Written questions by Brewer.

What assessment her Department has made of the impact of private equity investment on the performance of (a) children’s homes and (b) fostering services.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the expansion of the working family’s childcare entitlement on enabling parents to (a) work sooner, (b) support their families and (c) progress th

Awaiting answer.

What proportion of parents or carers who are entitled to government funded childcare hours purchase additional hours on top.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment her Department has made of the of the impact of private equity investment on staffing in (a) children’s home (b) fostering services and (c) special educational needs schools.

Awaiting answer.

What steps her Department is taking to encourage that young people into employment in skilled labour.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of enforcement of safer sleep standards across early years settings.

Awaiting answer.

What estimate her Department has made of the yearly cost of supplementary top ups, on top of existing nursery fees.

Awaiting answer.

What steps her Department is taking to support families in caring for their children in the event of early school closures due to heatwaves.

Awaiting answer.

Whether her Department has considered the potential merits of introducing a career development strategy for nursery staff, including a requirement for staff working with children aged two to four to hold, or be

Awaiting answer.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that children from families not eligible for 30 hours of Government-funded childcare per week are not disadvantaged when starting primary school.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment her Department has made of the educational outcomes of children who spend 30 hours or more per week in nursery during their early years compared to those who spend fewer than 30 hours per week,

We want all families to access high-quality, affordable early education and care, as the evidence is clear that it boosts development.The study of early education and development shows that among the 40% most disadvantaged children, starting formal early ...

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of nursery top-up fees on parents’ decisions regarding nursery attendance.

The 15 or 30 hours must be able to be accessed free of charge to parents and there must not be any mandatory charges for parents in relation to the free hours. This does not prevent providers from offering and charging for food and other consumables, as l...

What steps her Department is taking to ensure sufficient availability of early years childcare places for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

The reforms outlined in ‘Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform: putting children and young people first’ will give early years settings the training, evidence-based tools and expert input they need to welcome children with diverse needs...

What assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits of excepting SEND transport operators from National Insurance contribution increases to relieve pressures on local authority budgets.

Awaiting answer.

What timelines and safeguards are in place for the implementations of the inclusive mainstream fund in schools across North East Hampshire.

Over £500 million per financial year over the next three years through the Inclusive Mainstream Fund (IMF) equips schools, nurseries and colleges, including those in North East Hampshire, with more upfront funding to become inclusive by design. We have pl...

What assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits of introducing a profit cap on private SEND providers.

Independent special schools can provide essential provision for children and young people with highly complex needs, and the department recognises the expertise and value that many offer. Any provision for children and young people must be delivered at a ...

What assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits of treating SEND provision as essential national infrastructure.

While special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision is not formally classified as national infrastructure, high-quality support for children with additional needs is a national priority. Our proposals for reforming the system, published in t...

What assessment her Department has made of the performance of SEND schools owned by private equity firms in comparison with schools ran by local authorities.

Independent special schools can provide essential provision for children and young people with highly complex needs, and the department recognises the expertise and value that many offer. Any provision for children and young people must be delivered at a ...

What steps her Department is taking to improve the retention of SEND specialist teachers in mainstream schools.

High-quality training is essential to supporting teacher retention, and this starts with Initial Teacher Training (ITT). In addition to the increased special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) content introduced through the Initial Teacher Training...

What assessment her Department has made of the factors contributing to the higher proportion of boys than girls receiving Education, Health and Care Plans.

Through our proposed reforms of the special educational needs (SEN) system we will ensure children and young people get the support they need earlier, regardless of their background.Independent research has suggested that amongst factors likely to explain...