Asked by: Josh MacAlister (Labour - Whitehaven and Workington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) her Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies offers employees who are foster carers (i) flexible working, (ii) paid time off for (A) training and (B) settling a new child into their home and (iii) other support.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
At MHCLG:
(i) Employees have a statutory right to request flexible working which applies from the first day of employment. Employees can make two statutory requests for flexible working in any 12-month period. This will include requests to support employees who undertake foster caring outside of their employment. In addition, foster carers may apply for flexible working when settling a new child into their home.
(ii) We do not have a policy which explicitly covers paid time off for fosters carers for (A) training. (B) Up to 10 days in a 12-month rolling period can be taken at the start of a planned permanent placement to help the child settle. If both parents are employed by the department, one parent would receive up to 10 days and the other up to 5 days.
Employees are able to take annual and flexi leave as required and request flexible working. In addition, employees are able to take upto 15 days paid time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant.
(iii) Prospective adopters under a 'fostering to adopt' arrangement, can take up to 5 days paid leave in a rolling 12 month period. Employees can also take 5 days special leave without pay to attend meetings, training, unforeseen emergencies relating to their fostering role or to accommodate an emergency placement. In addition, we also allow employees to take up to 5 days paid special leave to attend non emergency medical appointments for dependants where these cannot be booked in working time.
Employees of Arms Length Bodies are able to take annual leave as required and request flexible working. In addition, employees are able to take time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant. Other paid or unpaid time off provisions vary between each individual employer.
Asked by: Josh MacAlister (Labour - Whitehaven and Workington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the provision of mental health services in rural areas.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards are responsible for providing mental health services to meet the needs of their local populations.
As part of our plan for change, we will reduce delays and provide faster treatment.
We are working with NHS England to transform mental health services, shift care from hospitals to local communities and increase access to support for people across the country, including rural areas.
Asked by: Josh MacAlister (Labour - Whitehaven and Workington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether (a) her Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies offers employees who are foster carers (i) flexible working, (ii) paid time off for (A) training and (B) settling a new child into their home and (iii) other support.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Employees at the department have a statutory right to request flexible working which applies from the first day of employment. Employees can make two statutory requests for flexible working in any 12-month period and this will include requests to support employees who undertake foster caring.
The department also provides employees who are foster carers with time off, paid and unpaid, for a variety of reasons relating to their fostering role, including to settle a child into their home or for training. This is in addition to any statutory right to time off to care for family and dependants.
Other support available within the department includes access to an Employee Assistance Programme, staff networks, the ability to request flexible working on an informal basis and Mental Health First Aiders.
Information on the support provided by the department’s arms-length bodies can be found in the attachment.
Asked by: Josh MacAlister (Labour - Whitehaven and Workington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a) his Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies offers employees who are foster carers (i) flexible working, (ii) paid time off for (A) training and (B) settling a new child into their home and (iii) other support.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Employees have a statutory right to request flexible working which applies from the first day of employment. Employees can make two statutory requests for flexible working in any 12-month period. This will include requests to support employees who undertake foster caring outside of their employment. In addition, foster carers may apply for flexible working when settling a new child into their home.
We do not have a policy which explicitly covers paid time off for foster carers for (A) training and/or (B) settling a new child into their home. Employees are able to take annual and flexi leave (if eligible) as required and request flexible working. In addition to the statutory right to reasonable unpaid time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant, and the statutory right to 5 days unpaid leave for those with caring responsibilities, the Department and its arm’s length bodies offer
If the fostering arrangement leads to Adoption (Fostering to Adopt), both Adoption Leave and Parental Leave may be applied for.
Other Support
Parental Network: Defra’s Parental Network is a staff-led, informal group. It provides support and information for want-to-be, soon-to-be and current parents, as well as line managers or those supporting parents as part of their role.
Carers Network: The Defra Carers’ Network is a staff-led group providing support for carers who work at Defra. A carer is anyone who cares for a friend or family member who, because of an illness, a disability, a mental health problem, or an addiction, cannot cope without their support.
Asked by: Josh MacAlister (Labour - Whitehaven and Workington)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether (a) his Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies offers employees who are foster carers (i) flexible working, (ii) paid time off for (A) training and (B) settling a new child into their home and (iii) other support.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
There is no central cross-government wide policy for foster care leave.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) does offer employees who are foster carers flexible working, but not paid time off for training or settling a new child into their home. My Department provides a strong offer to all staff with respect to annual leave and hybrid working, as well as flexibility around taking unpaid time off, along with employee wellbeing support through the 24/7 service of our Employee Assistance Programme.
DSIT public bodies similarly exercise a range of flexible working policies that can support staff with caring and other responsibilities.
Asked by: Josh MacAlister (Labour - Whitehaven and Workington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether (a) his Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies offers employees who are foster carers (i) flexible working, (ii) paid time off for (A) training and (B) settling a new child into their home and (iii) other support.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) does offer our employees who are foster carers flexible working but not paid time off for training or settling a new child into their home. The Department provides a strong offer to all staff with respect to annual leave and hybrid working, as well as flexibility around taking unpaid time off, along with employee wellbeing support through the 24/7 service of our Employee Assistance Programme.
DESNZ public bodies similarly exercise a range of flexible working policies that can support staff with caring and other responsibilities.
Asked by: Josh MacAlister (Labour - Whitehaven and Workington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether (a) her Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies offers employees who are foster carers (i) flexible working, (ii) paid time off for (A) training and (B) settling a new child into their home and (iii) other support.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
All employees of DWP, including foster carers, have access to flexi time and can exercise their legal right to request other kinds of flexible working. Specific provision exists for foster carers to have paid time off for their initial assessment, training or attendance at formal meetings. Once approved as a foster carer, specific provision also exists for paid time off to deal with emergencies and for ongoing training and further formal meetings. In addition, any foster carer may apply for time off under provisions that are not restricted to foster care, such as paid compassionate leave. Other support provided for all employees is available for foster carers to use, such as professional advice and counselling from our employee assistance service.
For Arms-Length Bodies in scope there are different mechanisms in place for supporting their employees. These details are provided below:
Asked by: Josh MacAlister (Labour - Whitehaven and Workington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether (a) his Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies offers employees who are foster carers (i) flexible working, (ii) paid time off for (A) training and (B) settling a new child into their home and (iii) other support.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Employees have a statutory right to request flexible working which applies from the first day of employment. Employees can make two statutory requests for flexible working in any 12-month period. This will include requests to support employees who undertake foster caring outside of their employment. In addition, foster carers may apply for flexible working when settling a new child into their home. Foster carers can also receive an additional 5 days of paid or unpaid leave in a 12-month period at the discretion of their line manager. This leave can be used for meetings, training, unforeseen emergencies related to their fostering role, or to accommodate emergency placement. At the start of a planned permanent placement, foster carers can receive up to 10 days of discretionary special paid leave in a 12-month period. If both parents are employed, one parent would receive up to 10 days and the other up to 5 days. Foster carers are also eligible to claim pre-school and school-age child support for childcare. These provisions are designed to support foster carers in balancing their professional responsibilities with their fostering duties. Employees also have a statutory right to take unpaid time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant.
Asked by: Josh MacAlister (Labour - Whitehaven and Workington)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether (a) his Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies offers employees who are foster carers (i) flexible working, (ii) paid time off for (A) training and (B) settling a new child into their home and (iii) other support.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade allows foster carers to take paid special leave for both training and to settle a new foster child into their home. Employees also have the statutory right to request flexible working which applies from the first day of employment.
DBT has an Employee Assistance Programme which provides impartial and confidential advice, counselling and online resources for all employees. The department also has dedicated parents’ network who provide advice and support to working parents.
Arms length bodies have their own individual policies and procedures relating to foster carers.
Asked by: Josh MacAlister (Labour - Whitehaven and Workington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether (a) her Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies offers employees who are foster carers (i) flexible working, (ii) paid time off for (A) training and (B) settling a new child into their home and (iii) other support.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport does not have a specific policy to support foster carers (except where staff are fostering to adopt and may be eligible for adoption leave). It has policies to support carers, including parental leave, paid and unpaid special leave, and flexible working, which will support employees who are fostering children. This applies to the department and executive agencies.
East West Rail, High Speed Rail 2, and London and Continental Rail (which are Arms Length Bodies sponsored by DfT) have policies specifically allowing paid leave for settling fostered children. Other Arms Length Bodies apply policies to support carers in a similar way to DfT.