The department does not collect specific information on the numbers of parents/guardians who access respite care. However, The Children and Families Act (2014) provides a framework to ensure that children with autism are identified early and receive the support they need. A disabled child would fall under the category of a child in need and parents, guardians or professionals could make a referral to the local authority children\u2019s services who are best placed to assess the needs and priorities of disabled children in their area.<\/p>
Information regarding how much local authorities have planned to spend on their short breaks/respite provision through the authorities\u2019 annual section 251 returns can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-local-authority-school-finance-data<\/a>.<\/p> Giving children and young people with autism the right start in life is hugely important in ensuring that they can have successful and rewarding lives. We want all children, no matter what their special educational need or disability, to be able to reach their full potential and receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. That is why we have put in place significant reforms, aimed at making the system less confrontational and promoting better involvement of parents and a real focus on outcomes and transition to adult life.<\/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" : "2018-11-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-13T17:16:04.287Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Autism: Respite 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 estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) parents and (b) guardians of children who are high on the spectrum of autism who have accessed respite care in each of the last three years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for David Simpson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Upper Bann"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "David Simpson"}
], "uin" : "188784"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002661", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002661/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department for Education are investing up to £26 million in a breakfast club programme, using funds from Soft Drinks Industry Levy revenues. The funding is for setting up or improving breakfast clubs in primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units. Such schools that have a nursery may receive funding for a breakfast club.<\/p> <\/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" : "2018-11-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-13T17:39:55.4Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Nurseries: Breakfast Clubs"}
, "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, whether nurseries receive funding for breakfast clubs as part of the same funding arrangements as (a) infant, (b) junior and (c) secondary schools.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4409", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Naz Shah"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bradford West"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Naz Shah"}
], "uin" : "188864"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1000281", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1000281/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to provide accommodation for unaccompanied children who arrive in their area. This means that they become looked after children and should be safeguarded and have their welfare promoted in the same way as any other looked after child. To help support this, the government has revised the \u2018Statutory guidance on the care of unaccompanied migrant children and child victims of modern slavery\u2019, which was published 1 November 2017: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-of-unaccompanied-and-trafficked-children<\/a>.<\/p> The government recognises that unaccompanied asylum seeking and refugee children can be some of the most vulnerable in our society. The government\u2019s vision and additional commitment to caring for these children is set out in the strategy for \u2018Safeguarding unaccompanied asylum seeking and refugee children\u2019, published 1 November 2017: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-unaccompanied-asylum-seeking-and-refugee-children<\/a>.<\/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" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-12T11:30:17.247Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Refugees"}
, "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 support his Department provides for unaccompanied child refugees when they arrive in the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4006", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hendon"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Matthew Offord"}
], "uin" : "187347"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999121", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999121/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The information requested is not held centrally.<\/p> The number of care leavers aged 17 and 18 years old who were in education other than higher education in the year ending 31 March 2017, was 4,610. Information on care leavers aged 17 and 18 years old was collected for the first time for the year ending 31 March 2016 and is published as experimental statistics.<\/p> These figures were published in 2017 in table F3 of the statistical release \u2018Children looked after in England including adoption: 2016 to 2017 (SFR 50/2017)\u2019 at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2016-to-2017<\/a>.<\/p> Education other than higher education means all studies excluding degrees, diplomas in higher education, teaching and nursing qualifications, HNDs, ONDs, and BTEC levels 4-5, all of which fall under the category higher education.<\/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" : "2018-11-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-09T10:51:09.61Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sixth Form Education: 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, how many looked-after children and care leavers went on to key stage 5 in 2016-17.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4497", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Michael Tomlinson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mid Dorset and North Poole"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Michael Tomlinson"}
], "uin" : "186405"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/997612", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/997612/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We are committed to ensuring that any action to support disadvantaged pupils is based on robust evidence. We have considered the research published by Plan UK and have used this to inform the department\u2019s 2018 survey questions for pupils and senior school leaders.<\/p> <\/p> The department published additional analysis of its absence statistics, in March 2018, which show that whilst absence rates amongst girls increases after a certain age, there is no evidence to suggest that this is related to pupils being disadvantaged. This suggests period poverty does not have a significant, nation-wide impact on school attendance.<\/p> <\/p> Schools are best placed to assess the needs of their pupils, have discretion over how they use their funding and can make sanitary products available to disadvantaged pupils if they identify this as a barrier to attendance. We support schools in addressing the needs of disadvantaged pupils through the provision of the Pupil Premium, equivalent to more than £2.4 billion of additional funding this year alone.<\/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" : "2018-11-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "185670"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-07T13:16:42.1Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pupils: Period Poverty"}
, "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 his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing the P-card scheme proposed by Plan UK in its report Break the Barriers: Girls' experience of menstruation in the UK, published in January 2018.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4491", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham, Deptford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Vicky Foxcroft"}
], "uin" : "185671"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/992746", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/992746/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Our new criteria for free school meals eligibility are forecast to increase the number of children benefiting from this vital benefit by 2022, compared to under the previous benefits system. In addition, our transitional protections will mean that all children currently receiving a free meal will continue to do so.<\/p> In February, the government published an updated equality analysis on the criteria following a public consultation. Our overall assessment was that we expect children with a special educational need or disability, pupils attending schools with no religious character, and children from certain ethnic groups to benefit more than others from the estimated increase in the size of the free school meal cohort. These children were identified as more likely to benefit from the new criteria because they are considered more likely to come from households with earnings below the new eligibility threshold. We did not have evidence to suggest there will be any negative impact on children with other protected characteristics.<\/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" : "2018-10-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-10-25T16:26:25.473Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Free School Meals"}
, "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 he has made of the effect of the changes to the eligibility criteria for free school meals on the number of families living in poverty.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4243", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dan Jarvis"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Barnsley Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dan Jarvis"}
], "uin" : "182265"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/987802", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/987802/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Schools are required under the Children and Families Act (2014) to identify and address the special educational needs (SEN) of the pupils or students they support, and guidance is set out in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice. <\/em>This includes arranging for appropriate tests where the school\u2019s own assessments indicate that this is necessary<\/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" : "2018-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-10-22T12:16:06.983Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Dyslexia"}
, "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 his Department has issued to local authorities on assessments for children who may have dyslexia.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3960", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Henry Smith"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Crawley"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Henry Smith"}
], "uin" : "179182"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/987989", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/987989/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " As is usual when developing proposals for a new free school, the department has undertaken various site surveys and consultations. This has informed the development of the design and provided an estimate of construction costs for the proposed new school. In this case, this includes investigating options and obtaining estimated costs to relocate part of the existing flood defences at the former Bowring Sports Ground.<\/p> <\/p> At this stage, the estimated cost to relocate the existing flood defences is approximately £604,000. The proposals remain, however, subject to obtaining planning permission and the procurement of a building contractor. As such, this figure will be subject to further refinement as the plans are developed. When planning approval is achieved, the department will procure a contractor to construct the new school, and construction costs will be agreed at that time.<\/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" : "2018-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-10-22T12:22:41.183Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Schools: Greater London"}
, "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 estimate has been made of the cost of relocating flood defences to enable a school to be built on the Bowring sports ground SE12; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/165", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Clive Efford"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Eltham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Clive Efford"}
], "uin" : "179078"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/985688", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/985688/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The procedures for the recruitment and assessment of adopters are outlined in the Adoption Statutory Guidance, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adoption-statutory-guidance-2013<\/a>.<\/p> Adoption agencies must not refuse to accept a registration of interest from prospective adopters on the grounds of, for example, that individual\u2019s ethnicity, age, health, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or because they do not share the same ethnicity, culture or religious beliefs as the children waiting for an adoptive family.<\/p> There are clear processes for prospective adopters to follow, if they wish to contest an adoption agency\u2019s decision, including through the agency\u2019s local complaints process or via the Independent Review Mechanism, depending on the stage of the process they had reached.<\/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" : "2018-10-16T16:51:22.26Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Adoption"}
, "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, whether he is taking steps to protect prospective adoptive parents from being barred because of conscientious objection to gender reassignment and gender recognition for under-18s; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/114", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tim Loughton"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Worthing and Shoreham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tim Loughton"}
], "uin" : "178212"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/984541", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/984541/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The information requested is not held centrally.<\/p> Figures on looked after children who died in each year can be found in Table D1 of the statistical release \u2018Children looked after in England including adoption: 2016 to 2017\u2019 at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2016-to-2017<\/a> but the cause of each death is not collected.<\/p>