Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Adult Skills Fund to cover learning (a) primarily and (b) solely for leisure purposes.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government has devolved and delegated approximately 60% of the adult skills fund (ASF) to the 9 Mayoral Combined Authorities of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, North East, South Yorkshire, Tees Valley, West Midlands, West of England, West Yorkshire and the Greater London Authority. The authorities are now responsible for the provision of adult education and allocation of the ASF in their local areas and it is for them to decide how they wish to prioritise funding.
In the remainder of England, the department continues to be responsible for adult skills funding. Within the ASF, the department will not fund provision where the primary or sole intent of the learning is for leisure.
The government has to take difficult decisions on where to prioritise funding. Given the economic and social challenges in the country, it is right that the primary purpose of the ASF is to support learners into employment and to progress to further learning. The ASF also supports wider outcomes including improving health and wellbeing, equipping parents and carers to support their child’s learning and developing stronger and more integrated communities.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing non-repayable maintenance grants for higher education students from the least advantaged backgrounds.
Answered by Luke Hall
The government believes that income contingent student loans are a fair and sensible way of financing higher education (HE). It is only right that those who benefit from the system should make a fair contribution to its costs. The government have continued to increase maximum loans and grants for living and other costs for undergraduate and postgraduate students each year, with a 2.8% increase for the 2023/24 academic year and a further 2.5% increase announced for 2024/25.
In addition, the government have frozen maximum tuition fees for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years. By 2024/25, maximum fees will have been frozen for seven successive years. The department believe that the current fee freeze achieves the best balance between ensuring that the system remains financially sustainable, offering good value for the taxpayer, and reducing debt levels for students in real terms.
The government understands the pressures people have been facing with the cost of living and has taken action to help. The government have already made £276 million of student premium and mental health funding available for the 2023/24 academic year to support successful outcomes for students including disadvantaged students.
The government have also made a further £10 million of support available to help student mental health and hardship funding for the 2023/24 academic year. This funding will complement the help universities are providing through their own bursary, scholarship and hardship support schemes. For the 2024/25 financial year, the government have increased the Student Premium (full-time, part-time, and disabled premium) by £5 million to reflect high demand for hardship support. Further details of this allocation for the academic year 2024/25 will be announced by the Office for Students in the summer.
Overall, support to households to help with the high cost of living is worth £108 billion over 2022/23 to 2024/25, which is an average of £3,800 per UK household. The government believes this will have eased the pressure on family budgets, which will in turn enable many families to provide additional support to their children in HE to help them meet increased living costs.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had recent discussions with Kent County Council on its proposal to reduce the eligible age for accessing its supported accommodation service for care leavers from 21 to 19.
Answered by David Johnston
Young people aged 16 or 17 who present as homeless should be supported in accordance with the following guidance, issued jointly by the Department for Education and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5b0ed0b240f0b634b1266bc9/Provision_of_accommodation_for_16_and_17_year_olds_who_may_be_homeless.pdf.
Care leavers aged over 18 do not have an automatic entitlement to be accommodated by their local authority. However, care leavers aged 18-21 are judged to have a ‘priority need’, as set out in Chapter 22 of the Homelessness Code of Guidance for local authorities, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homelessness-code-of-guidance-for-local-authorities/chapter-22-care-leavers. This includes categories and definitions of people who have priority need and includes young people under 21 who were looked after between the ages of 16 and 18; and people aged 21 or over who are vulnerable as a result of having been looked after, accommodated or fostered.
In addition, the Children Act 1989 sets out responsibilities on local authorities to support care leavers to make a successful transition from care to independent living. This includes a requirement on local authorities to appoint a Personal Adviser to support the young person up to at least age 21, and up to age 25 if the young person requests it. The Act also includes a duty on local authorities to support care leavers to remain living with their former foster carers up to age 21 under a ‘staying put’ arrangement, if both the young person and carer want to continue living together. The department is providing £99 million to local authorities in this Spending Review period to support implementation of ‘staying put’.
The department is also providing £53 million in this Spending Review period to roll-out ‘staying close’, which provides an enhanced support package for young people leaving children’s homes, and £9.6 million in this Spending Review period to support around 60 local authorities with the highest numbers of care leavers at risk of rough sleeping, as part of the cross-government rough sleeping strategy.
The Department has not had discussions with Kent County Council on this issue.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether it is her Department's policy that care leavers under the age of 21 who present as homeless should have their accommodation funded by the local authority responsible for social care.
Answered by David Johnston
Young people aged 16 or 17 who present as homeless should be supported in accordance with the following guidance, issued jointly by the Department for Education and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5b0ed0b240f0b634b1266bc9/Provision_of_accommodation_for_16_and_17_year_olds_who_may_be_homeless.pdf.
Care leavers aged over 18 do not have an automatic entitlement to be accommodated by their local authority. However, care leavers aged 18-21 are judged to have a ‘priority need’, as set out in Chapter 22 of the Homelessness Code of Guidance for local authorities, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homelessness-code-of-guidance-for-local-authorities/chapter-22-care-leavers. This includes categories and definitions of people who have priority need and includes young people under 21 who were looked after between the ages of 16 and 18; and people aged 21 or over who are vulnerable as a result of having been looked after, accommodated or fostered.
In addition, the Children Act 1989 sets out responsibilities on local authorities to support care leavers to make a successful transition from care to independent living. This includes a requirement on local authorities to appoint a Personal Adviser to support the young person up to at least age 21, and up to age 25 if the young person requests it. The Act also includes a duty on local authorities to support care leavers to remain living with their former foster carers up to age 21 under a ‘staying put’ arrangement, if both the young person and carer want to continue living together. The department is providing £99 million to local authorities in this Spending Review period to support implementation of ‘staying put’.
The department is also providing £53 million in this Spending Review period to roll-out ‘staying close’, which provides an enhanced support package for young people leaving children’s homes, and £9.6 million in this Spending Review period to support around 60 local authorities with the highest numbers of care leavers at risk of rough sleeping, as part of the cross-government rough sleeping strategy.
The Department has not had discussions with Kent County Council on this issue.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has issued recent guidance on the provision by local authorities of accommodation to care leavers beyond the age of 18.
Answered by David Johnston
Young people aged 16 or 17 who present as homeless should be supported in accordance with the following guidance, issued jointly by the Department for Education and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5b0ed0b240f0b634b1266bc9/Provision_of_accommodation_for_16_and_17_year_olds_who_may_be_homeless.pdf.
Care leavers aged over 18 do not have an automatic entitlement to be accommodated by their local authority. However, care leavers aged 18-21 are judged to have a ‘priority need’, as set out in Chapter 22 of the Homelessness Code of Guidance for local authorities, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homelessness-code-of-guidance-for-local-authorities/chapter-22-care-leavers. This includes categories and definitions of people who have priority need and includes young people under 21 who were looked after between the ages of 16 and 18; and people aged 21 or over who are vulnerable as a result of having been looked after, accommodated or fostered.
In addition, the Children Act 1989 sets out responsibilities on local authorities to support care leavers to make a successful transition from care to independent living. This includes a requirement on local authorities to appoint a Personal Adviser to support the young person up to at least age 21, and up to age 25 if the young person requests it. The Act also includes a duty on local authorities to support care leavers to remain living with their former foster carers up to age 21 under a ‘staying put’ arrangement, if both the young person and carer want to continue living together. The department is providing £99 million to local authorities in this Spending Review period to support implementation of ‘staying put’.
The department is also providing £53 million in this Spending Review period to roll-out ‘staying close’, which provides an enhanced support package for young people leaving children’s homes, and £9.6 million in this Spending Review period to support around 60 local authorities with the highest numbers of care leavers at risk of rough sleeping, as part of the cross-government rough sleeping strategy.
The Department has not had discussions with Kent County Council on this issue.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has issued recent guidance on the duties of responsible authorities to provide supported accommodation for care leavers under the age of 21.
Answered by David Johnston
Young people aged 16 or 17 who present as homeless should be supported in accordance with the following guidance, issued jointly by the Department for Education and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5b0ed0b240f0b634b1266bc9/Provision_of_accommodation_for_16_and_17_year_olds_who_may_be_homeless.pdf.
Care leavers aged over 18 do not have an automatic entitlement to be accommodated by their local authority. However, care leavers aged 18-21 are judged to have a ‘priority need’, as set out in Chapter 22 of the Homelessness Code of Guidance for local authorities, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homelessness-code-of-guidance-for-local-authorities/chapter-22-care-leavers. This includes categories and definitions of people who have priority need and includes young people under 21 who were looked after between the ages of 16 and 18; and people aged 21 or over who are vulnerable as a result of having been looked after, accommodated or fostered.
In addition, the Children Act 1989 sets out responsibilities on local authorities to support care leavers to make a successful transition from care to independent living. This includes a requirement on local authorities to appoint a Personal Adviser to support the young person up to at least age 21, and up to age 25 if the young person requests it. The Act also includes a duty on local authorities to support care leavers to remain living with their former foster carers up to age 21 under a ‘staying put’ arrangement, if both the young person and carer want to continue living together. The department is providing £99 million to local authorities in this Spending Review period to support implementation of ‘staying put’.
The department is also providing £53 million in this Spending Review period to roll-out ‘staying close’, which provides an enhanced support package for young people leaving children’s homes, and £9.6 million in this Spending Review period to support around 60 local authorities with the highest numbers of care leavers at risk of rough sleeping, as part of the cross-government rough sleeping strategy.
The Department has not had discussions with Kent County Council on this issue.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has provided recent guidance to local authorities on consulting with affected children on proposed changes to (a) the provision of accommodation and (b) other services for (i) children in care and (ii) care leavers.
Answered by David Johnston
It is vital that children in care and care leavers are properly consulted on the decisions that affect their lives. Local authorities must give due consideration to a child’s wishes and feelings before making any decisions about their care. This is clearly set out in the care planning guidance, which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1000549/The_Children_Act_1989_guidance_and_regulations_Volume_2_care_planning__placement_and_case_review.pdf. Every child must be appointed an Independent Reviewing Officer, who has a duty to ensure that care plans have given proper consideration to a child’s wishes and feelings and that the child fully understands the implications of changes to their care plan.
In addition, the Children Act 1989 sets out the responsibilities of local authorities to support care leavers to make a successful transition from care to independent living. This includes a requirement on local authorities to appoint a Personal Adviser to support the young person up to at least age 21, and up to age 25 if the young person requests it. The Personal Adviser is required to work with the young person to develop a mandatory Pathway Plan that sets out the young person’s aims and ambitions across seven domains, including accommodation, and the support that the local authority will provide to support them. The Pathway Plan must be reviewed at least every six months, or whenever the young person moves accommodation.
The department consults widely with children in care and care leavers on changes to national policy which might affect them. The department has established the National Implementation Board which includes people with lived experience of the children’s social care system, to challenge and support implementation and delivery of the reform programme, and has awarded contracts to Barnardo’s and Coram Voice until Spring 2024 who are working with policy officials to facilitate engagement with care experienced young people. Topics covered to date have included fostering, family help, corporate parenting and the national framework and dashboard.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of processes for investigating allegations made against foster carers; and what right of access foster carers have to information on allegations made against them.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Shadow Minister (Equalities)
The National Minimum Standards (NMS) are clear that allegations should be handled fairly, quickly, and consistently in a way that provides effective protection for the child and at the same time supports the person who is the subject of the allegation.
The NMS are clear that fostering service providers should provide foster carers with written guidance that sets out how they will be supported during an investigation, including the payment of allowance and any fees to foster carers while investigations are ongoing. The NMS also makes clear the duty of the fostering service provider to make available a person, independent of the service provider, who can offer information, advice, emotional support and, where needed, mediation and/or advocacy.
Foster carers should be given appropriate information about any allegation made against them and the reasons for an unplanned removal of a child. As soon as the investigation is concluded a comprehensive summary of any allegations should be given to the person that has been subject to the allegation. This summary will be held confidentially by the organisation until the person reaches retirement age, or for ten years if this is longer.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason the extension of free childcare will not commence until 2024.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Shadow Minister (Equalities)
The government announced in the Spring Budget 2023 that there will be a number of transformative reforms to childcare for parents, children and the economy. By 2027/28, this government 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 announcement represents the single biggest investment in childcare in England.
Currently, eligible working parents of 3 and 4-year-olds are eligible for 30 hours of free childcare per week, over 38 weeks a year. From April 2024, working parents of 2-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours of free childcare per week, over 38 weeks a year. From September 2024, this will be extended to parents of 9 month to 3-year-olds, and from September 2025, working parents of 9 month to 3-year-olds will be able to access 30 free hours per week, over 38 weeks a year.
This is a large expansion in the 30 hours offer and will take some time to implement and rollout. The department wants to make sure that taxpayers’ money is used efficiently, and the new offer is delivered in the best way. The department is ensuring a phased implementation of the expansion to the offer to allow the market to develop the necessary capacity, and we are working closely with the sector on the implementation of these reforms.
The department has already spent more than £20 billion over the past five years to support families with the cost of childcare. In the last decade, we have doubled the free childcare entitlement for working parents of 3 and 4-year-olds to 30 hours and introduced 15 free hours a week for disadvantaged 2-year-olds.
The reforms announced build on our current early education entitlements which continue to support parents, including a universal 15-hour offer for all 3 and 4-year-olds, the 15-hour offer for the most disadvantaged 2-year-olds, and the existing 30 hours offer, as well as Tax Free Childcare and Universal Childcare.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2022 to Question 37614 on Schools: Buildings, which schools in Canterbury constituency had at least one construction element in (a) condition grade C and (b) condition grade D, when that data was collated; and which of those schools (i) have already received funding from the School Rebuilding Programme and (ii) are expected to receive funding from the School Rebuilding Programme in the next two years.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Condition Data Collection (CDC) is one of the largest and most comprehensive data collection programmes in the UK’s public sector. It collected data on the building condition of government funded schools in England. It provides a robust evidence base to enable the Department to target capital funding for maintaining and rebuilding school buildings.
The key, high level findings of the CDC programme were published in May 2021 in the ‘Condition of School Buildings Survey: Key Findings’ report. This is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/989912/Condition_of_School_Buildings_Survey_CDC1_-_key_findings_report.pdf.
Individual CDC reports have been shared with every school and their responsible body to use alongside their existing condition surveys to plan maintenance schedules and investment plans. The Department plans to publish detailed school level CDC data. The Department is still preparing the data and will publish it as soon as possible.
Well maintained, safe school buildings are a priority for the Department. Our funding is directed both to maintaining the condition of the school estate and rebuilding schools. The Department has allocated over £13 billion for improving the condition of schools since 2015, including £1.8 billion committed this financial year.
The ten year School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) is condition led. 400 of the 500 available places on the programme have been provisionally allocated. A list of these schools and the methodology used to select them is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme.
Canterbury constituency has had two schools selected as part of the SRP. These are St Anselm's Catholic School, Canterbury, (announced December 2022) and Pilgrims' Way Primary School (announced July 2021)
The 239 schools announced in December 2022 will enter delivery at a rate of approximately 50 per year, over a five year period from 2023. The Department is currently undertaking due diligence on these schools prior to scheduling them, with schools prioritised according to the condition of their buildings, readiness to proceed, and efficiency of delivery. The scope and funding for each project will be confirmed following detailed feasibility studies and condition surveys of buildings.
Where a school identifies significant safety issues with a building, that cannot be managed within local resources, the Department considers additional support on a case-by-case basis. This includes applications for Urgent Capital Support (UCS) from eligible institutions. Schools eligible for Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) can apply for UCS where there are urgent health and safety issues that threaten school closure and cannot wait until the next CIF bidding round.