Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of short-term custodial sentences on children separated from their mothers.

This department has not made any assessment of the effect of short-term custodial sentences on children separated from their mothers. However, the government has funded a contract worth over £1.4 million for Barnardo’s to operate the i-HOP service to share evidence on practice and advise commissioners and practitioners on the options available to support the families of offenders.

The law is clear that children are best looked after within their families, with their parents playing a full part in their lives, unless compulsory intervention in family life is necessary. The statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children is clear that where a child is found to be in need, support should be provided to children and their families to improve their outcomes.