Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2021 to Question 142032, what specific funding his Department plans to allocate to programmes aimed at identifying vulnerable children whose problems have gone unidentified and unsupported throughout the covid-19 outbreak.

The government continues to work closely with local authorities, the third sector and charity partners to understand the needs of local communities. It will keep under review any further measures that are necessary to support vulnerable children and young people. The government has supported vulnerable children throughout the COVID-19 outbreak including through keeping education settings open and ensuring the continuation of children’s social care and early help services. We are investing £1.7 billion in a comprehensive education recovery programme to help students recover from lost learning as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak and we have appointed Sir Kevan Collins, as Education Recovery Commissioner, to advise on plans to support pupils to make up their learning over the course of this Parliament. We are also investing £220 million in the Holiday Activities and Food programme, which will be expanded across England this year, and a £79 million boost to children and young people's mental health support.