Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to address the fact that 34 per cent of children in care moved home at least once during their GCSE or A level years, as estimated by the charity Become in their recent report Moving during exams: the instability crisis affecting children in care.

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

We are committed to ensuring that looked-after children are supported to succeed in education and achieve positive outcomes. We recognise the critical importance of continuity and stability throughout a looked-after child’s life. Under the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review guidance and regulations, the child’s social worker should do everything possible to minimise disruption to their education. School changes should be minimised, and any transitions well-planned and supported. Where a change to a child’s educational arrangements is unavoidable, their personal education plan should set out arrangements to minimise disruption to education, especially during exam periods and other critical periods in their education.

The government is introducing measures, including through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, to rebalance the market, improve regulation and commissioning of placements, and bring greater visibility to the prices local authorities are paying. This includes a focus on addressing the barriers that prevent homes from being established where they are needed.

Through our Plan for Change, we are also investing £2 billion over this Parliament to give more children a safe, loving home, including expanding the children’s home estate, delivering more foster care placements and helping keep families together by providing targeted support before problems escalate.

These measures will provide greater placement availability, stability and ensure that, where it is in a child's best interests, they are placed closer to home.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that local authorities facing budgetary problems continue to fulfil their statutory responsibilities.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recognises the significant pressures that councils are facing. This Spending Review provides over £5 billion of new grant funding over the next three years for local services that communities rely on. The Government is committed to ensuring that funding is targeted effectively at the places and services that need it most and allocated in a way that empowers local leaders to deliver against local priorities. This includes committing to multi-year allocations for each council through the upcoming 2026-27 Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS) and moving to a more up-to-date assessment of each council’s needs and resources.

Councils are responsible for their own financial management, and the department does not monitor their day-to-day business. Any council that has concerns about its ability to set or maintain a balanced budget should approach the department in the first instance.

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Found: Morris of Yardley (The Chair); Lord Blencathra; Lord Bradley; Lord Carter of Coles; Baroness Cass; Lord Laming

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Found: Morris of Yardley (The Chair); Lord Blencathra; Lord Bradley; Baroness Cass; Baroness Coffey; Lord Laming

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