Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government took to encourage foster care provision ahead of its decision to close the Dubs scheme for unaccompanied minors.

The Government takes the welfare of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children extremely seriously and the UK has contributed significantly to hosting, supporting and protecting the most vulnerable children affected by the migration crisis.

The Government committed to increasing the number of foster carers as part of our wider safeguarding strategy for unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee children. In September, we commissioned the Refugee Council and ECPAT to deliver training for foster carers and support workers to support them in looking after unaccompanied asylum seeking or refugee children. We have also committed to evaluating the need for any additional training required by foster carers looking after these children. Further information on our safeguarding strategy can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/safeguarding-unaccompanied-asylum-seeking-and-refugee-children