Written questions by Dillon.

What steps she is taking to support schools and colleges in the transition to V Levels.

We are currently consulting on post-16 pathways, including the introduction of V Levels. The consultation closes on 12 January 2026.Schools and colleges can expect to be supported with the transition to V Levels through access to a comprehensive package of guidance and resources. Dedicated online information will provide timely updates and practical materials to help prepare for delivery. Clear guidance will set out the structure and requirements of the new qualifications, supporting staff understanding and effective implementation. Exemplar pathway documents will assist providers in planning learner routes, while study programme guidance will explain how V Levels can be used to develop meaningful programmes of study.In addition, we expect awarding organisations to supply specifications, sample assessments and training materials to support accurate delivery and assessment. Together, these measures will provide schools and colleges with the clarity and confidence needed for the successful implementation of V Levels.

What guidance her Department provides to educators to support their understanding of kinship care.

The government recognises that there is a need for greater awareness of the needs of kinship children and families and the importance of improving data collection in this space and is therefore exploring including kinship in the school census.Following the Care Review, the government has updated ‘Kinship Care Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities’. This guidance outlines the framework for the provision of support for kinship children and kinship families. The government has also extended both the delivery of over 140 kinship carer peer support groups across England and the virtual school head (VSH) role (on a non-statutory basis) to include championing the education, attendance, and attainment of children in kinship care.The government intends to make this role statutory through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. We will publish updated statutory guidance setting out how VSHs will be expected to work with kinship carers and guardians to support the educational outcomes of these children.

Whether she plans to include kinship care in the school census.

The government recognises that there is a need for greater awareness of the needs of kinship children and families and the importance of improving data collection in this space and is therefore exploring including kinship in the school census.Following the Care Review, the government has updated ‘Kinship Care Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities’. This guidance outlines the framework for the provision of support for kinship children and kinship families. The government has also extended both the delivery of over 140 kinship carer peer support groups across England and the virtual school head (VSH) role (on a non-statutory basis) to include championing the education, attendance, and attainment of children in kinship care.The government intends to make this role statutory through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. We will publish updated statutory guidance setting out how VSHs will be expected to work with kinship carers and guardians to support the educational outcomes of these children.

Whether she is taking steps to align her Department’s work on enrichment, including the Enrichment Framework, the Enrichment Expansion Programme, the forthcoming Schools White Paper and the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, with the design and scope of the Dormant Assets Fund.

The department is working closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to help ensure all children and young people can access a broad range of enrichment activities. The next tranche of Dormant Assets funding for the Youth Cause will increase disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability. It will be delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund. The government is working with them to design the specific programmes to be delivered, ensuring they align with ministerial priorities, including the Enrichment Framework and Schools White Paper, while ensuring the additionality principle is upheld. Further details will be announced in due course.

What discussions she has had with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the National Lottery Community Fund on the design and scope of the Dormant Assets Fund.

The department is working closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to help ensure all children and young people can access a broad range of enrichment activities. The next tranche of Dormant Assets funding for the Youth Cause will increase disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability. It will be delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund. The government is working with them to design the specific programmes to be delivered, ensuring they align with ministerial priorities, including the Enrichment Framework and Schools White Paper, while ensuring the additionality principle is upheld. Further details will be announced in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of early interventions in speech and language support.

The potential merits of focusing on early intervention in providing speech and language support are clear. That is why we have invested in the Early Language Support for Every Child programme, and the Nuffield Early Language Intervention, both of which support children with their speech and language. We are funding Family Hubs to train practitioners to support families with the home learning environment to help parents support children’s speech and communication. We will fund local early language leads to provide training to early years settings. Reception staff will also be able to access early language and literacy support.

Whether her Department has considered including sun-safety lessons in the national curriculum.

I refer the hon. Member for Newbury to the answer of 23 October 2025 to Question 81731.

Whether her Department has considered providing sun-safety education in schools.

I refer the hon. Member for Newbury to the answer of 23 October 2025 to Question 81731.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a new right to kinship care leave.

The government has launched a review of the parental leave system, which represents a much-needed opportunity to consider the department’s approach to the system of parental leave and pay. This will consider whether the support available meets the needs of working families, such as kinship carers.In 2023, the department published ‘Kinship Carers in the Workplace: Guidance for Employers’, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/kinship-carers-in-the-workplace-guidance-for-employers. This sets out best practice for supporting kinship carers at work, including how to adapt internal policies, signpost existing entitlements and create a culture of support to meet the needs of kinship carers. The department has since implemented our own Kinship Leave and Pay offer and we encourage all organisations to review their guidance and explore what changes they can make.

What steps she plans to take to support schools and colleges in Newbury in the transition to V Levels.

The department is currently consulting on post-16 pathways, including the introduction of V Levels. The consultation closes on 12 January 2026.All schools and colleges, including those in Newbury, will be supported through the transition to V Levels by access to a comprehensive package of guidance and resources. Dedicated online information will provide timely updates and practical materials to help providers prepare for delivery. Clear guidance will set out the structure and requirements of the new qualifications, supporting staff understanding and effective implementation. Exemplar pathway documents will assist providers in planning learner routes, while study programme guidance will explain how V Levels can be used to develop meaningful programmes of study.In addition, we expect awarding organisations to supply specifications, sample assessments and training materials to support accurate delivery and assessment. Together, these measures will provide schools and colleges with the clarity and confidence needed for the successful implementation of V Levels.

What steps she is taking to improve the quality and supply of industry placements for T Levels.

T Levels are providing fantastic opportunities for young people to progress into skilled jobs and careers, and 96% of students completed their industry placement last year.The department supports employers to host high quality placements through guidance, workshops and direct support. The department’s digital ’Connect’ service supports local providers and employers to connect with each other and our updated delivery approaches allow greater flexibility for providers to design a high quality placement experience.We provide targeted support for industry placements in specific areas, with seven industry placement coordinators currently in local NHS integrated care systems, and an employer support fund supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and priority sectors with the essential costs of hosting a placement.The national ’Skills for Life’ campaign raises awareness of skills development and promotes T Levels, ensuring businesses and learners understand their value, and our network of over 1,000 T Level Ambassadors builds T Level understanding and engagement in the business community.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that all school children receive adequate first aid training.

All state funded schools are required to teach first aid as part of the statutory health education set out in the relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance. Independent schools are required to cover health education as part of their responsibility to provide personal, social, health and economic education.The statutory RSHE guidance includes basic first aid for primary school children, for example dealing with common injuries, such as head injuries. Pupils in secondary schools are taught further first aid, for example how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the purpose of defibrillators and how to use them.

Whether her Department plans to review the effectiveness of the Childcare Funding system.

We see the early years as more than just childcare and central to our mission to give every child the best start in life. The department is focused on reforming the childcare system to ensure it is fit for purpose, so children get the best start in life and that high quality early education is available to all who need it.To ensure that the early years funding system is hardwired to support those children and parts of the country that have higher levels of additional need, the department will review early years funding, including the early years national funding formulae, consulting on a set of changes by summer 2026.We will review how funding is distributed nationally and locally to ensure the funding system remains fair and effective at reflecting the costs of delivery and supporting those children and parts of the country that have higher levels of additional need. The department will set out full details in the consultation next year.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of digital parenting programmes in supporting families of children with SEND.

Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life sets out how the government will invest close to £1.5 billion over the next three years to expand and strengthen family services.This will include £500 million for rolling out Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority. Each Best Start Family Hub will have a children and family services professional specifically trained in supporting parents of children with additional needs. This will help identify children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who may need extra help, making links with local early years settings and health services. We will also fund more evidence based parenting offers and set clearer rules to ensure that funding is used on high quality parenting programmes.This will be supported by a new national Best Start digital service, linked to ‘My Children’ on the NHS app, bringing together the advice and guidance parents need in one place, and linking families to local services.The Families First Partnership programme is embedding Family Help as a seamless offer of family support delivered by multi-disciplinary, community based teams. This includes a broad range of professionals, including those working in SEND. The location of services will be determined by local authorities, with partners, and we encourage areas to consider family hubs as a location.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of specialist evidence-based parenting support for families with children with SEND.

Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life sets out how the government will invest close to £1.5 billion over the next three years to expand and strengthen family services.This will include £500 million for rolling out Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority. Each Best Start Family Hub will have a children and family services professional specifically trained in supporting parents of children with additional needs. This will help identify children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who may need extra help, making links with local early years settings and health services. We will also fund more evidence based parenting offers and set clearer rules to ensure that funding is used on high quality parenting programmes.This will be supported by a new national Best Start digital service, linked to ‘My Children’ on the NHS app, bringing together the advice and guidance parents need in one place, and linking families to local services.The Families First Partnership programme is embedding Family Help as a seamless offer of family support delivered by multi-disciplinary, community based teams. This includes a broad range of professionals, including those working in SEND. The location of services will be determined by local authorities, with partners, and we encourage areas to consider family hubs as a location.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that families of children with SEND in rural areas have equitable access to early parenting support.

Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life sets out how the government will invest close to £1.5 billion over the next three years to expand and strengthen family services.This will include £500 million for rolling out Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority. Each Best Start Family Hub will have a children and family services professional specifically trained in supporting parents of children with additional needs. This will help identify children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who may need extra help, making links with local early years settings and health services. We will also fund more evidence based parenting offers and set clearer rules to ensure that funding is used on high quality parenting programmes.This will be supported by a new national Best Start digital service, linked to ‘My Children’ on the NHS app, bringing together the advice and guidance parents need in one place, and linking families to local services.The Families First Partnership programme is embedding Family Help as a seamless offer of family support delivered by multi-disciplinary, community based teams. This includes a broad range of professionals, including those working in SEND. The location of services will be determined by local authorities, with partners, and we encourage areas to consider family hubs as a location.

What steps she is taking to promote agricultural (a) careers and (b) skills development among young people in rural constituencies.

In October, the department published the Post-16 education and skills white paper, setting out a strategy to build a world-class skills system aligned with student and employer needs. Central to these reforms is Skills England, which provides expert insight into current and future skills needs. The department funds the Careers & Enterprise Company to increase young people’s exposure to industry. They work with sector bodies, such as the Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture to embed employer insight within careers education. Through a network of careers hubs, the Careers & Enterprise Company connects careers provision in schools and colleges to the needs of local economies through strategic partnerships with local government. Several careers hubs covering rural constituencies work in line with local skills improvement plans by supporting young people’s career readiness and delivering application and interview support.

What steps her Department is taking to improve support for children with speech and language challenges in schools.

The department, in collaboration with NHS England, has extended the Early Language and Support for Every Child (ELSEC) programme to strengthen early identification and intervention for children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) in early years settings and primary schools.Under the Best Start in Life strategy, the department is investing in evidence-based initiatives such as the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI), which has demonstrated significant impact on oral language and early literacy, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.Since 2021, English Hubs have delivered targeted professional development to enhance whole class early language provision, primarily in early years and key stage 1, with plans to expand support for reception classes.Recognising the critical role of speech and language therapists, the department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to improve access to community health services, including speech and language therapy, for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Whether her Department provides (a) training and (b) support to teachers working with children experiencing alienation from a (i) parent and (ii) grandparent.

The Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework sets out the core content that defines great teaching and must be used by all providers of initial and early career teacher training to create their curricula. The framework sets out that trainees and early career teachers should learn how to develop an understanding of each pupil's individual needs by engaging with parents and carers to better understand these individual needs, and building trusting relationships with parents and carers to better understand each pupil's circumstances. Beyond the mandatory framework, decisions relating to teachers’ professional development rests with schools, headteachers, and teachers themselves, as they are in the best position to judge the development and training that teachers in their schools need to support their pupils.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the mental health support needs of kinship carers and the children in their care; and what steps she is taking to improve their access to appropriate services.

All children, including those in kinship care, are entitled to access universal and targeted mental health services, such as NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and mental health support teams in schools. Children in kinship care who were previously looked-after and are now subject to special guardianship or child arrangement orders may also be eligible for therapeutic support through the adoption and special guardianship support fund, which provides funding for essential services such as counselling, play therapy, and trauma support.In October 2024, updated statutory guidance was published to clarify local authorities’ responsibilities in supporting kinship families, including access to appropriate services to safeguard and promote children’s welfare. Additional steps to support the wellbeing of kinship carers nationally include expanding peer support groups and delivering training for kinship carers.The department continues to monitor feedback from those with direct experience to inform its approach to supporting kinship families.