Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what new deadlines the Department for Education has set to (1) evaluate tender bids, (2) hold clarification meetings, and (3) announce the preferred bidder of the tender process for the contract for "an information and advice service for families including kinship carers of children at risk or involved in the care system".
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The department is in the process of tendering for an information and advice service for families including kinship carers of children at risk or involved in the care system.
Our intention remains to award this contract in March 2020 in order for the service to commence on 1 April 2020. As per our most recent indicative timeline, we hope to evaluate tender bids on 3 February 2020, hold clarification meetings between 14 February 2020 to 20 February 2020, and announce the preferred bidder soon after.
Any further unexpected delays will be communicated to all interested bidders. The department will work with any winning bidder, and the existing provider to ensure the service is not interrupted.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that information and advice services for families, kinship carers and special guardians of children at risk or involved in the care system in England can continue uninterrupted, following the reported delay in the procurement of this service.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The department is in the process of tendering for an information and advice service for families including kinship carers of children at risk or involved in the care system.
Our intention remains to award this contract in March 2020 in order for the service to commence on 1 April 2020. As per our most recent indicative timeline, we hope to evaluate tender bids on 3 February 2020, hold clarification meetings between 14 February 2020 to 20 February 2020, and announce the preferred bidder soon after.
Any further unexpected delays will be communicated to all interested bidders. The department will work with any winning bidder, and the existing provider to ensure the service is not interrupted.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many looked-after children are non-UK EU nationals.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The department does not hold information on the nationality of looked-after children in England. However, estimates suggest that there may be around 5,000 children in care who are non-UK EU nationals.
We recognise that looked-after children who are non-UK EU nationals will require support with immigration issues. It is important that local authorities offer the necessary support by addressing these issues early as part of any assessment and care plan. In doing so, local authorities can seek legal advice about the appropriate action based on the circumstances of the individual looked-after child.
Legislation will also be introduced to bring immigration matters for separated migrant children into the scope of legal aid, meaning that this group will get support in securing their immigration rights. Legal aid may also be available through the Exceptional Case Funding scheme where a failure to provide legal aid would breach, or risk breaching, European Court of Human Rights law rights or enforceable EU law rights.
Ensuring that looked-after children are supported to obtain a status under the European Union Settlement Scheme is a core element in the delivery of the scheme.
Local authorities are expected to make applications on behalf of all eligible looked-after children for whom they have parental responsibility and to raise awareness of the scheme and offer support as required for looked-after children for whom they do not hold parental responsibility.
Guidance has been issued to local authorities to help them with these responsibilities.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what support local authorities give to looked-after children who are non-UK EU nationals to apply for (1) residency, (2) citizenship, and (3) settled status.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The department does not hold information on the nationality of looked-after children in England. However, estimates suggest that there may be around 5,000 children in care who are non-UK EU nationals.
We recognise that looked-after children who are non-UK EU nationals will require support with immigration issues. It is important that local authorities offer the necessary support by addressing these issues early as part of any assessment and care plan. In doing so, local authorities can seek legal advice about the appropriate action based on the circumstances of the individual looked-after child.
Legislation will also be introduced to bring immigration matters for separated migrant children into the scope of legal aid, meaning that this group will get support in securing their immigration rights. Legal aid may also be available through the Exceptional Case Funding scheme where a failure to provide legal aid would breach, or risk breaching, European Court of Human Rights law rights or enforceable EU law rights.
Ensuring that looked-after children are supported to obtain a status under the European Union Settlement Scheme is a core element in the delivery of the scheme.
Local authorities are expected to make applications on behalf of all eligible looked-after children for whom they have parental responsibility and to raise awareness of the scheme and offer support as required for looked-after children for whom they do not hold parental responsibility.
Guidance has been issued to local authorities to help them with these responsibilities.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the national consultation on the future of children’s centres will be launched<b>, </b>and what is the timetable for responses to be received and for them to announce their proposals following the consultation.
Answered by Lord Nash
The government is considering its future policy on children’s centres as part of the development of the cross-Government Life Chances Strategy, and plans to publish details in the summer. At that point we will make it clear how stakeholders and members of the public can contribute.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will list those persons appointed as chairs of non-departmental public bodies by the Department for Education.
Answered by Lord Nash
The Department for Education has made three such appointments. The Rt Hon Alan Milburn was appointed as chair of the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, Dr Patricia Rice was appointed as chair of the School Teachers’ Review Body and Anne Longfield was appointed as the Children’s Commissioner.