Oral Answers to Questions

Phillip Lee Excerpts

Monday 24th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Laws]

I do not know what the hon. Gentleman is talking about. This Government are encouraging schools to collaborate; this Government are encouraging partnership; this Government are promoting national leaders of education; this Government are going to introduce something that their predecessors did not—tables of similar schools so that schools can learn from each other.

[Dr Phillip Lee (Bracknell) (Con)]

7. What steps he is taking to improve the quality of children and families social work.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Mr Edward Timpson)]

Building on the recommendations of the Munro review, we have put in place an ambitious reform programme for social work that seeks to improve initial social work education through the Step Up to Social Work and Frontline training initiatives to get the best people into the profession as well as improve the quality of front-line practice by revising Working Together to Safeguard Children and appointing a chief social worker.

[Dr Lee]

I thank the Minister for his answer. How does he plan to ensure that newly qualified social workers both have a degree that best equips them for the front line and receive proper support in the first few years of their career?