Written questions by Blundell.

What steps her Department is taking to help support local authorities in the North West to (a) process and (b) issue education, health and care plans for SEND children.

The department is working with a number of local authorities in the North West that have issues with education, health and care (EHC) plan timeliness. This involves working closely with NHS England and other partners to support improvement, including deploying special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) advisers, coordinating targeted interventions, and aligning efforts with other inspection frameworks.Where a local authority does not meet its duties, the department can take action that prioritises children’s needs and supports local areas to bring about rapid improvement. We offer universal, targeted and intensive support through Department for Education-managed programmes, including our sector-led improvement partners which provides peer-to-peer tailored support.Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission introduced a strengthened area SEND inspection framework in January 2023 leading to a greater emphasis on children and young people’s outcomes. It is the primary tool to maintain a focus on high standards in the SEND system across all partners.

What steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce class sizes and (b) provide focused support in maintained special schools.

Special schools are specially organised to support pupils with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The provision required will be specified in the pupils’ education, health and care plans, which the responsible local authority is statutorily required to secure.The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to keep the provision for children and young people with SEND under review, working with parents, young people and providers.Decisions about how to organise provision within a special school is for the headteacher to determine. Special schools will use a variety of staff deployment and grouping models based on the varied needs of their children.

What steps she is taking to ensure the independence of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body.

The School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) is being established in primary legislation through the Employment Rights Bill, which was introduced in Parliament within the first 100 days of government on 10 October 2024. The Bill is currently in the House of Lords. Due to the uncertainties of Parliamentary business and scheduling, we cannot confirm at this stage when the Bill will receive Royal Assent. After Royal Assent, secondary legislation will be required to constitute the body.The department’s current estimate is that once the SSSNB has been established and is operational, the earliest the body will be in a position to start making pay related recommendations is in the 2027/28 academic year, to ensure a smooth transition from the current National Joint Council process.The SSSNB will bring together employers and employee representatives to reach agreements on pay and terms and conditions which may then be ratified by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. It is important that the department strikes an appropriate balance between the SSSNB having sufficient independence to reach agreements and make recommendations, whilst ensuring that any agreements in relation to remuneration, terms and conditions or advice in relation to training and career progression are practicable before being ratified or published as statutory guidance by the Secretary of State for Education. As a negotiating body, employee and employer representatives will be able to meaningfully negotiate on pay and conditions as well as advise on training and career progression, with a clear process for the Secretary of State for Education to decide on the course of action based on the agreements reached or recommendations made.

What steps she is taking to ensure that recommendations made by the School Support Staff Negotiating Body are implemented.

The School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) is being established in primary legislation through the Employment Rights Bill, which was introduced in Parliament within the first 100 days of government on 10 October 2024. The Bill is currently in the House of Lords. Due to the uncertainties of Parliamentary business and scheduling, we cannot confirm at this stage when the Bill will receive Royal Assent. After Royal Assent, secondary legislation will be required to constitute the body.The department’s current estimate is that once the SSSNB has been established and is operational, the earliest the body will be in a position to start making pay related recommendations is in the 2027/28 academic year, to ensure a smooth transition from the current National Joint Council process.The SSSNB will bring together employers and employee representatives to reach agreements on pay and terms and conditions which may then be ratified by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. It is important that the department strikes an appropriate balance between the SSSNB having sufficient independence to reach agreements and make recommendations, whilst ensuring that any agreements in relation to remuneration, terms and conditions or advice in relation to training and career progression are practicable before being ratified or published as statutory guidance by the Secretary of State for Education. As a negotiating body, employee and employer representatives will be able to meaningfully negotiate on pay and conditions as well as advise on training and career progression, with a clear process for the Secretary of State for Education to decide on the course of action based on the agreements reached or recommendations made.

When the School Support Staff Negotiating Body will be operational.

The School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) is being established in primary legislation through the Employment Rights Bill, which was introduced in Parliament within the first 100 days of government on 10 October 2024. The Bill is currently in the House of Lords. Due to the uncertainties of Parliamentary business and scheduling, we cannot confirm at this stage when the Bill will receive Royal Assent. After Royal Assent, secondary legislation will be required to constitute the body.The department’s current estimate is that once the SSSNB has been established and is operational, the earliest the body will be in a position to start making pay related recommendations is in the 2027/28 academic year, to ensure a smooth transition from the current National Joint Council process.The SSSNB will bring together employers and employee representatives to reach agreements on pay and terms and conditions which may then be ratified by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. It is important that the department strikes an appropriate balance between the SSSNB having sufficient independence to reach agreements and make recommendations, whilst ensuring that any agreements in relation to remuneration, terms and conditions or advice in relation to training and career progression are practicable before being ratified or published as statutory guidance by the Secretary of State for Education. As a negotiating body, employee and employer representatives will be able to meaningfully negotiate on pay and conditions as well as advise on training and career progression, with a clear process for the Secretary of State for Education to decide on the course of action based on the agreements reached or recommendations made.

What steps she is taking to ensure collaboration between the School Support Staff Negotiation Body and academy trusts.

The School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) will have a remit for pay, conditions, training and career progression for support staff in all state-funded schools, including academies, in England. As half of schools are now academies, it is vital that academies are included in the statutory remit of the SSSNB to ensure there is a national core offer for support staff pay and terms and conditions, across all schools.The SSSNB will need to represent all school support staff and their employers effectively. The body will be composed of representatives of employers, employee representatives, an Independent Chairperson, and a member representing my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. The Secretary of State for Education will appoint an employer organisation which represents academy employers via regulations.

What steps she is taking to ensure that it is financially viable for childcare settings to offer places to three and four year-old children.

In 2025/26 alone, we plan to provide over £8 billion for the early years entitlements, a more than 30% increase compared to 2024/25. We have announced the largest ever increase to Early Years Pupil Premium since its introduction and will also deliver a significant tranche of supplementary funding of £75 million through the Early Years Expansion Grant.We are increasing core funding rates. For 2025/26, the national average three and four-year-old hourly funding rate of local authorities is increasing by 4.1%, two-year-old hourly funding rate is increasing by 3.3%, and nine months to two-year-old hourly funding rate is increasing by 3.4%.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of early years funding models in supporting (a) parents and (b) guardians who work fewer than 16 hours per week.

Single parents of children aged nine months and over may qualify for 30 hours of funded childcare from September this year, provided they meet the eligibility requirements. Each parent needs to expect to earn the equivalent of 16 hours at National Living Wage and no more than £100,000 per year adjusted net income. This is equivalent to £195 per week or £10,158 per year (in 2025/26).The Tax-Free Childcare scheme is also available to eligible working parents, including eligible single parents, and aims to help parents work, return to work, and work more when they want or need to. It can save eligible working parents up to £2,000 per year on the cost of childcare, or up to £4,000 for eligible children with disabilities.Where households (including single parent households) do not meet the eligibility requirements, they may still qualify for support through the 15-hour entitlement for two-year-olds receiving some additional forms of support. All three and four-year-olds are eligible for 15 hours free early education regardless of their parent’s income.Parents may wish to explore support through Universal Credit childcare. If eligible, parents can receive help with up to 85% of their childcare costs through Universal Credit Childcare which can be used in addition to the early education entitlements to support with the costs of childcare.

What steps she is taking to support single parents re-entering the workforce with funding to access high-quality childcare.

Single parents of children aged nine months and over may qualify for 30 hours of funded childcare from September this year, provided they meet the eligibility requirements. Each parent needs to expect to earn the equivalent of 16 hours at National Living Wage and no more than £100,000 per year adjusted net income. This is equivalent to £195 per week or £10,158 per year (in 2025/26).The Tax-Free Childcare scheme is also available to eligible working parents, including eligible single parents, and aims to help parents work, return to work, and work more when they want or need to. It can save eligible working parents up to £2,000 per year on the cost of childcare, or up to £4,000 for eligible children with disabilities.Where households (including single parent households) do not meet the eligibility requirements, they may still qualify for support through the 15-hour entitlement for two-year-olds receiving some additional forms of support. All three and four-year-olds are eligible for 15 hours free early education regardless of their parent’s income.Parents may wish to explore support through Universal Credit childcare. If eligible, parents can receive help with up to 85% of their childcare costs through Universal Credit Childcare which can be used in addition to the early education entitlements to support with the costs of childcare.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of single parent family access to high quality childcare settings.

Single parents of children aged nine months and over may qualify for 30 hours of funded childcare from September this year, provided they meet the eligibility requirements. Each parent needs to expect to earn the equivalent of 16 hours at National Living Wage and no more than £100,000 per year adjusted net income. This is equivalent to £195 per week or £10,158 per year (in 2025/26).The Tax-Free Childcare scheme is also available to eligible working parents, including eligible single parents, and aims to help parents work, return to work, and work more when they want or need to. It can save eligible working parents up to £2,000 per year on the cost of childcare, or up to £4,000 for eligible children with disabilities.Where households (including single parent households) do not meet the eligibility requirements, they may still qualify for support through the 15-hour entitlement for two-year-olds receiving some additional forms of support. All three and four-year-olds are eligible for 15 hours free early education regardless of their parent’s income.Parents may wish to explore support through Universal Credit childcare. If eligible, parents can receive help with up to 85% of their childcare costs through Universal Credit Childcare which can be used in addition to the early education entitlements to support with the costs of childcare.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to develop a cross-Government strategy for reducing the numbers of missing children.

This government champions the need for an effective multi-agency response that reduces the number of children going missing, whether this is from a family home or from the care of the local authority.The department’s long-standing statutory guidance on safeguarding children at risk of going missing is already clear on the expectation that local authorities and safeguarding partners need to work together to reduce missing episodes, and to respond effectively when children do go missing.In addition, the government’s statutory guidance ‘Working together to safeguard children’ promotes robust information-sharing across safeguarding partners, which we know is essential for identifying local contexts and disrupting local patterns of behaviours that can raise the risk of children in and outside the care system going missing, including being missing from education.Children in care can be especially vulnerable to going missing. That is why the department, working with the Home Office, has supported the National Police Chiefs' Council to develop a ‘Missing Children from Care' framework. This good practice framework can be adopted by local areas when designing their multi-agency protocols for strategic and operational responses to missing episodes, ensuring that the appropriate safeguarding partner responds in the best interest of the missing person.Since April, the government is providing £500 million to local authorities nationally, to roll out family help and multi-agency child protection support. We have set up the Families First Partnership programme to support the delivery of these reforms, with local areas beginning transformation from April 2025.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of making the (a) installation and (b) use of CCTV recordings in private nurseries a formal requirement for Ofsted inspections.

The department’s priority is to grow high-quality, affordable and flexible education and care for children whilst ensuring their safety, giving every child the best start to life and delivering on our Plan for Change. For this reason, we continually monitor and review safeguarding requirements for early years settings to make sure children are kept as safe as possible.The department is responsible for setting the standards which early years settings such as nurseries must follow. These are set out in the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework. The department has responsibility for policy on inspection and registration, but how it is implemented is for Ofsted to decide whilst also remaining accountable to Parliament.The decision to install and use camera surveillance equipment in a nursery is a matter for individual providers to determine based on their own risk assessment and policies.If a nursery uses camera surveillance equipment, they must comply with the regulations in the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation and should follow the guidance published by the Information Commissioner’s Office.

What steps she is taking to ensure families from disadvantaged backgrounds have access to high quality childcare provision.

The government’s Plan for Change sets out a commitment to give children the best start in life. Low-income families, children with education, health and care plans and looked after children are eligible for 15 hours funded early education from age two until they start school. In addition to this, eligible disadvantaged children can get early years pupil premium (EYPP). This additional funding supports the delivery of high quality early education that improves disadvantaged children’s outcomes. In December 2024, the department announced an unprecedented 45% increase to EYPP from 1 April 2025.Support for disadvantaged children is also reflected when distributing core funding for the entitlements. The early years national funding formulae (EYNFFs) are used to determine the hourly rates to fund individual local authorities for early years entitlements. The EYNFFs target funding to local authorities where it is needed most and each include an additional needs factor that accounts for 10.5% of entitlement funding. This needs factor comprises of an 8% deprivation factor, a 1.5% English as an additional language factor and a 1% Disability Allowance factor. Local authorities are responsible for setting individual provider funding rates in consultation with their providers and schools forum, and fund providers using their own local funding formula, which may include a deprivation supplement.Local authorities are required by legislation to provide sufficient childcare places for children in their local area. The department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency and any issues they are facing. Where local authorities report sufficiency challenges, we discuss what action they are taking to address those issues and, where needed, support the local authority with any specific requirements through our childcare sufficiency support contract. If a parent is unable to secure a place, they should contact their local authority.The department is also supporting the creation of new places. School-based nurseries are a key part of this government’s opportunity mission, delivering on our Plan for Change by expanding high quality early education across England. We have awarded 300 primary-phase schools £37 million to repurpose spare space for new or expanded nursery provision, opening from September 2025, to support the expansion of childcare entitlements. School-based nurseries are particularly well-placed to support families in disadvantaged areas, with over a quarter of providers in the most deprived areas based in schools. For the school-based nurseries grant, applications for the grant were scored more highly if they clearly evidenced a focus on supporting children from disadvantaged families. This was validated using departmental data relating to established disadvantaged factors.

What steps she is taking to help retain skilled and experienced foster carers.

Currently, there are ten fostering regional programmes active across England, collaborating with 64% of all local authorities to recruit and retain foster carers who will provide loving homes, local to the children who need them. An additional £15 million was announced to support this programme in the budget, and the department intends to move towards full national roll-out in the next financial year.As part of this model, the department is supporting foster carers, and the children they care for, by expanding ‘The Mockingbird Family Model’. This innovative evidence-based approach, where relationships are central to the design of the programme, involves six to ten satellite families grouped into a constellation around a hub home carer. Research shows that carers who participate in Mockingbird are 82% less likely to de-register than households that do not participate.In addition, the department funds ‘Fosterlink’, a diagnostic support service for local authority fostering services, which will review current processes to identify areas for service and practice improvements, as well as creating a national network in which to share best practice. Finally, the department is continuing to fund ‘Fosterline’, a free helpline service for current and prospective foster carers.

If she will (a) extend legal protections for and (b) improve financial security available to foster carers.

The Children’s Act 1989 and subsequent statutory guidance sets out strong safeguards to protect foster carers from unfair treatment, including the requirement for fostering services to have a complaints procedure and whistle-blowing policy. The department does not plan any changes to foster carers’ legal position, but we are committed to reviewing our guidance and working with the sector to improve the support that foster carers receive.No foster carer should be financially disadvantaged because of their fostering role. We expect all foster carers to receive at least the weekly National Minimum Allowance (NMA), in addition to any agreed expenses to cover the full cost of caring for each child placed with them, as per the National Minimum Standards (NMS, standard 28). In the 2025/26 financial year, this is being uplifted by 3.55%.The department is concerned by reports that a minority of foster carers are not receiving the allowance in full, and the effect this can have on carer retention. Foster carers should report any underpayment to their fostering service in the first instance. If underpayment continues, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman will investigate any reports they receive on this issue.Foster carers also benefit from reformed tax and benefit allowances which ensure they receive the best support for their individual financial circumstances, in recognition of their role.

What guidance her Department issues on timings schools will be expected to run free breakfast clubs to and from on a given day.

From the start of the summer term, early adopter schools will be expected to deliver a free, universal breakfast club providing childcare and food for at least 30 minutes, immediately before the start of the compulsory school day. This will also be a requirement for all schools with primary aged children under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. More information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/breakfast-clubs-early-adopter-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts-in-england/breakfast-clubs-early-adopter-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts-in-england.

For how long will the Government fund free breakfast clubs.

The department has introduced the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill which will mean every state-funded school with primary aged children will offer a free breakfast club. This will ensure every child, regardless of circumstance, can have a supportive start to the school day. The Bill will also mean that breakfast clubs will be enshrined in law, ensuring the longevity of the breakfast clubs policy.From April 2025, up to 750 participating schools in the early adopter programme will be funded to provide access to a free, universal breakfast club lasting at least 30 minutes and including food.

What steps she is taking to improve the integration of oral health education across primary schools.

All state funded schools are required to teach about good oral hygiene as part of statutory health education. Pupils should know about dental health and the benefits of good oral hygiene and dental flossing, including regular check-ups at the dentist.Departmental officials regularly meet with officials from the Department for Health and Social Care to discuss oral health in schools and this government’s commitment to introduce a national supervised toothbrushing scheme targeted at 3 to 5 year-olds living in the 20% most deprived areas of England. Further details on this scheme will be published in due course.We are currently reviewing the statutory relationships, sex and health education curriculum, which includes considering whether any additional content is needed, including on oral health.

What steps her Department is taking to tackle misogynistic attitudes in primary schools.

Education has a crucial role to play in tackling harmful behaviour, helping children and young people, at primary and secondary level, to develop empathy, boundaries and respect for difference.Through compulsory relationships education, all pupils, including boys and young men, learn how to form positive and respectful relationships and develop an understanding of the concepts and laws around sexual harassment and sexual violence.The relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance emphasises that schools should be alive to issues such as everyday sexism, misogyny, homophobia and gender stereotypes and take positive action to build a culture where these are not tolerated, ensuring any occurrences are identified and tackled. The guidance is clear that schools should provide pupils with the knowledge they need to recognise and report abuse, including emotional, physical and sexual abuse, and to build empathy and promote respect for all. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.Schools should consider what they can do to foster healthy and respectful peer-to-peer communication and behaviour between boys and girls, and provide an environment, which challenges perceived limits on pupils based on their gender or any other characteristic.​The department is currently reviewing the statutory RSHE curriculum and as part of this review will be looking at how to ensure that the guidance equips pupils, including at primary school level, to form healthy and respectful relationships. We are analysing consultation responses, talking to stakeholders and considering relevant evidence.Separately, the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review will consider how RSHE fits into the wider curriculum.

What steps her Department is taking with local authorities to expedite the removal of asbestos from schools.

The department takes the safety of children and those who work with them incredibly seriously, which is why we expect all those with responsibility for managing the school estate, which includes local authorities, governing bodies and academy trusts, to have robust plans in place to manage asbestos in school buildings effectively, in line with their legal duties, drawing on appropriate professional advice.The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as the regulator, sets the legal requirements and standards to manage asbestos and produces guidance for responsible bodies to follow, as duty holders. The department provides guidance, tools and support to help schools and responsible bodies effectively manage their school buildings, including guidance on managing asbestos in schools and colleges, which was updated in October 2024.Asbestos is typically removed when carrying out wider rebuilding or refurbishment work to improve the condition of buildings. The department follows the advice of the HSE as the regulator, that as long as asbestos-containing materials are undamaged, and not in locations where they are vulnerable to damage, they should be left undisturbed, and their condition monitored.The department has been clear that when asbestos does pose a risk to safety and cannot be effectively managed in place, it should be removed. The decision to remove asbestos should be considered on a case-by-case basis and annual condition funding provided by the department can be used for this purpose. As part of the 2025/26 budget, we have increased capital allocations to improve the condition of school buildings to £2.1 billion, which is £300 million more than the 2024/25 financial year. This is on top of the School Rebuilding Programme and targeted support for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.