Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data the Department holds on the expected changes in childcare demand in Northumberland associated with childcare measures in the Child Poverty Strategy.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
It is the government’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.
As part of the Child Poverty Strategy, the government will provide Universal Credit childcare support to help with the childcare costs for all children instead of limiting this to two children, supporting parents who have larger families into work
The Strategy sets out how we intend to monitor and evaluate the impacts of the strategy, including understanding how this varies across the UK and for different groups.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data the Department holds on the expected changes in childcare demand in Hexham constituency associated with childcare measures in the Child Poverty Strategy.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
It is the government’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.
As part of the Child Poverty Strategy, the government will provide Universal Credit childcare support to help with the childcare costs for all children instead of limiting this to two children, supporting parents who have larger families into work
The Strategy sets out how we intend to monitor and evaluate the impacts of the strategy, including understanding how this varies across the UK and for different groups.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data the Department holds on the expected changes in childcare demand in the North East associated with childcare measures in the Child Poverty Strategy.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
It is the government’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.
As part of the Child Poverty Strategy, the government will provide Universal Credit childcare support to help with the childcare costs for all children instead of limiting this to two children, supporting parents who have larger families into work
The Strategy sets out how we intend to monitor and evaluate the impacts of the strategy, including understanding how this varies across the UK and for different groups.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions the Department has had with relevant stakeholders in Northumberland to ensure parents have accessible information regarding the available safeguarding for extracurricular activities.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is committed to safeguarding children across all education settings, including extracurricular providers outside the statutory education and childcare system, referred to as out-of-school settings (OOSS). Local authorities are legally responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare all children in their area, regardless of the education setting they attend.
All OOSS have a legal duty of care to ensure the safety of children attending their settings. The department has published guidance for:
The ‘Early education and childcare’ guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2/early-education-and-childcare-effective-from-1-april-2025, and applies to:
Whilst the department believes most out-of-school settings offer enriching education in a safe environment, we want this to be true for all. That is why the government held a call for evidence regarding sector safeguarding practices and invited views on approaches for further strengthening safeguarding, including potential regulation. This closed on 21 September and analysis is ongoing. We will respond in due course.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions the Department has had with relevant stakeholders in the Hexham constituency to ensure parents have accessible information regarding the available safeguarding for extracurricular activities.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is committed to safeguarding children across all education settings, including extracurricular providers outside the statutory education and childcare system, referred to as out-of-school settings (OOSS). Local authorities are legally responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare all children in their area, regardless of the education setting they attend.
All OOSS have a legal duty of care to ensure the safety of children attending their settings. The department has published guidance for:
The ‘Early education and childcare’ guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2/early-education-and-childcare-effective-from-1-april-2025, and applies to:
Whilst the department believes most out-of-school settings offer enriching education in a safe environment, we want this to be true for all. That is why the government held a call for evidence regarding sector safeguarding practices and invited views on approaches for further strengthening safeguarding, including potential regulation. This closed on 21 September and analysis is ongoing. We will respond in due course.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions the Department has had with relevant stakeholders in the North East to ensure parents have accessible information regarding the available safeguarding for extracurricular activities.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is committed to safeguarding children across all education settings, including extracurricular providers outside the statutory education and childcare system, referred to as out-of-school settings (OOSS). Local authorities are legally responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare all children in their area, regardless of the education setting they attend.
All OOSS have a legal duty of care to ensure the safety of children attending their settings. The department has published guidance for:
The ‘Early education and childcare’ guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2/early-education-and-childcare-effective-from-1-april-2025, and applies to:
Whilst the department believes most out-of-school settings offer enriching education in a safe environment, we want this to be true for all. That is why the government held a call for evidence regarding sector safeguarding practices and invited views on approaches for further strengthening safeguarding, including potential regulation. This closed on 21 September and analysis is ongoing. We will respond in due course.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment the Department has made of the potential merits of continuing the use of Education, Health and Care Plans to support children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities with a guaranteed right to support in the North East.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
This government inherited a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system that has failed to meet the needs of families for too long.
The department’s priority is improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND so they get every chance to achieve and thrive in their education, no matter where they are in the country.
We are continuing to engage closely with children, parents and experts as we develop plans to ensure all children and young people get the outcomes and life chances they deserve. The government's approach to SEND reform will be set out in a Schools White Paper, which will be published in the new year.
There will always be a legal right to additional support for children and young people with SEND. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has also set out our principles for SEND reform in her letter to the Chair of the Education Select Committee.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will hold discussions with relevant stakeholders on the inclusion of targets for child poverty reduction in Hexham constituency within the forthcoming Child Poverty Strategy.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.
Our recently published landmark Child Poverty Strategy is set to lift 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030.
The publication sets out how we intend to monitor and evaluate the impacts of the Strategy, including understanding how this varies across the UK and for different groups. The publication also sets out how we will measure the experience of children in the most severe and acute forms of poverty.
The Child Poverty Taskforce and Unit engaged extensively with stakeholders in the North East throughout the development of the Strategy. This includes engagement with the North East Poverty Commission and attendance at the North East Child Poverty Summit. Furthermore, Kim McGuinness, Mayor of the North East Combined Authority, attended a Taskforce meeting in September 2024 to discuss the experience of poverty in local communities and approaches to tackling child poverty.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will hold discussions with relevant stakeholders on the inclusion of targets for child poverty reduction in the Northumberland within the forthcoming Child Poverty Strategy.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.
Our recently published landmark Child Poverty Strategy is set to lift 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030.
The publication sets out how we intend to monitor and evaluate the impacts of the Strategy, including understanding how this varies across the UK and for different groups. The publication also sets out how we will measure the experience of children in the most severe and acute forms of poverty.
The Child Poverty Taskforce and Unit engaged extensively with stakeholders in the North East throughout the development of the Strategy. This includes engagement with the North East Poverty Commission and attendance at the North East Child Poverty Summit. Furthermore, Kim McGuinness, Mayor of the North East Combined Authority, attended a Taskforce meeting in September 2024 to discuss the experience of poverty in local communities and approaches to tackling child poverty.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will hold discussions with relevant stakeholders on the inclusion of targets for child poverty reduction in the North East within the forthcoming Child Poverty Strategy.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.
Our recently published landmark Child Poverty Strategy is set to lift 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030.
The publication sets out how we intend to monitor and evaluate the impacts of the Strategy, including understanding how this varies across the UK and for different groups. The publication also sets out how we will measure the experience of children in the most severe and acute forms of poverty.
The Child Poverty Taskforce and Unit engaged extensively with stakeholders in the North East throughout the development of the Strategy. This includes engagement with the North East Poverty Commission and attendance at the North East Child Poverty Summit. Furthermore, Kim McGuinness, Mayor of the North East Combined Authority, attended a Taskforce meeting in September 2024 to discuss the experience of poverty in local communities and approaches to tackling child poverty.