Sep. 26 2024
Source Page: Pension Age Winter Heating Payment: Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA)Found: WFP to help mitigate the additional heating costs that the households of the most severely disabled children
Sep. 26 2024
Source Page: The Winter Heating Assistance (Pension Age) (Scotland) Regulations 2024: Policy NoteFound: therefore been completed, finding an indirect positive impact of PAWHP on the rights and wellbeing of children
Sep. 26 2024
Source Page: Pension Age Winter Heating Payment: Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment (FSD)Found: WFP to help mitigate the additional heating costs that the households of the most severely disabled children
Sep. 26 2024
Source Page: Secure Care Group minutes: March 2023Found: This note is attached as Annex A.Tom confirmed that Stage 1 Committee sessions for the Children (Care
Sep. 26 2024
Source Page: Letter dated 23/09/2024 from Baroness Smith of Malvern to the Earl of Devon regarding concerns raised during the debate on Independent Schools: VAT Exemption. 1p.Found: State education is accessible to all children, regardless of their financial status and all children
Sep. 26 2024
Source Page: “I call for an immediate ceasefire between Lebanese Hizballah and Israel.”: UK statement at the UN Security CouncilFound: The death of civilians, women and children. The UN workers killed.
Sep. 26 2024
Source Page: Primary care patient safety strategyFound: outcome and death review identified primary care as a key area for safety netting in the transition of children
Sep. 26 2024
Source Page: Improvement guide: outpatient servicesFound: While PIFU will be appropriate for many children and young people, there are specific considerations
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; what are the names of each of the networks being funded; and what plans they have to (a) increase, or (b) reduce, such funding.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO has 17 Staff Networks which relate to protected characteristics defined in the 2010 Equality Act, related characteristics referenced in the Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion Strategy, and FCDO specific groups for topics experienced as a global organisation. Staff Networks provide valuable insight and help us to meet the Public Sector Equality Duties. Co-Chairs of FCDO Staff Networks are volunteers who are allowed to spend up to 10 per cent of their contracted time to serve in this capacity - we do not record the hours this translates to. A small discretionary budget is available for Staff Networks to support their work in line with the Civil Service guidance and value for money. There are no plans to change the number of FCDO Staff Networks or related funding.
The Staff Networks are as follows: Armed Forces, Uniformed Volunteers & Family Staff Network, Country Based Staff, Disability Inclusion and Awareness Network, FCDO Women, FCDO/Diplomatic Service Families Association Carers' Network, FLAG: FCDO LGBT+ Staff Association, Flexible Working Network, Home Civil Service International Staff Network, Mental Health, Wellbeing and Listening Network, Over Fifties Network, Parents' Support Network, Parents of children with disabilities Network, Race and Ethnicity Network, Religion and Belief Group, Social Mobility Network, Unaccompanied Staff Network and Young People and Early Professionals Network.
Asked by: Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many children with special educational needs and disabilities do not receive an education, health and care plan within the legal time limit of 20 weeks from the initial request; and what potential measures for improvement they have identified.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)
The department publishes information on education, health and care (EHC) plans annually at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans, which includes a section titled “Timeliness – EHC plans issued within 20 weeks”. Here and attached you can see information on how many EHC plans were issued within 20 weeks, both where this is the statutory time limit and where statutory exceptions to that time limit apply.
Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) introduced a strengthened area special education needs and disabilities (SEND) inspection framework in January 2023, which led to a greater emphasis on the outcomes being achieved for children and young people. It is the primary tool to maintain a focus on high standards in the SEND system across all partners.
The department is working to monitor, support and challenge local authorities as needed, working closely with NHS England to tackle any weaknesses that sit with health partners. Where a council does not meet its duties, including the 20 week timeliness, the department will offer a range of universal, targeted and intensive support through managed programmes, such as the Sector Led Improvement Partners, which provides peer-to-peer tailored support. Councils identified as having issues with the 20 week timelines are subject to additional monitoring by the department. Where the department has concerns about their capacity to make the required improvements, it will secure specialist SEND advisor support to help identify barriers and improve the service.
The department does not hold data on how many children with SEND are currently not able to be placed in a suitable school.