Northern Powerhouse: Early Years Attainment

Lord Ramsbotham Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd December 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

The answer is extremely complex, but the most important thing is to ensure that all young people across the country are supported, and that is why we are focusing resources on the most disadvantaged through various programmes. There is a multitude of factors, such as deprivation and low academic achievement, meaning that families may not have been able to achieve over a number of years. That is why we are focused on helping vulnerable families and vulnerable children through a range of programmes and resources, targeting the finances where they are most needed.

[Lord Ramsbotham (CB)]

My Lords, when the assessment mentioned by the noble Baroness, Lady Massey, gives so much information about the development of a child at the age of five, why is the Welfare Reform and Work Bill delaying any such assessment until key stage 4?

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

As I said, we will continue to ensure that we look at the development of young children from an early age. We are working with local authorities and charitable organisations on the ground to make sure that we provide the best resources that we can to vulnerable families. There are a number of very good projects going on in the north: a project in Durham is bringing agencies together to focus on children’s well-being; Wigan is one of eight local authorities piloting an integrated education and health review for two year-olds; and, through the vulnerable families programme, we are bringing local services together. So we are learning from practice on the ground to try to ensure that we target resources on the families who need them the most.