A Westminster Hall debate on government support for children in adoptive and kinship placements is scheduled for Tuesday 20 May 2025 at 2:30pm. The debate will be led by Rebecca Smith MP.

A Westminster Hall debate on government support for children in adoptive and kinship placements is scheduled for Tuesday 20 May 2025 at 2:30pm. The debate will be led by Rebecca Smith MP.

New clauses considered. New clause 21 (School attendance: general duties of local authorities) discussed with new clause 22 (School attendance policies) and new clause 24 (Academies: regulations as to granting a leave of absence). NC 21 withdrawn. New clause 25 (Report on the impact of charging VAT on private school fees) withdrawn. New clause 30 (Publication of details of preventative care and family support) discussed with new clause 72 (Duty on local authorities to provide family support services). NC 30 withdrawn. New clause 31 (Eligibility for free school lunches) negatived on division (3 to 10). New clause 31 (duty of school governing bodies regarding mental health provision) negatived on division (3 to 10). New clause 34 (National tutoring guarantee) withdrawn. New clause 36 (Establishment of a national body for SEND) negatived on division (3 to 10). New clause 37 (Arrangements for national examinations for children not in school) withdrawn. New clause 38 (Consultation on the structures of governance for local authority and academy schools) withdrawn. New clause 39 (Establishment of a Child Protection Authority) negatived on division (3 to 10). New clause 42 (Establishment of national wellbeing measurement programme) negatived on division (3 to 10). New clause 48 (Ban on mobile phones and other devices in schools) negatived on division (6 to 10). New clause 49 (Report on behaviour in schools) discussed with new clause 70 (Appointment of anti-bullying leads). NC 49 withdrawn. New clause 51 (Duty for schools to report acts of violence against staff to the police) negatived on division (6 to 10). New clause 55 (Independent review in relation to orders under section 87(3)(B) of the Education Act 2002) withdrawn. New clause 58 (Right to review school curriculum material) negatived on division (3 to 10). New clause 59 (Kinship care leave) discussed with new clause 60 (Kinship care allowance), new clause 61 (Extension of pupil premium to children subject to a kinship care arrangement) and new clause 62 (Admissions arrangements relating to looked after children and children in kinship care). NC 59 withdrawn. New clause 60 negatived on division (3 to 10). New clause 63 (Exemption from education legislation for the purpose of raising educational standards) withdrawn. New clause 64 (Pay and conditions of school support staff in England) withdrawn. New clause 67 (Registration of children eligible for free school meals) negatived on division (3 to 10). New clause 68 (Guidance on the admission on summer-born children with EHC plans) discussed with new clause 69 (Collection and publication of data relating to summer-born children). NC 68 withdrawn. New schedule 1 (Pay and conditions of academy teachers: amendments to the Education Act 2002) agreed to. Bill as amended, to be reported. Written evidence reported to the House.

New clauses considered. New clause 21 (School attendance: general duties of local authorities) discussed with new clause 22 (School attendance policies) and new clause 24 (Academies: regulations as to granting a leave of absence). NC 21 withdrawn. New clause 25 (Report on the impact of charging VAT on private school...

To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) armed forces, and (2) diplomatic families, currently receive support via the Continuity of Education Allowance; and what were the numbers supported each year since 2019.

To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) armed forces, and (2) diplomatic families, currently receive support via the Continuity of Education Allowance; and what were the numbers supported each year since 2019.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on the continuity of education allowance for service families.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on the continuity of education allowance for service families.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of allowances to ensure continuity of education for armed forces families.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of allowances to ensure continuity of education for armed forces families.

On funding, I have made the point that we are talking about a two-year programme in selected areas, not five years nationally. The reason for that choice is that we believe it is critical to get the quality of implementation right, on the ground, before scaling. Secondly, I remind the...

On funding, I have made the point that we are talking about a two-year programme in selected areas, not five years nationally. The reason for that choice is that we believe it is critical to get the quality of implementation right, on the ground, before scaling. Secondly, I remind the...

Lords statement on reform of children's social care.

Lords statement on reform of children's social care.

My Lords, we welcomed the conclusions of The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, which quite rightly called for a radical reset of the childcare system. There will be a lot to scrutinise in the Government’s strategy, but giving children stable homes, built on love is something we all want...

My Lords, we welcomed the conclusions of The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, which quite rightly called for a radical reset of the childcare system. There will be a lot to scrutinise in the Government’s strategy, but giving children stable homes, built on love is something we all want...

My Lords, I, too, thank all those involved in the care review, who have done such an important piece of work and pay tribute to the utter dedication and commitment of all those in the social care workforce. I welcome the Government’s plans to reform children’s social care and to...

My Lords, I, too, thank all those involved in the care review, who have done such an important piece of work and pay tribute to the utter dedication and commitment of all those in the social care workforce. I welcome the Government’s plans to reform children’s social care and to...

My Lords, I thank both noble Baronesses for their remarks and questions and for recognising the incredibly important work that our social workers do all around the country. I echo in particular their thanks to those care-experienced young people who worked with the department in putting together our response to...

My Lords, I thank both noble Baronesses for their remarks and questions and for recognising the incredibly important work that our social workers do all around the country. I echo in particular their thanks to those care-experienced young people who worked with the department in putting together our response to...

My Lords, the steps taken to expand kinship care are extremely welcome, but does the Minister recognise that they are also extremely modest? They are really just scratching the surface of the problem and until the Government are prepared to grasp the nettle of funding for kinship carers, we are...

My Lords, the steps taken to expand kinship care are extremely welcome, but does the Minister recognise that they are also extremely modest? They are really just scratching the surface of the problem and until the Government are prepared to grasp the nettle of funding for kinship carers, we are...

The Government are getting on with it. As I said earlier, there is a huge focus in our response on family-led solutions, and kinship care is an invaluable part of that. In addition to the £9 million we have committed for training and supporting kinship carers—who do an extraordinary job—we...

The Government are getting on with it. As I said earlier, there is a huge focus in our response on family-led solutions, and kinship care is an invaluable part of that. In addition to the £9 million we have committed for training and supporting kinship carers—who do an extraordinary job—we...

My Lords, one of the previous initiatives announced by the Government is priority admission to schools for looked-after and previously looked-after children. Obviously, the priorities are to get them into good and outstanding schools—where not just the education but the leadership, pastoral care and safeguarding systems are good—and for schools...

My Lords, one of the previous initiatives announced by the Government is priority admission to schools for looked-after and previously looked-after children. Obviously, the priorities are to get them into good and outstanding schools—where not just the education but the leadership, pastoral care and safeguarding systems are good—and for schools...

My noble friend is right that getting looked-after and previously looked-after children into the right school and getting them the support they deserve within that school is a really important element of changing their life trajectory. My understanding is that it varies between local authorities, in part because of different...

My noble friend is right that getting looked-after and previously looked-after children into the right school and getting them the support they deserve within that school is a really important element of changing their life trajectory. My understanding is that it varies between local authorities, in part because of different...

My Lords, I welcome the fact that the Government have broadly supported the recommendations of Josh MacAlister’s report, but I am sure the noble Baroness will recognise that I am somewhat underwhelmed at the pace and conviction of actually making sure it happens quickly enough to change, in real terms,...

My Lords, I welcome the fact that the Government have broadly supported the recommendations of Josh MacAlister’s report, but I am sure the noble Baroness will recognise that I am somewhat underwhelmed at the pace and conviction of actually making sure it happens quickly enough to change, in real terms,...

I share the noble Baroness’s desire that everything should be done as quickly as is humanly possible. I hope she would agree, though, that the Government are sending a very strong signal to every local authority that a family-first approach, if you like, is important and gets the best outcomes...

I share the noble Baroness’s desire that everything should be done as quickly as is humanly possible. I hope she would agree, though, that the Government are sending a very strong signal to every local authority that a family-first approach, if you like, is important and gets the best outcomes...

My Lords, first, I declare my interest as a governor of Coram, which has been adopting and looking after children since 1739. I want to ask the noble Baroness a question about leadership. There are a variety of institutions in our country which are in a state of crisis and...

My Lords, first, I declare my interest as a governor of Coram, which has been adopting and looking after children since 1739. I want to ask the noble Baroness a question about leadership. There are a variety of institutions in our country which are in a state of crisis and...

Of course, the noble Lord is right that leadership is incredibly important. As regards the core team, that is what we are lucky enough to have in our senior civil servants, who have huge subject expertise—I spent time with them earlier today—and an extraordinary personal commitment to delivering on these...

Of course, the noble Lord is right that leadership is incredibly important. As regards the core team, that is what we are lucky enough to have in our senior civil servants, who have huge subject expertise—I spent time with them earlier today—and an extraordinary personal commitment to delivering on these...

My Lords, following on from the question asked by the noble Baroness, Lady Armstrong of Hill Top, particularly about lifelong relationships, I welcome the Government’s emphasis on ensuring that children in care have good-quality, lifelong relationships. On that subject, Star Hobson and Arthur Labinjo-Hughes both lived with unrelated adults—a situation...

My Lords, following on from the question asked by the noble Baroness, Lady Armstrong of Hill Top, particularly about lifelong relationships, I welcome the Government’s emphasis on ensuring that children in care have good-quality, lifelong relationships. On that subject, Star Hobson and Arthur Labinjo-Hughes both lived with unrelated adults—a situation...

Sadly, my noble friend is right about the problem that he articulates, which is very clear. I think that the experts and professionals working in the sector are clear that relationship breakdown, and domestic violence and abuse in particular, are very important reasons for children being taken into care. My...

Sadly, my noble friend is right about the problem that he articulates, which is very clear. I think that the experts and professionals working in the sector are clear that relationship breakdown, and domestic violence and abuse in particular, are very important reasons for children being taken into care. My...