Camden Nursery Sexual Abuse Case
Jen Craft Excerpts(4 days, 17 hours ago)
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Bridget Phillipson
As a Department, we are working with Ofsted to review the regulation of nursery chains to ensure that parents can see strengths and areas of concern across the chain and that, where appropriate, action can be taken. I recognise the additional question that the hon. Member asks about the nature of regulation and the importance of preventing rules from being exploited. I will ensure that she receives a full response from Ofsted setting out its approach and any changes it is considering in relation to her questions.
Jen Craft (Thurrock) (Lab)
All our thoughts are with the families of the children affected by this appalling case. We cannot even begin to understand the impact it will have on those children throughout their lives. A whole load of support will need to be brought in to protect them and deal with the knock-on effects that they experience.
It brings to mind a case that has been brought to my attention involving another group of extremely vulnerable individuals. These are older children with complex and severe learning disabilities. I cannot talk too much about it, because it is a live case, but a parallel that struck me was that serious safeguarding concerns have been identified and given weight in one setting, when the organisation is part of a larger chain. In the case before us, it is a chain of nurseries and in the case I am referring to it is a multi-academy trust. It raises questions as to whether the body can be trusted with safeguarding more widely. Are there plans in place to look at corporate responsibility and to look at these things across the piece, rather than just as individual isolated incidents?
Another parallel is that I understand a whistleblower brought this case to the attention of the police in the first place. What measures will be introduced to protect whistleblowers in such cases, particularly when the person and the organisation to whom the whistleblower is reporting may be compromised?
Bridget Phillipson
My hon. Friend raises a number of important concerns about how groups operate in early years settings and schools, and the importance of ensuring that we have the right framework in place to take action where necessary. We are taking an active approach in early years and in schools, and are working with Ofsted on these key points. I recognise the limitations on what she can say about the case in the Chamber today, but the Under-Secretary of State for Education, my hon. Friend the Member for Reading West and Mid Berkshire (Olivia Bailey) or I would willing to meet her to discuss her concerns and what more we can do to ensure that we keep all children safe from harm.
My hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Jen Craft) raises the question of whistleblowing. I will not comment on this case in particular, given that the local review is under way, but whistleblowers continue to enjoy protection under the law in the action they take to protect others from harm. In the progress against Alexis Jay’s review, we will be taking further action on mandatory reporting, as we have discussed today.
Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy
Jen Craft Excerpts(1 month, 2 weeks ago)
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Jen Craft (Thurrock) (Lab)
I strongly welcome this strategy today, particularly the commitment that the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State have made to guarantee all 16-year-olds a college place. However, will she commit to working towards closing the legislative gap, where children between the ages of five and 16 with SEND can access home-to-school transport, as can those with SEND from age 19 to 25, but between the ages of 16 and 19 there is currently no statutory provision for them to have home-to-school transport. An estimated one in seven disabled young people, equating to 13,500 people, were unable to access college this year alone as a result.
Bridget Phillipson
I recognise the passion and expertise that my hon. Friend brings to this subject, and I would be happy to discuss that issue with her in more detail.
Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life
Jen Craft Excerpts(5 months ago)
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Bridget Phillipson
The right hon. Gentleman has set out with great clarity why the system we have at the moment just is not working. His experience is that of many Members across this House; I, too, have met many constituents who have struggled for far too long to get the support that their children deserve. That is why, while we are investing through the Budget and the spending review in more training for staff, more places and better support for children with SEND, we are also taking our time to get this right. I am listening very carefully to parents, campaigners, charities and others, so that the reform we set out deals with precisely the concerns that the right hon. Gentleman has raised—how hard and adversarial it can be, and how parents have lost confidence in the system. On a more positive note, though, his local authority will benefit from today’s announcement, and will receive additional funding towards a Best Start family hub in his community.
Jen Craft (Thurrock) (Lab)
Frankly, I am shocked that Opposition Members seem to be suffering from collective amnesia when it comes to figuring out how we got into this state in the first place. As a SEND parent, when I was struggling over the past seven years I would have welcomed some of the concern they are showing today for those who have children with SEND in early years. Parents are anxious and worried. That has not risen from a void, but anxious and worried they are. What reassurance and commitment can the Secretary of State give that parents and families of children with SEND will be listened to and their voices heard in any changes to the SEND system in the forthcoming White Paper? Change is desperately needed, but parents, families and children must be at the heart of that.
Bridget Phillipson
My hon. Friend speaks with real power, real expertise and personal experience on these matters, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to discuss much of this with her, including her experiences as a parent and as a constituency MP and what needs to change. I can give her the absolute and categorical assurance not just that that work will happen, but that it is already under way. I am spending much time listening to and speaking with parents of children with SEND, campaigners, charities, school leaders and others.
There is broad acceptance that the system just is not working, and the guiding principle of any reform that we bring forward will be rooted in better life chances for our children with SEND. We want more support, strengthened support and more timely support. However, we are already delivering, backed by extra investment going into the system. I appreciate the important need to build parents’ confidence in the system ahead of any wider reform, and that is why we are taking action already. We are determined to get longer term reform right, and I look forward to working with my hon. Friend on making that a reality.
Breakfast Clubs: Early Adopters
Jen Craft Excerpts(9 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Bridget Phillipson
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her questions. Turning first to the question of funding, there has sadly been some misunderstanding about the funding rates, so I will set those out for the benefit of the House. In the summer term, funding will be paid in two parts: an up-front, one-off payment of £500 to cover initial set-up costs and, alongside that, a lump sum payment of £1,099 to cover fixed staffing costs for the summer term. That is in addition to the per pupil funding rates that exist in both mainstream and specialist provision; of course, rates will be higher in special schools, recognising the additional needs and staffing requirements that exist there. Schools will receive support to manage the requirements of the scheme, and will be provided with opportunities to learn from one another.
On food standards, we always seek to keep all those areas under review. We want to make sure that all the food served in our schools is healthy and nutritious, so that children are well fed and ready to learn. The school food statutory guidance, which regulates the food and drink provided in schools, already applies to breakfast. We want to ensure that healthy meals are offered as part of breakfast clubs, and we will continue to keep these areas under review.
The hon. Lady is right to ask about existing wraparound provision. We expect the two offers to be complementary; schools will be able to provide a paid-for offer alongside the 30 minutes of childcare and food through the universal offer. I note her concerns about child poverty, and strongly agree that there is a need for further action to tackle the shocking rates of child poverty we see in our country. That is why, together with the Work and Pensions Secretary, we are leading work across Government as part of the child poverty taskforce. We look forward to setting out further findings from that work in due course, including to this House. We are considering a range of measures and ways in which we can support children out of poverty—the shocking legacy left behind by the last Conservative Government.
The hon. Lady asks about the additional investment going into the sector. The big investment that we are putting into the early years pupil premium and the expansion grant will be crucial to providing the support that the sector needs to deliver the places and staffing required ahead of September. I look forward to continuing to work with her to make sure we get this right.
Jen Craft (Thurrock) (Lab)
I warmly welcome today’s announcement of the breakfast club pilot areas, including the two schools in my constituency, which will make a massive difference to the lives of many working families. However, on the subject of breakfast clubs, as an SEN parent I would like to issue the plea, “Don’t you forget about me.” Too often, SEN parents and their children find that policy moves ahead without them, and there is a risk that we could be slightly overlooked in this area. What measures has the Secretary of State put in place to make sure that disabled children and those with additional needs can fully take part in breakfast clubs?
Bridget Phillipson
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this important area. She is right that breakfast clubs must be fully inclusive and take account of the needs of all children, including children with SEND. That is why, as part of this process, we have announced 50 special and AP schools that will be taking part in the early adopters scheme. They will receive a higher funding rate of £3.23 a pupil, in addition to support for set-up costs and termly payments. I recognise the need to ensure that breakfast clubs operating in mainstream schools can cater to the needs of a wide range of children. That is why we are developing a toolkit for providers of wraparound care, including breakfast clubs, so that the provision that is put in place is inclusive for all children.