Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with local authorities on the publication of safeguarding data; and if he will make it his policy to require all local authorities publish their safeguarding data annually.

Local Authorities currently submit annual data to the department on all ‘children in need’ and ‘children looked after’ in their authorities. This includes information on Section 47 enquiries, initial child protection conferences and children with child protection plans and is published on the department’s ‘Explore Education Statistics’ website. This contains statistics on serious incidents involving children that local authorities have notified to the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel. Safeguarding partners also complete annual reports which focus on multi-agency priorities, learning, impact, evidence, and improvement. These are subsequently sent to the department and National Panel and published in the public domain.