Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to require enhanced training for headteachers, Designated Safeguarding Leads and school governors on the handling of child-on-child sexual abuse, including training on record keeping, victim safeguarding and avoidance of secondary victimisation.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Sexual abuse in any form is abhorrent and protecting children from this is an absolute priority for this government.
‘Working together to safeguard children’ is the statutory guidance which sets out the collaborative duties and responsibilities placed on agencies to safeguard and protect children.
‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) is the statutory safeguarding guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to, when safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. It includes clear and detailed guidance on managing reports of child-on-child sexual violence and harassment, and on recording concerns, discussions and decisions made
Local authorities, schools and colleges are held to account for safeguarding children through a number of routes, including statutory guidance, legislation, child safeguarding practice review panels and inspection.
All schools are assessed on safeguarding as part of their routine inspections. If a state-funded school is not fulfilling its responsibilities in relation to child-on-child sexual abuse, the school is likely to be placed in a category of concern. Similarly, an independent school would likely be judged to not meet the Independent School Standards. This would then lead to robust action to address the concerns
Any concerns about a school’s procedures should be raised directly with the school in question in the first instance, as they will be best placed to offer information and advice regarding their decisions
Where individuals are not satisfied with the outcome of any concerns raised, they are able to make a formal complaint via the school’s complaints procedure. All schools must have a complaint procedure, and it should explain how a complaint can be progressed if a parent remains dissatisfied with the school’s response. When a parent or other relevant body raises a safeguarding concern about pupil safety, including child-on-child sexual abuse, this could trigger an unannounced or focused inspection by Ofsted to assess whether the school is meeting its safeguarding responsibilities. Ofsted expects schools to demonstrate that they have thoroughly investigated safeguarding concerns from parents. This is part of the school’s statutory safeguarding duty under ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
Parents are also able to escalate concerns directly to the local council where they believe a child is at risk of immediate harm. More information about school complaints can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-school.
In relation to training for headteachers, Designated Safeguarding Leads and school governors, KCSIE makes clear that all staff should undergo safeguarding and child protection training, including online safety, which should be regularly updated and should be in line with any advice from local safeguarding partners.
The department already publishes analysis on children affected by sexual abuse or exploitation, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-in-need-a-focus-on-sexual-abuse-and-exploitation/2025.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to require schools and local authorities to record and centrally report anonymised data on allegations of child-on-child sexual abuse, the actions taken and case outcomes.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Sexual abuse in any form is abhorrent and protecting children from this is an absolute priority for this government.
‘Working together to safeguard children’ is the statutory guidance which sets out the collaborative duties and responsibilities placed on agencies to safeguard and protect children.
‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) is the statutory safeguarding guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to, when safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. It includes clear and detailed guidance on managing reports of child-on-child sexual violence and harassment, and on recording concerns, discussions and decisions made
Local authorities, schools and colleges are held to account for safeguarding children through a number of routes, including statutory guidance, legislation, child safeguarding practice review panels and inspection.
All schools are assessed on safeguarding as part of their routine inspections. If a state-funded school is not fulfilling its responsibilities in relation to child-on-child sexual abuse, the school is likely to be placed in a category of concern. Similarly, an independent school would likely be judged to not meet the Independent School Standards. This would then lead to robust action to address the concerns
Any concerns about a school’s procedures should be raised directly with the school in question in the first instance, as they will be best placed to offer information and advice regarding their decisions
Where individuals are not satisfied with the outcome of any concerns raised, they are able to make a formal complaint via the school’s complaints procedure. All schools must have a complaint procedure, and it should explain how a complaint can be progressed if a parent remains dissatisfied with the school’s response. When a parent or other relevant body raises a safeguarding concern about pupil safety, including child-on-child sexual abuse, this could trigger an unannounced or focused inspection by Ofsted to assess whether the school is meeting its safeguarding responsibilities. Ofsted expects schools to demonstrate that they have thoroughly investigated safeguarding concerns from parents. This is part of the school’s statutory safeguarding duty under ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
Parents are also able to escalate concerns directly to the local council where they believe a child is at risk of immediate harm. More information about school complaints can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-school.
In relation to training for headteachers, Designated Safeguarding Leads and school governors, KCSIE makes clear that all staff should undergo safeguarding and child protection training, including online safety, which should be regularly updated and should be in line with any advice from local safeguarding partners.
The department already publishes analysis on children affected by sexual abuse or exploitation, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-in-need-a-focus-on-sexual-abuse-and-exploitation/2025.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what mechanisms currently allow Ofsted and the Independent Schools Inspectorate to conduct targeted safeguarding inspections where there is evidence of systemic mishandling of child-on-child sexual abuse; and if she will review inspection handbooks to include specific triggers and mandatory follow-up actions.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Sexual abuse in any form is abhorrent and protecting children from this is an absolute priority for this government.
‘Working together to safeguard children’ is the statutory guidance which sets out the collaborative duties and responsibilities placed on agencies to safeguard and protect children.
‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) is the statutory safeguarding guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to, when safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. It includes clear and detailed guidance on managing reports of child-on-child sexual violence and harassment, and on recording concerns, discussions and decisions made
Local authorities, schools and colleges are held to account for safeguarding children through a number of routes, including statutory guidance, legislation, child safeguarding practice review panels and inspection.
All schools are assessed on safeguarding as part of their routine inspections. If a state-funded school is not fulfilling its responsibilities in relation to child-on-child sexual abuse, the school is likely to be placed in a category of concern. Similarly, an independent school would likely be judged to not meet the Independent School Standards. This would then lead to robust action to address the concerns
Any concerns about a school’s procedures should be raised directly with the school in question in the first instance, as they will be best placed to offer information and advice regarding their decisions
Where individuals are not satisfied with the outcome of any concerns raised, they are able to make a formal complaint via the school’s complaints procedure. All schools must have a complaint procedure, and it should explain how a complaint can be progressed if a parent remains dissatisfied with the school’s response. When a parent or other relevant body raises a safeguarding concern about pupil safety, including child-on-child sexual abuse, this could trigger an unannounced or focused inspection by Ofsted to assess whether the school is meeting its safeguarding responsibilities. Ofsted expects schools to demonstrate that they have thoroughly investigated safeguarding concerns from parents. This is part of the school’s statutory safeguarding duty under ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
Parents are also able to escalate concerns directly to the local council where they believe a child is at risk of immediate harm. More information about school complaints can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-school.
In relation to training for headteachers, Designated Safeguarding Leads and school governors, KCSIE makes clear that all staff should undergo safeguarding and child protection training, including online safety, which should be regularly updated and should be in line with any advice from local safeguarding partners.
The department already publishes analysis on children affected by sexual abuse or exploitation, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-in-need-a-focus-on-sexual-abuse-and-exploitation/2025.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure there are enforceable lines of accountability between schools, governing bodies, local authorities, including Local Authority Designated Officers, Ofsted and the Independent Schools Inspectorate and the police when responding to cases of child on child sexual abuse; and if she will publish updated statutory guidance specifying who is responsible for initial safeguarding decisions, oversight, timescales for action and independent review.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Sexual abuse in any form is abhorrent and protecting children from this is an absolute priority for this government.
‘Working together to safeguard children’ is the statutory guidance which sets out the collaborative duties and responsibilities placed on agencies to safeguard and protect children.
‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) is the statutory safeguarding guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to, when safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. It includes clear and detailed guidance on managing reports of child-on-child sexual violence and harassment, and on recording concerns, discussions and decisions made
Local authorities, schools and colleges are held to account for safeguarding children through a number of routes, including statutory guidance, legislation, child safeguarding practice review panels and inspection.
All schools are assessed on safeguarding as part of their routine inspections. If a state-funded school is not fulfilling its responsibilities in relation to child-on-child sexual abuse, the school is likely to be placed in a category of concern. Similarly, an independent school would likely be judged to not meet the Independent School Standards. This would then lead to robust action to address the concerns
Any concerns about a school’s procedures should be raised directly with the school in question in the first instance, as they will be best placed to offer information and advice regarding their decisions
Where individuals are not satisfied with the outcome of any concerns raised, they are able to make a formal complaint via the school’s complaints procedure. All schools must have a complaint procedure, and it should explain how a complaint can be progressed if a parent remains dissatisfied with the school’s response. When a parent or other relevant body raises a safeguarding concern about pupil safety, including child-on-child sexual abuse, this could trigger an unannounced or focused inspection by Ofsted to assess whether the school is meeting its safeguarding responsibilities. Ofsted expects schools to demonstrate that they have thoroughly investigated safeguarding concerns from parents. This is part of the school’s statutory safeguarding duty under ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
Parents are also able to escalate concerns directly to the local council where they believe a child is at risk of immediate harm. More information about school complaints can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-school.
In relation to training for headteachers, Designated Safeguarding Leads and school governors, KCSIE makes clear that all staff should undergo safeguarding and child protection training, including online safety, which should be regularly updated and should be in line with any advice from local safeguarding partners.
The department already publishes analysis on children affected by sexual abuse or exploitation, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-in-need-a-focus-on-sexual-abuse-and-exploitation/2025.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will introduce national response timescales for schools and local authorities to investigate allegations of child on child sexual abuse, to provide written outcomes to families and to advise parents on independent routes of redress; and if she will require standardised record keeping and disclosure to parents within set deadlines.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Sexual abuse in any form is abhorrent and protecting children from this is an absolute priority for this government.
‘Working together to safeguard children’ is the statutory guidance which sets out the collaborative duties and responsibilities placed on agencies to safeguard and protect children.
‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) is the statutory safeguarding guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to, when safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. It includes clear and detailed guidance on managing reports of child-on-child sexual violence and harassment, and on recording concerns, discussions and decisions made
Local authorities, schools and colleges are held to account for safeguarding children through a number of routes, including statutory guidance, legislation, child safeguarding practice review panels and inspection.
All schools are assessed on safeguarding as part of their routine inspections. If a state-funded school is not fulfilling its responsibilities in relation to child-on-child sexual abuse, the school is likely to be placed in a category of concern. Similarly, an independent school would likely be judged to not meet the Independent School Standards. This would then lead to robust action to address the concerns
Any concerns about a school’s procedures should be raised directly with the school in question in the first instance, as they will be best placed to offer information and advice regarding their decisions
Where individuals are not satisfied with the outcome of any concerns raised, they are able to make a formal complaint via the school’s complaints procedure. All schools must have a complaint procedure, and it should explain how a complaint can be progressed if a parent remains dissatisfied with the school’s response. When a parent or other relevant body raises a safeguarding concern about pupil safety, including child-on-child sexual abuse, this could trigger an unannounced or focused inspection by Ofsted to assess whether the school is meeting its safeguarding responsibilities. Ofsted expects schools to demonstrate that they have thoroughly investigated safeguarding concerns from parents. This is part of the school’s statutory safeguarding duty under ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
Parents are also able to escalate concerns directly to the local council where they believe a child is at risk of immediate harm. More information about school complaints can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-school.
In relation to training for headteachers, Designated Safeguarding Leads and school governors, KCSIE makes clear that all staff should undergo safeguarding and child protection training, including online safety, which should be regularly updated and should be in line with any advice from local safeguarding partners.
The department already publishes analysis on children affected by sexual abuse or exploitation, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-in-need-a-focus-on-sexual-abuse-and-exploitation/2025.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to create an independent stage of complaint for parents in safeguarding cases where a school or governing body has already determined its own conduct in relation to child on child sexual abuse.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Sexual abuse in any form is abhorrent and protecting children from this is an absolute priority for this government.
‘Working together to safeguard children’ is the statutory guidance which sets out the collaborative duties and responsibilities placed on agencies to safeguard and protect children.
‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) is the statutory safeguarding guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to, when safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. It includes clear and detailed guidance on managing reports of child-on-child sexual violence and harassment, and on recording concerns, discussions and decisions made
Local authorities, schools and colleges are held to account for safeguarding children through a number of routes, including statutory guidance, legislation, child safeguarding practice review panels and inspection.
All schools are assessed on safeguarding as part of their routine inspections. If a state-funded school is not fulfilling its responsibilities in relation to child-on-child sexual abuse, the school is likely to be placed in a category of concern. Similarly, an independent school would likely be judged to not meet the Independent School Standards. This would then lead to robust action to address the concerns
Any concerns about a school’s procedures should be raised directly with the school in question in the first instance, as they will be best placed to offer information and advice regarding their decisions
Where individuals are not satisfied with the outcome of any concerns raised, they are able to make a formal complaint via the school’s complaints procedure. All schools must have a complaint procedure, and it should explain how a complaint can be progressed if a parent remains dissatisfied with the school’s response. When a parent or other relevant body raises a safeguarding concern about pupil safety, including child-on-child sexual abuse, this could trigger an unannounced or focused inspection by Ofsted to assess whether the school is meeting its safeguarding responsibilities. Ofsted expects schools to demonstrate that they have thoroughly investigated safeguarding concerns from parents. This is part of the school’s statutory safeguarding duty under ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
Parents are also able to escalate concerns directly to the local council where they believe a child is at risk of immediate harm. More information about school complaints can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-school.
In relation to training for headteachers, Designated Safeguarding Leads and school governors, KCSIE makes clear that all staff should undergo safeguarding and child protection training, including online safety, which should be regularly updated and should be in line with any advice from local safeguarding partners.
The department already publishes analysis on children affected by sexual abuse or exploitation, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-in-need-a-focus-on-sexual-abuse-and-exploitation/2025.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will establish a cross-government protocol with the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Care setting out roles, referral routes and timescales between schools, police forces and health services when responding to allegations of child-on-child sexual abuse.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is taking the strongest action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation. This includes setting up a new national inquiry, with which government departments will cooperate fully, to ensure we are tackling this vile crime and supporting victims and survivors.
Working Together is the national multi-agency statutory guidance for all practitioners working with children and their families. Local safeguarding partners (local authorities, police and health) already have a statutory duty to set out in their threshold document and local protocols the process for referrals, assessments, support and services for children who need help or protection. This guidance underpins Ofsted’s Inspection of Local Authority Children’s Services framework.
We are also delivering the biggest reform to children’s social care in a generation, investing £2.4 billion in the Families First Partnership programme, introducing multi-agency child protection teams through our landmark Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill and establishing a national Child Protection Authority.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how her Department monitors local authority compliance with their duty under section 19 of the Education Act 1996 to provide suitable education without delay for children who are out of school following incidents of child-on-child sexual abuse; and whether she plans to introduce statutory timescales for such provision.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996, local authorities must arrange suitable education for children of compulsory school age who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not otherwise receive it. This education should be full-time, or as close to full-time as is appropriate for the child’s needs.
Ofsted monitors local authorities’ arrangements for the sufficiency and commissioning of alternative provision through Area special educational needs and disabilities inspections.
The department also issues statutory guidance on planning and commissioning alternative provision, which sets out principles for timely, safe, and high quality education. The guidance was last updated in January 2025 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alternative-provision.
The government is committed to an inclusive education system that identifies additional needs early and delivers the right support at the right time, helping children remain in and succeed within mainstream education wherever possible.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that local authority funding for school holiday support schemes is (a) properly audited and (b) delivers value for money.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The government is committed to giving every child the best start in life. That’s why the department recently confirmed over £600 million for the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme for the next three financial years from 2026/27. Delivering best value for money through our programmes is a priority for this government and our HAF guidance sets this out for local authorities.
The department expects all providers who are funded through the HAF programme to meet our framework of standards, and we expect that assurance visits are focused on ensuring this is the case.
Local authorities are responsible for gathering information about the children and families they are supporting. Following each holiday, the department asks local authorities to report on their activity.
The department requires a certificate of expenditure from each local authority which must be signed by the chief financial officer or chief internal auditor. These support the regularity assurance statement for the National Audit Office.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the criteria for additional summer holiday support to include all (a) kinship carers and (b) low-income families.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Through our Plan for Change, the government is committed to giving every child the best start in life. On 28 August 2025, we confirmed over £600 million for the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme for the next three financial years, from 2026/27. This equates to just over £200 million each year.
This multi-year commitment gives parents and providers certainty that clubs will be available over what can otherwise be an expensive holiday period, ensuring that children and young people continue to benefit from enriching holiday experiences and nutritious meals. The programme also provides work opportunities for parents on low incomes to support their families.
The department will be releasing further details about the HAF programme by the end of the year, including updated local authority guidance.