Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an estimate of the number of families that are unable to reclaim prepaid fees when an after-school club ceases trading.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department does not hold this information.
The Childcare Act 2006 places a duty on local authorities to make sure that there are enough childcare places within its locality for working parents, or for parents who are studying or training for employment, for children aged 0 to 14, or up to 18 for disabled children. In the unlikely event that a parent's childcare provider becomes insolvent or goes bankrupt, parents can contact their local authority who can provide guidance and resources to help them transition to a new provider.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has any plans to tackle after-school clubs that are required to register with Ofsted that fail to do so.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Ofsted’s enforcement powers are set out in the Childcare Act 2006. The law gives Ofsted a range of powers to deal with persons providing childcare without appropriate registration and registered providers that fail to meet the legal requirements for early years settings.
Ofsted’s early years and childcare enforcement policy sets out the actions that Ofsted can take, dependent on the register that the after school club is registered on. Before and after-school clubs can register with Ofsted on either or both the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register, depending on the type of provision and age of the children they intend to care for. Some providers are exempt from registration if they meet the exemptions set out in legislation. Depending on their registration, they must either meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage, or the general childcare register requirements. The requirements for both registers are set by the department.
Departmental officials also meet regularly with their Ofsted counterparts to ensure that the regulations that apply to Ofsted registered providers of after-school childcare remain fit for purpose. Ofsted takes appropriate action on information that they receive about unregistered services and provision on unapproved premises. Ofsted’s process for managing unregistered provision is outlined in their published enforcement policy, which is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-and-childcare-ofsteds-enforcement-policy/early-years-and-childcare-enforcement-policy#unregistered:~:text=in%20appropriate%20circumstances.-,Unregistered%20childcare%20providers%20and%20provision%20on%20unapproved%20premises,-Most%20childcare%20providers.
Information about Ofsted’s regulatory and enforcement activity in relation to unregistered provision is outlined in Ofsted’s annual report and accounts each year, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofsted-corporate-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to review the adequacy of Ofsted’s enforcement powers for after-school clubs.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Ofsted’s enforcement powers are set out in the Childcare Act 2006. The law gives Ofsted a range of powers to deal with persons providing childcare without appropriate registration and registered providers that fail to meet the legal requirements for early years settings.
Ofsted’s early years and childcare enforcement policy sets out the actions that Ofsted can take, dependent on the register that the after school club is registered on. Before and after-school clubs can register with Ofsted on either or both the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register, depending on the type of provision and age of the children they intend to care for. Some providers are exempt from registration if they meet the exemptions set out in legislation. Depending on their registration, they must either meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage, or the general childcare register requirements. The requirements for both registers are set by the department.
Departmental officials also meet regularly with their Ofsted counterparts to ensure that the regulations that apply to Ofsted registered providers of after-school childcare remain fit for purpose. Ofsted takes appropriate action on information that they receive about unregistered services and provision on unapproved premises. Ofsted’s process for managing unregistered provision is outlined in their published enforcement policy, which is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-and-childcare-ofsteds-enforcement-policy/early-years-and-childcare-enforcement-policy#unregistered:~:text=in%20appropriate%20circumstances.-,Unregistered%20childcare%20providers%20and%20provision%20on%20unapproved%20premises,-Most%20childcare%20providers.
Information about Ofsted’s regulatory and enforcement activity in relation to unregistered provision is outlined in Ofsted’s annual report and accounts each year, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofsted-corporate-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what enforcement powers Ofsted has for after-school clubs.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Ofsted’s enforcement powers are set out in the Childcare Act 2006. The law gives Ofsted a range of powers to deal with persons providing childcare without appropriate registration and registered providers that fail to meet the legal requirements for early years settings.
Ofsted’s early years and childcare enforcement policy sets out the actions that Ofsted can take, dependent on the register that the after school club is registered on. Before and after-school clubs can register with Ofsted on either or both the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register, depending on the type of provision and age of the children they intend to care for. Some providers are exempt from registration if they meet the exemptions set out in legislation. Depending on their registration, they must either meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage, or the general childcare register requirements. The requirements for both registers are set by the department.
Departmental officials also meet regularly with their Ofsted counterparts to ensure that the regulations that apply to Ofsted registered providers of after-school childcare remain fit for purpose. Ofsted takes appropriate action on information that they receive about unregistered services and provision on unapproved premises. Ofsted’s process for managing unregistered provision is outlined in their published enforcement policy, which is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-and-childcare-ofsteds-enforcement-policy/early-years-and-childcare-enforcement-policy#unregistered:~:text=in%20appropriate%20circumstances.-,Unregistered%20childcare%20providers%20and%20provision%20on%20unapproved%20premises,-Most%20childcare%20providers.
Information about Ofsted’s regulatory and enforcement activity in relation to unregistered provision is outlined in Ofsted’s annual report and accounts each year, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofsted-corporate-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure full kinship support to all recipients of kinship care.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises the important role that kinship carers play in caring for some of the most vulnerable children.
Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are seeking to mandate local authorities to publish a kinship local offer which sets out the information and support in a local authority's area for children living in kinship care and kinship carers. The measure will also define what kinship care is for the purpose of the requirement of the kinship care local offer. These measures will make it clear for local authorities, schools and other statutory services what support is available to those involved in a kinship arrangement.
In addition, in October 2024, the department published the kinship care statutory guidance for local authorities, which outlines the framework for the provision of support for kinship families. We have also recently announced a £40 million package to trial a new kinship allowance.
The government is also extending the delivery of over 140 peer support groups across England, available for all kinship carers to access, where they can come together to share stories, exchange advice and support each other. We are also delivering a package of training and support that all kinship carers across England can access.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to increase the foster care allowance for children in kinship care.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises the important role that kinship carers play in caring for some of the most vulnerable children. They often take on this role at a time when they were least expecting to raise a family, and the department recognises the challenges they face.
In October 2024, the government announced £40 million to trial a new kinship allowance in some local authorities in England. We will test whether paying an allowance can help increase the number of children taken in by kinship carers. We will share further details and the process for selecting local authorities in due course.
Local authorities have the powers to provide a range of services, including financial support, to support children and families. As local authorities know their carers best, they have the power to decide what financial support should be provided, and any payments should be made in accordance with their model for assessing needs. The government does not set a maximum or minimum allowance. While the government recognises the financial constraints on local authorities, guidance makes it clear that children and young people should receive the support that they and their carers need to safeguard and promote their welfare.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to take steps to encourage kinship role recruitment.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is committed to supporting kinship carers and ensuring that children in kinship care arrangements have the opportunity to thrive. This includes removing barriers from carers coming forward, where that is in the child’s best interests. At the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced a £40 million package to trial a new kinship allowance to test whether paying an allowance to cover the additional costs of supporting the child can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends. This is the single biggest investment made by government in kinship care to date.
Unlike in foster care, there is no general pool of kinship carers to recruit from. Kinship arrangements happen when a specific child cannot remain with their parents, and a relative or close family friend steps in, often at short notice. As such, terms like ‘recruitment’ or ‘adequate levels’ do not apply in the same way. Instead, the department’s focus is on ensuring that when these situations arise, families are supported to step forward.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of existing levels of kinship care.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is committed to supporting kinship carers and ensuring that children in kinship care arrangements have the opportunity to thrive. This includes removing barriers from carers coming forward, where that is in the child’s best interests. At the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced a £40 million package to trial a new kinship allowance to test whether paying an allowance to cover the additional costs of supporting the child can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends. This is the single biggest investment made by government in kinship care to date.
Unlike in foster care, there is no general pool of kinship carers to recruit from. Kinship arrangements happen when a specific child cannot remain with their parents, and a relative or close family friend steps in, often at short notice. As such, terms like ‘recruitment’ or ‘adequate levels’ do not apply in the same way. Instead, the department’s focus is on ensuring that when these situations arise, families are supported to step forward.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of guidelines on (a) financial compensation and (b) protection for parents when an independent after-school provider becomes insolvent.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As a private market, guidance published by the Insolvency Service is likely to apply, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/claim-money-back-from-a-bankrupt-person-or-company-in-compulsory-liquidation-guidance-for-creditors/if-an-insolvent-company-or-bankrupt-person-owes-you-money#:~:text=If%20the%20person%20or%20company,secured%20creditors.
The Childcare Act 2006 places a duty on local authorities to make sure that there are enough childcare places within its locality for working parents or for parents who are studying or training for employment, for children aged 0 to 14, or up to 18 for disabled children. In the unlikely event that a parent's childcare provider becomes insolvent or goes bankrupt, parents can contact their local authority, who can provide guidance and resources to help them transition to a new provider.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Conservative - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to increase the level of protection for parents when an independent after-school provider is made bankrupt.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As a private market, guidance published by the Insolvency Service is likely to apply, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/claim-money-back-from-a-bankrupt-person-or-company-in-compulsory-liquidation-guidance-for-creditors/if-an-insolvent-company-or-bankrupt-person-owes-you-money#:~:text=If%20the%20person%20or%20company,secured%20creditors.
The Childcare Act 2006 places a duty on local authorities to make sure that there are enough childcare places within its locality for working parents or for parents who are studying or training for employment, for children aged 0 to 14, or up to 18 for disabled children. In the unlikely event that a parent's childcare provider becomes insolvent or goes bankrupt, parents can contact their local authority, who can provide guidance and resources to help them transition to a new provider.