Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the fine of up to £10,000 for students leaving the Frontline programme before the end of the 2 years was introduced; how much money has been recouped under that clause to date; and whether that money has been returned to his Department.

Of those who started the Frontline programme, the following withdrew in their qualifying year:

Cohort 2014 (104 started) 4 withdrew.

Cohort 2015 (124 started) 7 withdrew.

Cohort 2016 (155 started) 14 withdrew.

Cohort 2017 (283 started) 21 withdrew.

Cohort 2018 (336 started) 10 withdrew.

The process to recoup costs was introduced for the 2017/18 academic year, as a means of clawing back public funding where a Frontline participant doesn’t meet their commitment to the programme. To date no money has been repaid by participants, however, if costs are recovered then future claims for funding from the Department for Education will be reduced by the corresponding amount.

The department contracts Frontline to deliver fast track social work education, and monitors the delivery of this contract, including through oversight of key performance indicators and other information. The department does not monitor operational data such as Frontline staff numbers, their qualifications and turnover.