The department does not currently provide schools with specific guidance on how to support refugee and asylum seeker children. Our policy position is that schools will take responsibility for ensuring that all of their pupils, regardless of their background, are engaged, challenged and attain to the best of their abilities. As such, it is for head teachers to determine how to deploy the school\u2019s resources to best effect in meeting the particular needs of their pupils \u2013 including those who have refugee or asylum seeker status. Schools have flexibility over how they use their funding to support such pupils \u2013 including, where relevant, funding that is allocated for pupils for whom English is an additional language, and for those from financially deprived backgrounds.<\/p>
If unaccompanied, asylum seeking children become looked-after by a local authority. The government is committed to ensuring that looked-after children, including those seeking asylum, are supported to succeed in education. Statutory guidance on \u2018Promoting the Education of Looked-After Children\u2019 and \u2018The Roles and Responsibilities of Designated Teachers\u2019 is available to support local authorities and schools in doing this. Revised versions of both documents, updated to include information on unaccompanied asylum seeking children, are due to be published on GOV.UK shortly.<\/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" : "2018-01-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-16T17:40:17.95Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-01-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Schools: Asylum"} , "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 guidance her Department provides to schools to support refugee and asylum seeker children.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4433", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Thangam Debbonaire"} ], "uin" : "121563"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/818816", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/818816/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We are currently consulting on proposals for free school meals eligibility under Universal Credit. We will consider the responses to the consultation carefully and will continue to refine our analysis as our policy on this matter develops.<\/p>
Currently around 1.1 million of the most disadvantaged children are eligible for and claim a free nutritious meal. This government provides significant funding to ensure the most disadvantaged children receive free school meals.
Under our proposals, no existing recipients of free school meals should lose their entitlement following the introduction of new eligibility criteria. We have proposed protection arrangements to ensure that every pupil who is eligible and receiving free school meals at the point at which the criteria are changed (or any claimants who gain free school meals during the rollout of Universal Credit) should be protected against losing their meals whilst Universal Credit is fully rolled out nationally. In addition, any protected pupils who are still receiving free school meals once the Universal Credit transition is complete would continue to receive protection until the end of their current phase of education.<\/p>
In our proposed net earnings threshold, we estimate that around 50,000 more children will become entitled to free school meals than at present, enabling us to target support towards a greater number of families on low incomes. It is right that we make sure that free school meals reach children from the most disadvantaged families, and we are consulting on this issue to make sure this is the case.<\/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" : "2018-01-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-11T17:26:09.847Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-01-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Free School Meals: Sheffield Central"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of children in Sheffield Central constituency who are currently eligible for free school meals who would not be considered eligible under plans in the consultation entitled Eligibility for free school meals and the early years pupil premium under Universal Credit.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4058", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Blomfield"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sheffield Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Blomfield"} ], "uin" : "121580"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/816673", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/816673/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The number of employees in the Department for Education from December 2016 to December 2017 who were absent due to stress was 102, this represented 2% of the total workforce. The proportion of sickness absence related to stress was 14% of the overall sickness absence for the department.<\/p>
<\/p>
The total amount of sickness absence days in the Department for Education from December 2016 to December 2017 due to stress was 2652.<\/p>
<\/p>
The estimated cost to the department from December 2016 to December 2017 for employees taking sickness absence, is estimated at £2,700,000.<\/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" : "2018-01-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "121103"} , {"_value" : "121107"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-15T17:54:39.71Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-01-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for Education: Sick Leave"} , "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 and what proportion of officials in her Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in the last year; and what proportion of total sick leave in her Department that leave was.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/151", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Brake"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Carshalton and Wallington"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Brake"} ], "uin" : "121100"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/816676", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/816676/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The number of employees in the Department for Education from December 2016 to December 2017 who were absent due to stress was 102, this represented 2% of the total workforce. The proportion of sickness absence related to stress was 14% of the overall sickness absence for the department.<\/p>
<\/p>
The total amount of sickness absence days in the Department for Education from December 2016 to December 2017 due to stress was 2652.<\/p>
<\/p>
The estimated cost to the department from December 2016 to December 2017 for employees taking sickness absence, is estimated at £2,700,000.<\/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" : "2018-01-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "121100"} , {"_value" : "121107"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-15T17:54:39.773Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-01-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for Education: Sick Leave"} , "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 days' sick leave officials in her Department took for reasons relating to stress in the last year.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/151", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Brake"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Carshalton and Wallington"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Brake"} ], "uin" : "121103"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/816680", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/816680/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The number of employees in the Department for Education from December 2016 to December 2017 who were absent due to stress was 102, this represented 2% of the total workforce. The proportion of sickness absence related to stress was 14% of the overall sickness absence for the department.<\/p>
<\/p>
The total amount of sickness absence days in the Department for Education from December 2016 to December 2017 due to stress was 2652.<\/p>
<\/p>
The estimated cost to the department from December 2016 to December 2017 for employees taking sickness absence, is estimated at £2,700,000.<\/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" : "2018-01-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "121100"} , {"_value" : "121103"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-15T17:54:39.837Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-01-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for Education: Sick Leave"} , "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 the cost was to her Department as a result of officials taking sick leave in the last year.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/151", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Brake"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Carshalton and Wallington"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Brake"} ], "uin" : "121107"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/816722", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/816722/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We do not collect data on the provision by local authorities of radio aids to deaf children in educational settings.<\/p>
Schools and local authorities are required to provide auxiliary aids as part of the reasonable adjustment duty under the Equality Act 2010. Schools are expected to provide an auxiliary aid or service for a disabled pupil when it would be reasonable to do so and if such an aid would alleviate any substantial disadvantage that the pupil faces in comparison to non-disabled pupils. All such decisions depend on the facts of each individual case. Where there is a centrally organised visual or hearing impairment service it may be reasonable for the local authority to provide more expensive aids or support through that service but not reasonable for an individual school to have to provide them.<\/p>
Local authorities must have regard to the statutory responsibilities placed upon them by the Children and Families Act 2014 to determine appropriate provision for children and young people with special educational needs or a disability (SEND) in their area and to keep it under review. They are also required to consult children and young people and their families on their published Local Offer of SEND provision. This is especially important for low incidence types of SEND such as hearing impairment.<\/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" : "2018-01-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-15T17:51:38.13Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-01-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Hearing Impairment"} , "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 and what proportion of local authorities provide radio aids hearing technology to assist deaf children in educational settings.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/193", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Siobhain McDonagh"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mitcham and Morden"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Siobhain McDonagh"} ], "uin" : "121149"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/816736", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/816736/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "