Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will continue to place minimum expectations on those providing family hubs to support separating and separated families, including by connecting them to mediation, shared parenting programmes and programmes to reduce parental conflict.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Reducing Parental Conflict programme continues to deliver effective relationship support for parents, working with Local Authorities (LAs), family support services and a wide network of partners including voluntary and community organisations. Following the Spending Review, the Department will be making internal funding allocations ahead of the new financial year, and decisions will be communicated at the earliest opportunity.

The Programme remains a DWP initiative, though this does not mean it is kept separate from family help programmes. The 75 LAs funded under the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme are expected, as a minimum, to ensure that staff in family hubs are aware of the evidence on the impact of parental conflict, can identify it, can distinguish it from domestic abuse and provide universal level support and initial early support. This support should be available to parents who are together, separating or separated.

From April, all Local Authorities will receive funding to establish Best Start Family Hubs. Best Start Family Hubs will draw on what we know works from the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, and Sure Start to provide essential support for parents and families. Best Start Family Hubs have a vital role in connecting families to a broad range of services to ensure holistic and integrated support. The Department for Work and Pensions will work closely with the Department for Education as they review the approach to programme expectations in preparation for the roll out of Best Start Family Hubs.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will continue to place minimum expectations on those providing family hubs to deliver or refer family members to programmes and other services which reduce parental conflict.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Reducing Parental Conflict programme continues to deliver effective relationship support for parents, working with Local Authorities (LAs), family support services and a wide network of partners including voluntary and community organisations. Following the Spending Review, the Department will be making internal funding allocations ahead of the new financial year, and decisions will be communicated at the earliest opportunity.

The Programme remains a DWP initiative, though this does not mean it is kept separate from family help programmes. The 75 LAs funded under the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme are expected, as a minimum, to ensure that staff in family hubs are aware of the evidence on the impact of parental conflict, can identify it, can distinguish it from domestic abuse and provide universal level support and initial early support. This support should be available to parents who are together, separating or separated.

From April, all Local Authorities will receive funding to establish Best Start Family Hubs. Best Start Family Hubs will draw on what we know works from the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, and Sure Start to provide essential support for parents and families. Best Start Family Hubs have a vital role in connecting families to a broad range of services to ensure holistic and integrated support. The Department for Work and Pensions will work closely with the Department for Education as they review the approach to programme expectations in preparation for the roll out of Best Start Family Hubs.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government where responsibility for the Reducing Parental Conflict programme now lies within government, and whether there are any plans to change the responsible department.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Reducing Parental Conflict programme continues to deliver effective relationship support for parents, working with Local Authorities (LAs), family support services and a wide network of partners including voluntary and community organisations. Following the Spending Review, the Department will be making internal funding allocations ahead of the new financial year, and decisions will be communicated at the earliest opportunity.

The Programme remains a DWP initiative, though this does not mean it is kept separate from family help programmes. The 75 LAs funded under the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme are expected, as a minimum, to ensure that staff in family hubs are aware of the evidence on the impact of parental conflict, can identify it, can distinguish it from domestic abuse and provide universal level support and initial early support. This support should be available to parents who are together, separating or separated.

From April, all Local Authorities will receive funding to establish Best Start Family Hubs. Best Start Family Hubs will draw on what we know works from the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, and Sure Start to provide essential support for parents and families. Best Start Family Hubs have a vital role in connecting families to a broad range of services to ensure holistic and integrated support. The Department for Work and Pensions will work closely with the Department for Education as they review the approach to programme expectations in preparation for the roll out of Best Start Family Hubs.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to announce funding allocations for the next phase of the Reducing Parental Conflict programme.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Reducing Parental Conflict programme continues to deliver effective relationship support for parents, working with Local Authorities (LAs), family support services and a wide network of partners including voluntary and community organisations. Following the Spending Review, the Department will be making internal funding allocations ahead of the new financial year, and decisions will be communicated at the earliest opportunity.

The Programme remains a DWP initiative, though this does not mean it is kept separate from family help programmes. The 75 LAs funded under the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme are expected, as a minimum, to ensure that staff in family hubs are aware of the evidence on the impact of parental conflict, can identify it, can distinguish it from domestic abuse and provide universal level support and initial early support. This support should be available to parents who are together, separating or separated.

From April, all Local Authorities will receive funding to establish Best Start Family Hubs. Best Start Family Hubs will draw on what we know works from the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, and Sure Start to provide essential support for parents and families. Best Start Family Hubs have a vital role in connecting families to a broad range of services to ensure holistic and integrated support. The Department for Work and Pensions will work closely with the Department for Education as they review the approach to programme expectations in preparation for the roll out of Best Start Family Hubs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the financial sustainability of independent adult hospices in England in the light of plans to legalise assisted dying.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department and NHS England are currently working at pace to develop plans on how best to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care, including that provided by adult hospices, in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

We are supporting hospices in England with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

Irrespective of whether the law changes on assisted dying, we must continue to work towards creating a society where every person who needs it receives high-quality, compassionate palliative and end of life care.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 24 October (HL10891), whether the father's NHS number, email address and telephone number will be added to a baby's Patient Demographic Service records through linking with the father's health record; and if so, who will add those details, how those details will be added, and when those details will be added relative to the baby's birth.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

A father’s, and second parent’s, National Health Service number, emails, and telephone numbers will become available via a look up rather than via an actual field population, if parents have shared their data on the General Registry Office. Information added to the baby’s Personal Demographics Service Record in England will be through an automated process, completed after the birth registration.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish data about how local authorities who receive funding for the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme are going further than minimum expectations on (1) reducing parental conflict, and (2) support for separating and separated funding.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department does not publish data on how funding impacts reducing parental conflict or support for separating parents.

Through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme and the Family Hubs Transformation Fund, over 400 family hubs are now open across 88 local authorities. These hubs aim to connect separating parents with local services to prioritise children’s outcomes when agreeing arrangements and to avoid unnecessary court proceedings.

The government recognises the importance of resolving issues quickly and, where appropriate, outside court. The family mediation voucher scheme continues to provide £500 towards mediation costs, with over £16 million in vouchers issued to help 38,700 parents.

Local authorities with developed family hub models may offer hub-based mediation or shared parenting programmes to support separating families. While not mandatory, this is strongly encouraged for areas seeking to enhance their offer.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish data about how local authorities who receive funding for the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme are meeting expectations on (1) reducing parental conflict, and (2) support for separating and separated funding.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department does not publish data on how funding impacts reducing parental conflict or support for separating parents.

Through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme and the Family Hubs Transformation Fund, over 400 family hubs are now open across 88 local authorities. These hubs aim to connect separating parents with local services to prioritise children’s outcomes when agreeing arrangements and to avoid unnecessary court proceedings.

The government recognises the importance of resolving issues quickly and, where appropriate, outside court. The family mediation voucher scheme continues to provide £500 towards mediation costs, with over £16 million in vouchers issued to help 38,700 parents.

Local authorities with developed family hub models may offer hub-based mediation or shared parenting programmes to support separating families. While not mandatory, this is strongly encouraged for areas seeking to enhance their offer.

Found: Lord Farmer (August 2019). 13 The Importance of Strengthening Female Offenders' Family and other Relationships