" : "213332"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/983369", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/983369/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The national funding formula for 16 to 19 year olds includes extra funding for disadvantaged students. This is provided to institutions specifically for students with low prior attainment or for students who live in the most disadvantaged areas.<\/p> In the period 2017 to 2018, around £520 million was allocated to provide extra support to disadvantaged students. We also provided student support funding to help disadvantaged young people to access education and training.<\/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" : "2018-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-10-16T15:01:13.647Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pupil Premium"}
, "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, will he will make it his policy to extend the provisions of the pupil premium to disadvantaged students moving from secondary to further education.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3973", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Grahame Morris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Easington"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Grahame Morris"}
], "uin" : "176247"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/972313", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/972313/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The department has commissioned and published research on how schools are using the pupil premium funding that they have been allocated, to support pupils from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. For example, in 2015, a report was published detailing the findings of research led by the National Foundation for Educational Research. This looked at the strategies used by schools to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and the characteristics of those schools in which such pupils have better outcomes . This report is available at:<\/p> https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/473974/DFE-RR411_Supporting_the_attainment_of_disadvantaged_pupils.pdf<\/a>.<\/p> In monitoring the progress of our policy, we also take into account, evidence from research commissioned and carried out by other organisations on how schools are using the pupil premium. These organisations include the National Audit Office, which in 2015 published the findings of it\u2019s inquiry into funding for disadvantaged pupils, which is available at:<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p>