Found: The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill includes a number of provisions to reform the children’s social

Found: The single unique identifier, which is in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, I think will be

Found: are delighted that this is currently being presented in parliament as a part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: introduce a Single Unique Identifier and improve data-sharing, as outlined in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: This programme is establishing the information sharing provisions in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: Lord Hampton: Good news seems to be going into the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, does it not

Found: have tried to significantly improve the consistency of those services through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: have tried to significantly improve the consistency of those services through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: Right now we have the Bill that is going through Committee stage in this House, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: The funding will deliver our social care commitments within the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: Government seeks to establish ‘consistent identifiers’ for children through its Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: 2025/march/non-domestic-ratings-bill-lords-consideration-of- commons-amendments. 5 Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: A key element here as well is that the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which is making its way

Found: I know that in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill 2024, there is a proposal to make all public

Found: I know that the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill seeks to address that, but there are still a

Found: Young Futures Prevention Partnerships, the Government’s Enrichment framework, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: attendance guidance in August 2024; and the vital school attendance measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: 4th Special Report - Scrutiny of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: Government Response HC 925

Found: We have the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill before us, so I have to recommend that.

Found: Home education  See attached copy of the CWS Bill (Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill) evidence which

Found: We welcome the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which proposes to remodel some of the Education

Found: We welcome the Government’s plans to introduce a consistent identifier through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: We welcome measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that will reinstate local authority

Found: SEN0887 6 b) The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will include measures to give LAs more levers

Found: The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill proposes extending local authority powers over school admissions

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the post- (a) 16 and (b) 18 support for young people raised in kinship.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government is committed to ensuring more children are supported in a strong kinship care arrangement, avoiding care where possible, because we know that this leads to better outcomes.

We are legislating through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to require local authorities to publish a local offer for children and families in kinship arrangements and requiring local authorities to offer family group decision making to families with children on the edge of care. These measures will ensure more children are supported within their family networks, and with kinship carers instead of entering care.

Some children in kinship care, such as those placed with kinship foster carers, are entitled to leaving care support if they have been in care for a minimum of 13 weeks, some of which was after they reached age 16, when they cease to be looked after. This includes support from a Personal Adviser up to the age of 25, and support to engage in education, employment or training, including a £2,000 bursary if they attend higher education.

This support will also include providing continuity of support and relationships when care leavers reach age 18 through the ‘Staying Put’ programme and investing in family-finding, mentoring and befriending programmes.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that multi-academy trusts maintain education standards.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Multi-academy trusts play an important role in our schools system, both supporting school improvement and driving forward high-quality education for our children.

Working with schools we will drive excellent teaching and leadership, a high-quality curriculum, robust accountability and faster school improvement, and an inclusive system which removes barriers to learning to ensure every child can achieve and thrive in education. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will help deliver this by providing a core guarantee of quality education in every school, no matter where children live or what school they attend. To ensure all parts of our system are focused on delivering these excellent outcomes, the government will in future bring multi-academy trusts into our inspection system.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 30 May (HL7545), whether they will meet pupils of Meath School in Ottershaw in respect of UNICEF UK's "Rights Respecting Schools Award"; and whether they plan to provide funding for the scheme in England.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)

The government is committed to upholding the principles of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child and safeguarding the rights of children, as we continue to do through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

We know that some schools choose to follow the UNICEF scheme ‘Rights Respecting Schools Award’, which puts children’s rights at the heart of school policy and practice, and we welcome that commitment to promoting the rights of children. However, there are no plans to provide funding for the ‘Rights Respecting Schools Award’ scheme in England.

All schools in England have specific duties to promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of their pupils and prepare them for the opportunities and responsibilities of adult life.

Schools in England are required to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs. Citizenship education is an effective way of doing this, and we expect teachers to reinforce these values as well as to support pupils’ SMSC development.

Ministers welcome the opportunity to meet children and would be grateful for requests to be sent to the office of my hon. Friend, the Minister for School Standards.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory prison sentences for people operating unregulated care homes for children.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government is clear that all providers of children’s social care accommodation such as children’s homes should register with Ofsted as per the Care Standards Act (CSA) 2000.

Ofsted has existing powers to prosecute persons carrying on a children’s home or supported accommodation (formally an unregulated placement) without registering.

Where a person is found guilty of running an unregistered children’s home or supported accommodation, the court can issue an unlimited fine, and for a second or subsequent conviction for the same offence, or where the person’s registration has been suspended and they continue to carry on the provision, imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months and/or an unlimited fine.

The government is further strengthening Ofsted’s powers, via the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, to enable them to issue monetary penalties for breaches of the CSA, including an unlimited fine for operating a children’s home without being registered. This will allow Ofsted to take action at pace and act as a significant deterrent.

Taken together, the set of powers that will be in place after the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is passed will allow Ofsted and the courts to take the appropriate enforcement action according to each circumstance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help improve educational outcomes for young people educated at home.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

All children deserve an education that allows them to achieve and thrive, whether they are educated at school or otherwise.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill includes a package of measures to support children not in school, including those who are home educated. Mandatory Children Not in School registers in every local authority in England and Wales, will help improve outcomes for home educated children by supporting local authorities to identify all children not in school in their areas. Measures to make the School Attendance Order process more efficient will minimise the length of time that any child may spend receiving an unsuitable education, thus improving outcomes for children where home education is not working.

The Bill also introduces the first ever duty on local authorities to provide support for home educating families on their registers, upon request ensuring those families have access to reliable advice and information on their child’s education.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to provide training on home education for parents of school-age children.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department does not have plans to provide training for parents on home education.

We have published guidance for home-educating parents to help them understand their rights and responsibilities.

The department is also introducing a new duty on local authorities to provide support to home-educating families through the Children Not in School measures within the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This will ensure that there is a baseline level of support across all local authorities so that parents have access to a reliable level of support, irrespective of where they live, and we will be providing additional training to local authorities to help them to fulfil these duties.

Parents who choose to home educate have the flexibility to employ a variety of approaches and need not follow structures such as the national curriculum, stick to a traditional school day, nor include the study of specific subjects, provided the education is efficient, full-time and suitable to the age, ability and aptitude of the child and any special educational needs they may have. Issuing training would therefore not be appropriate, as we do not wish to impose restrictions on parents by instructing them on how they should home educate their children.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many referrals made by police to Local Authority Designated Officers for concerns about people (a) working and (b) volunteering with children resulted in direct action being taken by the (i) local authority, (ii) employer and (iii) voluntary organisation in each of the last three years.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department does not hold this information. Information about referrals to Local Authority Designated Officers (LADO) is held at a local level by individual police forces and the local authorities.

The outcomes of LADO investigations are also held at local level and contained in the respective LADO annual reports. The department does not collate LADO annual reports and so does not have data on the action being taken by local authorities, employers and voluntary organisations within the last three years.

Keeping children safe could not be more important to this government and we are swiftly acting to reform the child protection and safeguarding system.

That is why the department is legislating through our Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to stop children falling through the cracks and to ensure they are not out of sight of those who can keep them safe.

The department has also introduced a new mandatory reporting duty in the Crime and Policing Bill for individuals undertaking key roles with responsibility for children in England to report sexual abuse.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken with relevant authorities to improve safeguarding policies in state primary schools.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Schools and colleges have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. We published statutory safeguarding guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) which all schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Education’s involvement is fundamental at all levels of safeguarding arrangements. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce a measure to place a duty on safeguarding partners to automatically include and strengthen the role of education and childcare settings in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.

This legislation ensures the full representation of education and childcare in operational safeguarding boards and systems, as well as at the strategic decision-making levels of safeguarding arrangements. It will also mean that all education and childcare settings must work together with safeguarding partners and ensure those arrangements are fully understood and applied in their organisations.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken with relevant authorities to improve safeguarding policies in state secondary schools.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Schools and colleges have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. We published statutory safeguarding guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) which all schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Education’s involvement is fundamental at all levels of safeguarding arrangements. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce a measure to place a duty on safeguarding partners to automatically include and strengthen the role of education and childcare settings in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.

This legislation ensures the full representation of education and childcare in operational safeguarding boards and systems, as well as at the strategic decision-making levels of safeguarding arrangements. It will also mean that all education and childcare settings must work together with safeguarding partners and ensure those arrangements are fully understood and applied in their organisations.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential (a) implications for her policies of the (i) financial and (ii) housing pressures experienced by kinship carers and (b) impact of those pressures on the sustainability of Special Guardianship placements.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government recognises the significant financial, and wider, pressures faced by kinship carers and their impact on the sustainability of special guardianship placements.

That is why the government announced £40 million investment in a Kinship Allowance Pilot, which will test the impact of providing an allowance to kinship carers. The Expression of Interest for this pilot launched on 17 June 2025 and more information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-to-become-a-kinship-allowance-pilot-provider. The programme is expected to begin in autumn 2025 and will support approximately 5,000 kinship children.

Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are enshrining the first definition of kinship care in law and mandating local authorities to publish their kinship local offer, increasing their accountability for ensuring all kinship families are getting the information they need about the support available to them.

The department also funds the charity ‘Kinship’ to provide over 140 peer support groups and a free training package for kinship carers across England.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of a children not in school register in preventing abuse of home schooled children.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Home education is not an inherent safeguarding risk. However, some children who have been withdrawn from school under the guise of home education have been seriously harmed or died due to abuse or neglect, and action is needed.

Compulsory ‘children not in school’ registers, and accompanying duties on parents and out-of-school education providers, will be crucial tools that local authorities can use to identify children not in school in their areas who are not receiving a suitable education, or who need to be protected from harm.

However, registers are only part of the solution. That is why the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill contains other measures aimed at ensuring all children are safe. For example, parents of children who are subject to child protection enquiries or plans, or whose children attend a special school, will be required to get local authority consent before they can educate their children at home. Where these children are already being home educated, we are strengthening the school attendance order process so the local authority can require them to attend school. The Bill also includes measures to strengthen multi-agency working and information sharing, which will benefit all children.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, at what price level the cost of school uniforms will be capped.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The reference to school uniform in my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Spending Review announcement on 11 June, relates to the government’s existing proposals in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to cut the cost of school uniforms by capping the number of compulsory branded uniform items.

School uniforms play an important role in establishing a common sense of identity and school belonging which can be supported by a small number of branded items. However, too many schools require high numbers of branded uniform items. This is why the department has introduced legislation to bring down costs for parents by limiting the amount of branded uniform items schools can require. This will give parents more choice in where to purchase uniform and allow them greater flexibility to make the spending decisions that suit their circumstances.

There are no plans to introduce a financial cap on the cost of school uniform.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to support (a) parents and (b) children with home-schooling in (i) England and (ii) Romford constituency.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Every child deserves to receive an education that helps them to achieve and thrive. Every parent has the responsibility to provide this for their child and may choose to do so by educating them at home. Whilst that responsibility rests with the parent, it is important that they can work with education professionals and local authorities to ensure that the best education is provided.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, currently passing through Parliament, will require all local authorities in England and Wales to maintain registers of children who are not in school, including those who are home educating. Attached to this will be a duty on local authorities to provide support to home educating families who request assistance.

The department’s data collection on elective home education provides information on each local authority area, including what support is currently offered. All support is offered at the discretion of the local authority in each individual case. This data is accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/elective-home-education/2024-25-autumn-term.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of making care experience a protected characteristic.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is committed to tackling stigma and discrimination faced by care-experienced children and young people. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce corporate parenting responsibilities for government departments and other relevant public bodies. This will ensure corporate parents are aware of issues that could negatively impact on children in care and care leavers.

The leaving care grant for care leavers was increased from £2,000 to £3,000 from April 2023.

To support them to engage in education, employment, and training, care leavers are entitled to a £3,000 bursary for apprenticeships and a £2,000 bursary for university. They are also prioritised for the 16-19 bursary in further education.

Over 600 businesses, including John Lewis, Sky, and Amazon, have signed the department’s care leaver covenant, offering employment and training opportunities. The government's civil service care leaver internship scheme has provided over 1,000 paid jobs across government. Care leavers who access Staying Close will receive support to engage in education, employment and training.

The government currently has no plans to extend support to care leavers to age 30.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will ensure that young people with care experience have support available from local authorities until the age of 30.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is committed to tackling stigma and discrimination faced by care-experienced children and young people. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce corporate parenting responsibilities for government departments and other relevant public bodies. This will ensure corporate parents are aware of issues that could negatively impact on children in care and care leavers.

The leaving care grant for care leavers was increased from £2,000 to £3,000 from April 2023.

To support them to engage in education, employment, and training, care leavers are entitled to a £3,000 bursary for apprenticeships and a £2,000 bursary for university. They are also prioritised for the 16-19 bursary in further education.

Over 600 businesses, including John Lewis, Sky, and Amazon, have signed the department’s care leaver covenant, offering employment and training opportunities. The government's civil service care leaver internship scheme has provided over 1,000 paid jobs across government. Care leavers who access Staying Close will receive support to engage in education, employment and training.

The government currently has no plans to extend support to care leavers to age 30.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help care leavers to secure employment following education.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is committed to tackling stigma and discrimination faced by care-experienced children and young people. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce corporate parenting responsibilities for government departments and other relevant public bodies. This will ensure corporate parents are aware of issues that could negatively impact on children in care and care leavers.

The leaving care grant for care leavers was increased from £2,000 to £3,000 from April 2023.

To support them to engage in education, employment, and training, care leavers are entitled to a £3,000 bursary for apprenticeships and a £2,000 bursary for university. They are also prioritised for the 16-19 bursary in further education.

Over 600 businesses, including John Lewis, Sky, and Amazon, have signed the department’s care leaver covenant, offering employment and training opportunities. The government's civil service care leaver internship scheme has provided over 1,000 paid jobs across government. Care leavers who access Staying Close will receive support to engage in education, employment and training.

The government currently has no plans to extend support to care leavers to age 30.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will set the minimum grant for young people leaving care to set up home at £3000.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is committed to tackling stigma and discrimination faced by care-experienced children and young people. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce corporate parenting responsibilities for government departments and other relevant public bodies. This will ensure corporate parents are aware of issues that could negatively impact on children in care and care leavers.

The leaving care grant for care leavers was increased from £2,000 to £3,000 from April 2023.

To support them to engage in education, employment, and training, care leavers are entitled to a £3,000 bursary for apprenticeships and a £2,000 bursary for university. They are also prioritised for the 16-19 bursary in further education.

Over 600 businesses, including John Lewis, Sky, and Amazon, have signed the department’s care leaver covenant, offering employment and training opportunities. The government's civil service care leaver internship scheme has provided over 1,000 paid jobs across government. Care leavers who access Staying Close will receive support to engage in education, employment and training.

The government currently has no plans to extend support to care leavers to age 30.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that people with care experience have direct access to mental health services.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care are updating guidance on promoting the health and wellbeing of looked-after children to ensure children in care and care leavers receive necessary health services and mental health support. This guidance sets expectations for local authorities, health service commissioners, the NHS, and others to promote physical, emotional, and mental health, including early intervention.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools bill aims to improve access to health services by enhancing information sharing between agencies and considering the needs of looked-after children. Measures include improving data sharing with a Single Unique Identifier and introducing new corporate parenting responsibilities for government departments and public bodies, to create a culture of support and break down barriers to good outcomes. Finally, the government will expand Mental Health Support Teams in schools to provide early support for young people.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure cross-border cooperation between local education authorities in the planning and allocation of school places.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is introducing new duties for mainstream state schools and local authorities to co-operate regarding school admissions and for state schools to co-operate with local authorities regarding place planning. Where co-operation breaks down or fails, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education will be able to intervene. This measure will help ensure that admissions and place planning decisions account for local communities’ needs.

Local authorities, academy trusts and local partners should work together on place planning. We expect local authorities to share their place planning strategy and data with local partners, which can include neighbouring local authorities.

Local authorities are required to ensure that their scheme to co-ordinate admission arrangements for the normal admissions round considers the admission of pupils in different local authority areas where that is what parents wish. Where possible their scheme of coordination should be compatible with the coordination schemes of neighbouring authorities. Where local authorities receive cross border applications, we expect the authorities to work together to ensure families receive timely decisions on national offer day, at the highest preference school that can offer the child a place.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve levels of care for children in social care.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department announced the biggest overhaul to children’s social care in a generation to ensure opportunity for all children. This includes increased investment and landmark legislation through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

Our policy statement ‘Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive’, published in November 2024, outlines our vision and core legislative proposals. We will shift the focus of the children's social care system to early support to keep families together.

Implementing the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will improve levels of care for children in social care, as it is a key step towards delivering the government’s Opportunity Mission. It will break the link between young people’s background and their future success, to shift the focus of the children's social care system to earlier support for children and families, and to tackle profiteering in the care market and put children needs first.

Our plans will ensure:

• Children can remain with their families where possible.
• We will support more children to live with kinship carers or in fostering families.
• We will support children in care and care leavers, including rolling out the ‘Staying Close’ programme.
• We will delivery stronger multi-agency approaches to support families and keep children safe.
• We will fix the broken care market to tackle profiteering and put children first.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many warning letters Ofsted has sent to unregistered care settings for children in the last year.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

It is illegal to manage an unregistered setting that should be registered with Ofsted. Unregistered settings pose a risk to children, given there is no assurance about safety.

Ofsted can pursue criminal prosecution, and between April 2023 and March 2024, opened over 1000 cases to investigate potential unregistered settings.

We are strengthening Ofsted’s powers, via the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, so they can fine unregistered providers. There is no limit to the fine. Ofsted will take into account the provider's previous record, severity of the breach and impact on children. This will enable Ofsted to act at scale and pace to tackle persistent offenders. It will also act as a greater deterrent. This will mean that more children are placed into registered settings, where Ofsted, the local authority, and the public can be assured that the child is in a home that meets all the requirements set out in legislation.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tackle unregistered care settings for children.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

It is illegal to manage an unregistered setting that should be registered with Ofsted. Unregistered settings pose a risk to children, given there is no assurance about safety.

Ofsted can pursue criminal prosecution, and between April 2023 and March 2024, opened over 1000 cases to investigate potential unregistered settings.

We are strengthening Ofsted’s powers, via the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, so they can fine unregistered providers. There is no limit to the fine. Ofsted will take into account the provider's previous record, severity of the breach and impact on children. This will enable Ofsted to act at scale and pace to tackle persistent offenders. It will also act as a greater deterrent. This will mean that more children are placed into registered settings, where Ofsted, the local authority, and the public can be assured that the child is in a home that meets all the requirements set out in legislation.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish (1) an updated impact assessment for the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that includes specific assessment of Clause 22, and (2) an equality impact assessment for the whole of the Children's Wellbeing and School Bill, including Clause 22.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)

The government is committed to supporting children in care and care leavers through the introduction of corporate parenting responsibilities for government departments and relevant public bodies. The measures will require Secretaries of State and relevant public bodies to be alert to matters which might adversely affect the wellbeing of children in care and care leavers.

The impact of all of the measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill on business, equalities and human rights has been evaluated and is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

We will continue to review and update these documents, when the Bill has completed its passage through the House of Lords.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for (a) parents and (b) schools in understanding the legal routes to raise concerns about people who pose a potential safeguarding risk.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government believes that action must always be taken to protect children from any safeguarding risk. That is why we are taking forward system reforms in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and have published a government progress update to the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. The Keeping Children Safe mission board, chaired by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of Education, will ensure that there continues to be a cross-government focus on safeguarding, including how parents can be best supported.

We have also provided robust statutory safeguarding guidance for all schools on the policies and procedures they must put in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of their pupils. This guidance not only sets out the different types of abuse and harm but also supports all staff to know what signs to look out for, including how they must respond to any concerns about a child and when to make a referral to local safeguarding partners, the police and Prevent services.

Advice for parents is also clear that where there are child protection concerns, these should be reported to local authority children’s social care departments or to the police if a child is at immediate risk of harm.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) levels of recognition of kinship care and (b) the lack of a kinship carers identity card on kinship carers when they interact with (i) schools, (ii) hospitals and (iii) children’s services.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

In October 2024, the department published the kinship care statutory guidance for local authorities, which outlines the framework for the provision of support for kinship children and kinship families.

Measures included in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill also seek to mandate local authorities to publish a kinship local offer, which sets out the information and support in a local authority's area for children living in kinship care and kinship carers, and defines what kinship care is for the purpose of the kinship care local offer. These measures will make it clear for local authorities, schools and other statutory services what support is available to those involved in a kinship arrangement.

The department recognises that some families have reported challenges around the recognition of kinship care in their interactions with schools, hospitals, and children's services. We have not carried out a formal assessment of the feasibility or potential merits of implementing a national kinship identification card, but will continue to monitor and review the needs of kinship carers and children living in kinship care and discuss the issues raised with other governmental departments and with local authorities to ensure they receive the support they deserve.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the (a) feasibility and (b) potential merits of implementing a national kinship care identity card.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

In October 2024, the department published the kinship care statutory guidance for local authorities, which outlines the framework for the provision of support for kinship children and kinship families.

Measures included in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill also seek to mandate local authorities to publish a kinship local offer, which sets out the information and support in a local authority's area for children living in kinship care and kinship carers, and defines what kinship care is for the purpose of the kinship care local offer. These measures will make it clear for local authorities, schools and other statutory services what support is available to those involved in a kinship arrangement.

The department recognises that some families have reported challenges around the recognition of kinship care in their interactions with schools, hospitals, and children's services. We have not carried out a formal assessment of the feasibility or potential merits of implementing a national kinship identification card, but will continue to monitor and review the needs of kinship carers and children living in kinship care and discuss the issues raised with other governmental departments and with local authorities to ensure they receive the support they deserve.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure good quality therapy for care experienced children in a timely manner that meets the needs of families.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 require an assessment of the health needs for every child when they enter care and a plan devised to address their needs. Together with the Department of Health and Social Care, the department is reviewing existing statutory guidance, including these regulations, to further ensure care-experienced young people receive the support needed for their health and wellbeing, including access to the requisite treatment or therapy. The guidance will strengthen expectations on key local and national organisations regarding promotion of the cohort’s physical, emotional and mental health, including acting on any early signs of health issues.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce corporate parenting responsibilities on government departments and relevant public bodies, to ensure these partners take account of care-experienced young people’s vulnerabilities when designing policies and delivering services. This will include organisations that deliver health and wellbeing services.

Annual pupil premium plus funding of £2,570, managed by the local authority’s virtual school head, is available to support looked-after children and can be used to facilitate therapeutic services and support.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure full kinship support to all recipients of kinship care.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government recognises the important role that kinship carers play in caring for some of the most vulnerable children.

Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are seeking to mandate local authorities to publish a kinship local offer which sets out the information and support in a local authority's area for children living in kinship care and kinship carers. The measure will also define what kinship care is for the purpose of the requirement of the kinship care local offer. These measures will make it clear for local authorities, schools and other statutory services what support is available to those involved in a kinship arrangement.

In addition, in October 2024, the department published the kinship care statutory guidance for local authorities, which outlines the framework for the provision of support for kinship families. We have also recently announced a £40 million package to trial a new kinship allowance.

The government is also extending the delivery of over 140 peer support groups across England, available for all kinship carers to access, where they can come together to share stories, exchange advice and support each other. We are also delivering a package of training and support that all kinship carers across England can access.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure the availability of free and accessible educational materials suitable for KS3 and KS4, particularly for elective home education.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)

Parents who choose to educate at home assume full responsibility for the education of their child, including financial responsibility, as a state school place (or state-funded place) is available.

Home educators are not required to follow the national curriculum but if they choose to, local authorities can be a source of information and advice for parents.

As part of the children not in school measures within the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the department is introducing the first ever duty on local authorities to provide support for home educating families, in the form of advice and information. This will include signposting to high-quality, reputable educational materials, such as those offered by the Oak National Academy.

Government does not provide funding to local authorities for the specific purpose of assisting home educating families accessing examinations. Local authorities do have discretion to provide such financial assistance from within their existing budgets, and we are aware that some do so.

To sit an exam as a private candidate, students need to find an exam centre to enter them for all aspects of their chosen subject or subjects, including any assessments.

The department is committed to supporting home educated students to access exams and as such have worked with the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) to better support home educating families. This includes a search function on JCQ’s website, which enables students to locate the nearest centre available to sit their GCSE, AS or A level exams.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether funds are allocated to local education authorities to ensure that elective home education students can access free testing for level 1, 2, 3, and 4 qualifications.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)

Parents who choose to educate at home assume full responsibility for the education of their child, including financial responsibility, as a state school place (or state-funded place) is available.

Home educators are not required to follow the national curriculum but if they choose to, local authorities can be a source of information and advice for parents.

As part of the children not in school measures within the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the department is introducing the first ever duty on local authorities to provide support for home educating families, in the form of advice and information. This will include signposting to high-quality, reputable educational materials, such as those offered by the Oak National Academy.

Government does not provide funding to local authorities for the specific purpose of assisting home educating families accessing examinations. Local authorities do have discretion to provide such financial assistance from within their existing budgets, and we are aware that some do so.

To sit an exam as a private candidate, students need to find an exam centre to enter them for all aspects of their chosen subject or subjects, including any assessments.

The department is committed to supporting home educated students to access exams and as such have worked with the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) to better support home educating families. This includes a search function on JCQ’s website, which enables students to locate the nearest centre available to sit their GCSE, AS or A level exams.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how elective home education students can access exam centres as external candidates.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)

Parents who choose to educate at home assume full responsibility for the education of their child, including financial responsibility, as a state school place (or state-funded place) is available.

Home educators are not required to follow the national curriculum but if they choose to, local authorities can be a source of information and advice for parents.

As part of the children not in school measures within the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the department is introducing the first ever duty on local authorities to provide support for home educating families, in the form of advice and information. This will include signposting to high-quality, reputable educational materials, such as those offered by the Oak National Academy.

Government does not provide funding to local authorities for the specific purpose of assisting home educating families accessing examinations. Local authorities do have discretion to provide such financial assistance from within their existing budgets, and we are aware that some do so.

To sit an exam as a private candidate, students need to find an exam centre to enter them for all aspects of their chosen subject or subjects, including any assessments.

The department is committed to supporting home educated students to access exams and as such have worked with the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) to better support home educating families. This includes a search function on JCQ’s website, which enables students to locate the nearest centre available to sit their GCSE, AS or A level exams.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to section 23 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, whether the proposed limit of three branded items refers to the (a) overall number of items or (b) the individual types of items.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The proposed limit of three branded items relates to the individual types of items. For example, a school can include a branded blazer, jumper and book bag within its policy.

Schools will only be able to require pupils to have up to three types of compulsory branded uniform items for use during the year. Secondary schools and middle schools will have the option of requiring an additional compulsory branded item if it is a branded tie.

The limit will apply to any compulsory branded items in the school’s uniform policy, including PE kit. This includes any bags, such as book bags or rucksacks, and any items only suitable for particular times of year, such as summer dresses. It will be for individual parents to decide how many of each type of branded item they may wish to buy, but the limit on branded items will allow parents to purchase more uniform items from various retailers, including high street stores, helping them manage uniform costs more effectively.

Found: Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill 2024-25: see section 3.10 of the Library briefing Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

We, the undersigned, oppose the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This bill would give local authorities power to override parents on how children are raised and educated. It threatens freedom, family rights, and diverse beliefs. Support trust, not control.

Found: Oppose the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill! FOR OUR KIDS FREEDOM

Found: Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill 2024-25: see section 3.10 of the Library briefing Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: Today’s announcement builds on measures already announced in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: Through its landmark Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the government is also legislating so every

Found: practitioners in the child protection teams that we will legislate to create through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: It will allow government to implement legislation in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which

Found: Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: Policy Summary Notes. March 2025.

Found: Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

Found: examine potential changes to the STPCD to accommodate changes brought about through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: operational planning for the teacher misconduct measures proposed as part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: • The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, and the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education

Found: Government set to enable and bring effect to many of our recommendations through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: practitioners in the child protection teams that we will legislate to create through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: A couple perceived that the content of the government’s recent Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: examine potential changes to the STPCD to accommodate changes brought about through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: assessments for young carers, as discussed during the Committee Stage (eighth day) of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: practitioners in the child protection teams that we will legislate to create through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: Diana, I’d like to thank you for the interesting debate on Clauses 14 and 15 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: That is why the Children Not in School measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill include

Found: writing to you following my commitment, during the Clause 11 debate on Day 5 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: renovation and extension, as discussed during the Committee Stage (fourth day) of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: support available to them, as discussed during the Committee Stage (fourth day) of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: children aged 16 and 17 , as discussed during the Committee stage (third day) of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: Baroness Barran regarding issues raised during the Committee stage (third day) of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: June to discuss the Children Not in School measures, which feature as part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: I wanted to write to you further to our exchange during Second Reading of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: Baroness Berridge, I’d like to thank you for the interesting debate on Clause 1 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: Letter dated 30/05/2025 from Baroness Smith of Malvern to Lord Meston regarding the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: Dear Diana, I’d like to thank you for the interesting debate on Clause 2 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: The UK Government Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill includes provisions which propose the development

Found: 5 Dear Chair Thank you for your letter inviting my views in relation to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: behalf of the Children, Young People and Education Committee, in relation to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: Education Committee members, I am writing to express my strong opposition to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: Ifanc ac Addysg — Children, Young People and Education Committee 07 May 2025 Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: Ifanc ac Addysg — Children, Young People and Education Committee 07 May 2025 Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: Committee, I am writing in support of the Legislative Consent Motion regarding the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: members, We are deeply concerned to note the acceptance of the Parliamentary Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: 1 LEGISLATIVE CONSENT MEMORANDUM Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill 1.

Found: Constitution Committee to consider and report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: Constitution Committee to consider and report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: 1 SUPPLEMENTARY LEGISLATIVE CONSENT MEMORANDUM (MEMORANDUM NO 2) CHILDREN’S WELLBEING AND SCHOOLS BILL

Found: consider and report on the Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (No.2) on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: 1 SUPPLEMENTARY LEGISLATIVE CONSENT MEMORANDUM (MEMORANDUM NO 3) CHILDREN’S WELLBEING AND SCHOOLS BILL

Found: consider and report on the Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (No.3) on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Found: It appears that the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill contains similar provision33; provision which

Found: This is being brought about through proposals in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, introduced

Found: Written Statement: The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (10 March 2025)