Asked by: Miriam Cates (Conservative - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children below school age spend (a) 30 to 39 hours and (b) 40 hours or more per week in a formal childcare setting broken down by age of child in England for which the latest data is available.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Shadow Minister (Equalities)
The department does not publish the data required to answer this question. A range of related data is available in the 2022 childcare and early years survey of parents in England. This is a long-standing, nationally representative survey of 6,000 parents of children aged 0-14, with the latest data published on 27 July 2023. The survey can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents-2022.
Asked by: Miriam Cates (Conservative - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing an individual childcare budget to support parents with informal childcare arrangements such as that provided by (a) parents and (b) grandparents.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Shadow Minister (Equalities)
The reporting year 2021 ‘Childcare and early years survey of parents’ has findings on parents’ views on ideal working arrangements. The results of this survey are available at: https://www.explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents/2021, including table 8.12. In 2021, 39% of working mothers of 0-14 year olds stated they would give up work to look after their children, and 58% would work fewer hours, if they could afford it.
The department recognises the valuable role that informal and family childcare arrangements play in supporting working parents, giving them additional flexibilities. The department is determined to support as many families as possible with access to high-quality, affordable childcare, which is why the Spring Budget 2023 announced the single largest investment in childcare ever. There are no current plans to look at the potential merits of introducing an individual childcare budget to support parents with informal childcare arrangements.
In 2021 children under one spent a median of 17.4 hours per week (note very small sample sizes) and one-year-olds a median of 18 hours per week in formal childcare. This data is not published broken down by household income. Table 1.7, also taken from reporting year 2021 ‘Childcare and early years survey of parents’, contains further information. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are no figures available for 2020. Data for 2022 is due to be published on 27 July 2023.
Asked by: Miriam Cates (Conservative - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of mothers in the workforce who would prefer to work fewer hours or not at all to enable them to provide childcare to their children.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Shadow Minister (Equalities)
The reporting year 2021 ‘Childcare and early years survey of parents’ has findings on parents’ views on ideal working arrangements. The results of this survey are available at: https://www.explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents/2021, including table 8.12. In 2021, 39% of working mothers of 0-14 year olds stated they would give up work to look after their children, and 58% would work fewer hours, if they could afford it.
The department recognises the valuable role that informal and family childcare arrangements play in supporting working parents, giving them additional flexibilities. The department is determined to support as many families as possible with access to high-quality, affordable childcare, which is why the Spring Budget 2023 announced the single largest investment in childcare ever. There are no current plans to look at the potential merits of introducing an individual childcare budget to support parents with informal childcare arrangements.
In 2021 children under one spent a median of 17.4 hours per week (note very small sample sizes) and one-year-olds a median of 18 hours per week in formal childcare. This data is not published broken down by household income. Table 1.7, also taken from reporting year 2021 ‘Childcare and early years survey of parents’, contains further information. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are no figures available for 2020. Data for 2022 is due to be published on 27 July 2023.
Asked by: Miriam Cates (Conservative - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the average number of hours per week that children under the age of two spent in a formal childcare setting in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022 by household income.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Shadow Minister (Equalities)
The reporting year 2021 ‘Childcare and early years survey of parents’ has findings on parents’ views on ideal working arrangements. The results of this survey are available at: https://www.explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents/2021, including table 8.12. In 2021, 39% of working mothers of 0-14 year olds stated they would give up work to look after their children, and 58% would work fewer hours, if they could afford it.
The department recognises the valuable role that informal and family childcare arrangements play in supporting working parents, giving them additional flexibilities. The department is determined to support as many families as possible with access to high-quality, affordable childcare, which is why the Spring Budget 2023 announced the single largest investment in childcare ever. There are no current plans to look at the potential merits of introducing an individual childcare budget to support parents with informal childcare arrangements.
In 2021 children under one spent a median of 17.4 hours per week (note very small sample sizes) and one-year-olds a median of 18 hours per week in formal childcare. This data is not published broken down by household income. Table 1.7, also taken from reporting year 2021 ‘Childcare and early years survey of parents’, contains further information. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are no figures available for 2020. Data for 2022 is due to be published on 27 July 2023.
Asked by: Miriam Cates (Conservative - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of hours children under the age of two are likely to spend in a formal childcare due to the Government's free childcare provisions in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Shadow Minister (Equalities)
In the Government’s Spring Budget on 15 March 2023, the Chancellor announced transformative reforms to childcare for parents, children, the economy and women. By 2027/28, the department will expect to be spending in excess of £8 billion every year on free hours and early education, helping working families with their childcare costs. This represents the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.
From April 2024, eligible working parents of 2-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours of free childcare per week (over 38 weeks a year) from the term after their 2nd birthday, benefitting parents of up to 285,000 children. This will be extended to eligible working parents of children aged 9 months and over from September 2024, benefitting up to 640,000 children in total. From September 2025, this will be extended to 30 hours of free childcare per week.
Childcare is a vital enabler for parents to work. The new offer for working parents will tackle this barrier by closing the gap between parental leave ending and the government’s current entitlement offers so that more parents, and especially women, are supported to enter work.
The department monitors the average hours of childcare used by children of different ages via the Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents.
In January 2023, 88.5% of disadvantaged 2-year-olds registered for the 15-hour entitlement were taking up between 12.51 and 15 hours of funded childcare per week.
Asked by: Miriam Cates (Conservative - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department has issued to schools on (a) the collection of pupil data on preferred pronouns and (b) the use of pronouns in schools that do not correspond to those of the pupil’s legally registered sex.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department recognises that this is a complex and sensitive subject for schools to navigate, which is why it is developing guidance to support schools in relation to transgender pupils. The guidance will cover a set of relevant topics. It is important that the Department considers a wide range of views to ensure the guidance is right. As such, the Department has committed to holding a full public consultation on the draft guidance, prior to publication.
With respect to data collection, schools are not legally required to collect data on pupils’ preferred pronouns or on the number of pupils who identify as transgender or present with gender dysphoria. Schools are legally required to keep a school register containing information relating to all pupils, which should include their sex. They are required to provide details of pupil gender to Local Authorities, or to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, where requested.
Asked by: Miriam Cates (Conservative - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to ensure that all Relationships and Sex Education learning materials used in schools are shared with parents.
Answered by Nick Gibb
All schools are required to share information about the curriculum with parents and the Department also expects schools to consult with parents when developing or reviewing their relationships and sex education (RSE) policy. The relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance is clear that when consulting parents, schools should provide examples of the resources that they plan to use.
The Department does not expect schools to share all of the learning materials they use with parents routinely, but where parents request to see specific materials used to teach their children, schools are expected to respond positively.
The Department believes the majority of schools use high quality, appropriate resources and engage with parents openly and transparently on what they plan to use. The Department has been made aware of situations where this is not the case and as such, we will write to all schools to clarify how materials can be shared which, will enable them to engage with parents constructively going forward.
Asked by: Miriam Cates (Conservative - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance she (a) has issued or (b) plans to issue to schools on policies on children who identify as transgender or present with gender dysphoria.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department recognises that this is a complex and sensitive subject for schools to navigate, which is why it is developing guidance to support schools in relation to transgender pupils. The guidance will cover a set of relevant topics. It is important that the Department considers a wide range of views to ensure the guidance is right. As such, the Department has committed to holding a full public consultation on the draft guidance, prior to publication.
With respect to data collection, schools are not legally required to collect data on pupils’ preferred pronouns or on the number of pupils who identify as transgender or present with gender dysphoria. Schools are legally required to keep a school register containing information relating to all pupils, which should include their sex. They are required to provide details of pupil gender to Local Authorities, or to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, where requested.
Asked by: Miriam Cates (Conservative - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the number of pupils who identify as transgender or present with gender dysphoria in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department recognises that this is a complex and sensitive subject for schools to navigate, which is why it is developing guidance to support schools in relation to transgender pupils. The guidance will cover a set of relevant topics. It is important that the Department considers a wide range of views to ensure the guidance is right. As such, the Department has committed to holding a full public consultation on the draft guidance, prior to publication.
With respect to data collection, schools are not legally required to collect data on pupils’ preferred pronouns or on the number of pupils who identify as transgender or present with gender dysphoria. Schools are legally required to keep a school register containing information relating to all pupils, which should include their sex. They are required to provide details of pupil gender to Local Authorities, or to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, where requested.
Asked by: Miriam Cates (Conservative - Penistone and Stocksbridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she (a) has issued or (b) plans to issue guidance to schools on the teaching of gender ideology.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department recognises that this is a complex and sensitive subject for schools to navigate, which is why it is developing guidance to support schools in relation to transgender pupils. The guidance will cover a set of relevant topics. It is important that the Department considers a wide range of views to ensure the guidance is right. As such, the Department has committed to holding a full public consultation on the draft guidance, prior to publication.
With respect to data collection, schools are not legally required to collect data on pupils’ preferred pronouns or on the number of pupils who identify as transgender or present with gender dysphoria. Schools are legally required to keep a school register containing information relating to all pupils, which should include their sex. They are required to provide details of pupil gender to Local Authorities, or to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, where requested.