Written questions by Wilson.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a suicide prevention strategy aimed at (a) school and (b) university students.

The government is committed to reducing the numbers of lives lost to suicide, including through prevention in educational institutions.The Department of Health and Social Care published a Prevention Strategy for England on 11 September 2023 with over 130 actions aimed at reducing the suicide rate. The strategy also sets ambitions to improve support for people who self-harm and people who have been bereaved by suicide. As part of the strategy, a number of groups have been identified for consideration for tailored or targeted action at a national level, including children and young people.Guidance to schools is reviewed regularly, including the statutory ‘Keeping children safe in education’ guidance that all schools must have regard to. Amongst other things, the guidance sets out the role all staff must play in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, including identifying where mental health concerns are also safeguarding concerns and making appropriate referrals into early help support services and statutory support services as appropriate.The statutory guidance for relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), which came into force in September 2020, advises that schools should approach teaching about self-harm and suicide carefully and should be aware of the risks to pupils from exposure to materials that are instructive rather than preventative, including websites or videos that provide instructions or methods of self-harm or suicide. The guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.The department is currently reviewing the RSHE guidance and as part of this process the department will explore whether additional content is required on suicide prevention.The National Review of Higher Education Student Suicides will report with important lessons for better supporting students and preventing tragedies in higher education (HE) settings in the spring. This will be published alongside updated data on HE student suicides from the Office for National Statistics.

What steps her Department is taking to increase (a) awareness and (b) uptake of the Adoption and Special Guardian Support Fund for eligible families.

Local authorities, Adoption England and Regional Adoption Agencies promote the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) to families throughout their adoption journey as a source of support should they need it.In December 2023, the department changed the name of the Fund from the Adoption Support Fund to the ASGSF, to reflect the eligibility of special guardianship order (SGO) families and encourage increased numbers of applications for therapy where these families might need support.The department does not hold definitive data on the number of families eligible for the ASGSF at any one time. During the period from 7 February to 31 December 2024, 18,030 individual children have accessed support through the ASGSF.

How many families are eligible for the Adoption and Special Guardian Support Fund; and how many of these have accessed the fund since 7 February 2024.

Local authorities, Adoption England and Regional Adoption Agencies promote the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) to families throughout their adoption journey as a source of support should they need it.In December 2023, the department changed the name of the Fund from the Adoption Support Fund to the ASGSF, to reflect the eligibility of special guardianship order (SGO) families and encourage increased numbers of applications for therapy where these families might need support.The department does not hold definitive data on the number of families eligible for the ASGSF at any one time. During the period from 7 February to 31 December 2024, 18,030 individual children have accessed support through the ASGSF.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 21873 on Teachers: Pay, when she plans to publish the allocation of the £300 million revenue funding for Further Education in the 2025/26 financial year.

The Autumn Budget 2024 provided an additional £300 million revenue funding for further education (FE) for the 2025/26 financial year to ensure young people are developing the skills this country needs.On 15 January the department notified education institutions via the Education and Skills Funding Agency update that approximately £50 million of this funding will be made available to general FE colleges and sixth form colleges for the period April to July 2025. This one-off grant will enable colleges to respond to current priorities and challenges, including workforce recruitment and retention. Schools and academies will also continue to get grant funding for their 16 to 19 provision over this period.The remaining funding will be made available in 16 to 19 funding rates for the 2025/26 academic year, with the aim of ensuring that all 16 to 19 providers are funded on an equitable basis from 2025 to 2026. We are preparing the operational detail of the 16 to 19 funding rates and formula and the allocations timeline for the 2025/26 academic year. We aim to publish more information as soon as we can and will provide a further update in due course.The full update can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-15-january-2025.

If she will make an estimate of the number and proportion of children who would be eligible for free school meals had the income threshold for people on Universal Credit risen with inflation since 2018.

The new government has a central mission to break down barriers to opportunity for every child.The government has inherited a trend of rising child poverty and widening attainment gaps between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers. Child poverty has increased by 700,000 since 2010, with over four million children now growing up in a low income family. The government is committed to delivering an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty by tackling the root causes and giving every child the best start at life. To support this, a new ministerial taskforce has been set up to develop a Child Poverty Strategy, which will be published in spring 2025. The taskforce will consider a range of policies in assessing what will have the greatest impact in driving down rates of child poverty.The department has not made a recent formal assessment of the proportion of children who are eligible for FSM but not registered to receive the entitlement. The last review conducted in 2013 suggested that 89% of eligible pupils were registered for FSM. We recognise the vital role played by FSM and encourage all eligible families to take their entitlement up and join the 2.1 million pupils currently registered to receive FSM. To support FSM take up, we provide the Eligibility Checking System which allows local authorities to quickly verify eligibility for FSM and ensure that it is easily received.The department has not formally assessed the number and proportion of children who would be eligible for FSM, had the eligibility threshold for households on Universal Credit increased in line with inflation since its introduction in 2018. As with all policies, the government keeps the approach to FSM under review.

How many pupils who are eligible for free school meals are not claiming it.

The new government has a central mission to break down barriers to opportunity for every child.The government has inherited a trend of rising child poverty and widening attainment gaps between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers. Child poverty has increased by 700,000 since 2010, with over four million children now growing up in a low income family. The government is committed to delivering an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty by tackling the root causes and giving every child the best start at life. To support this, a new ministerial taskforce has been set up to develop a Child Poverty Strategy, which will be published in spring 2025. The taskforce will consider a range of policies in assessing what will have the greatest impact in driving down rates of child poverty.The department has not made a recent formal assessment of the proportion of children who are eligible for FSM but not registered to receive the entitlement. The last review conducted in 2013 suggested that 89% of eligible pupils were registered for FSM. We recognise the vital role played by FSM and encourage all eligible families to take their entitlement up and join the 2.1 million pupils currently registered to receive FSM. To support FSM take up, we provide the Eligibility Checking System which allows local authorities to quickly verify eligibility for FSM and ensure that it is easily received.The department has not formally assessed the number and proportion of children who would be eligible for FSM, had the eligibility threshold for households on Universal Credit increased in line with inflation since its introduction in 2018. As with all policies, the government keeps the approach to FSM under review.

What age ranges Young Futures hubs will work with.

The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity. Too many children and young people today do not have access to the same enrichment opportunities as their peers, suffer from poor mental health and, in some cases, end up being drawn into crime rather than going on to achieve and thrive.Young Futures Hubs will bring together the support services that tackle underlying needs and make them more accessible to those that need them. The department is engaging with local areas, communities, statutory partners, charities and other key stakeholders to support the design of the Young Futures Hubs, including the specific age-range they will serve. The department will share further information in due course.

Whether Young Futures hubs will work with local prevention partnerships; and whether those services will be co-located.

Young Futures Hubs will bring together services to improve access to opportunities and support for young people at community level, promoting positive outcomes, supporting crime prevention and enabling young people to thrive.This is part of the Young Futures Programme alongside which we will establish a network of Young Futures Prevention Partnerships to bring together key partners to identify children and young people at risk of being drawn into crime and offer support in a more systematic way to divert them.To make progress quickly and achieve impact across this programme, the department will need to build upon the existing structures it has in place, from physical buildings to local partnership working and the existing workforce.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure adequate numbers of skilled workers in the (a) construction, (b) planning and (c) architecture sectors.

The department is working closely with the construction sector to ensure its skills offer meets the needs of employers. We are working with the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), Construction Skills Delivery Group (CSDG), industry leaders and other government departments, to help more people access high-quality training and careers in construction. The CSDG has been instrumental in bringing together partners from industry, and across different government departments, to identify barriers to growth in construction and feed intelligence on how the skills offer can be shaped to best meet the needs of the industry. This government has announced £140 million industry investment in Homebuilding Skills Hubs. These will be established by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the National Housebuilding Council (NHBC) on a demand led basis, in areas where large scale homebuilding projects lead to a surge in demand. The hubs are projected to deliver over 5,000 fast track apprenticeships per year by 2027/28, in shortage occupations including Bricklaying and Groundwork, making use of the existing flexibilities in our apprenticeships system to help businesses get the skilled workers they need more quickly. This initiative represents £100 million investment from the NHBC and the CITB, an executive non-departmental public body. The department continues to support the take-up of construction and construction-related subjects in further education. Skills, including construction, planning and architecture are crucial for the delivery of the government’s missions. The department is building a coherent, flexible, high-quality skills system to break down barriers to opportunity and drive economic growth, underpinned by a new post-16 skills and education strategy. A wide range of government-funded programmes are available for construction employers who are considering hiring employees, offering work experience, or upskilling existing staff. These include apprenticeships, T Levels, Skills Bootcamps, and free courses for jobs. There are currently 91 high-quality apprenticeship standards in the construction and the built environment sector, with a further two standards in development, including in occupations like level 2 scaffolder, level 3 bricklayer, and level 6 construction site manager. The department has introduced innovations to support growth of training programmes in the sector. For example, we are making apprenticeships more flexible through flexi job apprenticeships. There are Skills Bootcamps around the country that offer courses in different areas of construction. T Levels provide an excellent option for 16 to 19 learners and include valuable workplace experience through an industry placement of at least 45 days. Thousands of young people have benefited from T Levels such as Design, Surveying and Planning, and Building Services Engineering, which can lead to rewarding careers in the construction sector. There are 21 ​Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) currently available in the Construction and the Built Environment occupational route, with a further 19 becoming available from September 2025. Examples of HTQs currently available in these areas include a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Modern Methods of Construction, HND in Architectural Technology and a Higher National Certificate Construction Quantity Surveying. Following the Review of Qualifications Reform, which looked at level 3 qualifications due to be defunded by 31 July 2025, the department is retaining 12 level 3 qualifications in Construction and the Built Environment until 2026. The department’s expectation is that, at this point, the combination of A levels, T Levels and reformed qualifications will meet the needs of learners in this route. As part of this review, the department announced that new enrolments onto the T Level in Onsite Construction will cease. Although this T Level is providing valuable education and industry experience, on the whole, its success and uptake has been limited due to the overall lack of demand for a large level 3 qualification in this area. Moving forward, the needs of learners will best be met through apprenticeships and other classroom provision as set out here. The department is also setting up Skills England to bring together central and local government, businesses, training providers and unions to help meet the skills needs of the next decade. Aligned to the government’s industrial strategy, this work will also be underpinned by local skills improvement plans, which help make technical education and training more responsive to local labour market and employer needs, including employers in the construction section.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of skills training for the (a) construction, (b) planning and (c) architecture sectors.

The department is working closely with the construction sector to ensure its skills offer meets the needs of employers. We are working with the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), Construction Skills Delivery Group (CSDG), industry leaders and other government departments, to help more people access high-quality training and careers in construction. The CSDG has been instrumental in bringing together partners from industry, and across different government departments, to identify barriers to growth in construction and feed intelligence on how the skills offer can be shaped to best meet the needs of the industry. This government has announced £140 million industry investment in Homebuilding Skills Hubs. These will be established by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the National Housebuilding Council (NHBC) on a demand led basis, in areas where large scale homebuilding projects lead to a surge in demand. The hubs are projected to deliver over 5,000 fast track apprenticeships per year by 2027/28, in shortage occupations including Bricklaying and Groundwork, making use of the existing flexibilities in our apprenticeships system to help businesses get the skilled workers they need more quickly. This initiative represents £100 million investment from the NHBC and the CITB, an executive non-departmental public body. The department continues to support the take-up of construction and construction-related subjects in further education. Skills, including construction, planning and architecture are crucial for the delivery of the government’s missions. The department is building a coherent, flexible, high-quality skills system to break down barriers to opportunity and drive economic growth, underpinned by a new post-16 skills and education strategy. A wide range of government-funded programmes are available for construction employers who are considering hiring employees, offering work experience, or upskilling existing staff. These include apprenticeships, T Levels, Skills Bootcamps, and free courses for jobs. There are currently 91 high-quality apprenticeship standards in the construction and the built environment sector, with a further two standards in development, including in occupations like level 2 scaffolder, level 3 bricklayer, and level 6 construction site manager. The department has introduced innovations to support growth of training programmes in the sector. For example, we are making apprenticeships more flexible through flexi job apprenticeships. There are Skills Bootcamps around the country that offer courses in different areas of construction. T Levels provide an excellent option for 16 to 19 learners and include valuable workplace experience through an industry placement of at least 45 days. Thousands of young people have benefited from T Levels such as Design, Surveying and Planning, and Building Services Engineering, which can lead to rewarding careers in the construction sector. There are 21 ​Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) currently available in the Construction and the Built Environment occupational route, with a further 19 becoming available from September 2025. Examples of HTQs currently available in these areas include a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Modern Methods of Construction, HND in Architectural Technology and a Higher National Certificate Construction Quantity Surveying. Following the Review of Qualifications Reform, which looked at level 3 qualifications due to be defunded by 31 July 2025, the department is retaining 12 level 3 qualifications in Construction and the Built Environment until 2026. The department’s expectation is that, at this point, the combination of A levels, T Levels and reformed qualifications will meet the needs of learners in this route. As part of this review, the department announced that new enrolments onto the T Level in Onsite Construction will cease. Although this T Level is providing valuable education and industry experience, on the whole, its success and uptake has been limited due to the overall lack of demand for a large level 3 qualification in this area. Moving forward, the needs of learners will best be met through apprenticeships and other classroom provision as set out here. The department is also setting up Skills England to bring together central and local government, businesses, training providers and unions to help meet the skills needs of the next decade. Aligned to the government’s industrial strategy, this work will also be underpinned by local skills improvement plans, which help make technical education and training more responsive to local labour market and employer needs, including employers in the construction section.

What information her Department holds on the number of educational settings that had reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in their buildings on 26 November 2024.

The department provides capital funding, guidance and support to help responsible bodies and their schools effectively manage their school buildings. It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, local authorities and voluntary-aided school bodies – to ensure their schools are safe, well-maintained and compliant with relevant regulations, and alert the department if there is a significant concern with a building. Local authorities and academy trusts do not need to report building closures to the department. Therefore, the department does not hold this data. The department does provide support on a case-by-case basis, working with the sector if it is alerted to a serious safety issue. The department always puts the safety and wellbeing of children and staff in schools and colleges at the heart of our policy decisions.There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England. The number of schools and colleges with confirmed reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was 237, or around 1%. The department has committed to resolving this problem of RAAC as quickly as possible.Where the presence of RAAC has been confirmed, the government is funding its removal from schools and colleges in England. The department has committed to resolving this problem as quickly as possible, permanently removing RAAC either through grant funding or the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP).  Permanently removing RAAC may involve refurbishment of existing buildings or rebuilding affected buildings.For schools and colleges receiving grants, it is for individual responsible bodies to develop project plans that suit their individual circumstances, drawing on the department’s support as needed. The scope and cost of each project will vary depending on the extent of the issue and nature and design of the buildings. Grants are agreed with responsible bodies and we support them as they take this forward.As of 27 November 2024, 30 schools, where works are being delivered by responsible bodies via grant funding, have informed us they have permanently removed RAAC.A total of 122 schools with confirmed RAAC have been included in SRP. Once a school enters delivery, a project team will carry out a feasibility study which will determine the scope of the works. SRP projects take on average 3 to 5 years to complete.

How many schools have been granted funding for RAAC removal as of 26 November 2024.

The department provides capital funding, guidance and support to help responsible bodies and their schools effectively manage their school buildings. It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, local authorities and voluntary-aided school bodies – to ensure their schools are safe, well-maintained and compliant with relevant regulations, and alert the department if there is a significant concern with a building. Local authorities and academy trusts do not need to report building closures to the department. Therefore, the department does not hold this data. The department does provide support on a case-by-case basis, working with the sector if it is alerted to a serious safety issue. The department always puts the safety and wellbeing of children and staff in schools and colleges at the heart of our policy decisions.There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England. The number of schools and colleges with confirmed reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was 237, or around 1%. The department has committed to resolving this problem of RAAC as quickly as possible.Where the presence of RAAC has been confirmed, the government is funding its removal from schools and colleges in England. The department has committed to resolving this problem as quickly as possible, permanently removing RAAC either through grant funding or the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP).  Permanently removing RAAC may involve refurbishment of existing buildings or rebuilding affected buildings.For schools and colleges receiving grants, it is for individual responsible bodies to develop project plans that suit their individual circumstances, drawing on the department’s support as needed. The scope and cost of each project will vary depending on the extent of the issue and nature and design of the buildings. Grants are agreed with responsible bodies and we support them as they take this forward.As of 27 November 2024, 30 schools, where works are being delivered by responsible bodies via grant funding, have informed us they have permanently removed RAAC.A total of 122 schools with confirmed RAAC have been included in SRP. Once a school enters delivery, a project team will carry out a feasibility study which will determine the scope of the works. SRP projects take on average 3 to 5 years to complete.

How many schools have successfully completed work to remove reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

The department provides capital funding, guidance and support to help responsible bodies and their schools effectively manage their school buildings. It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, local authorities and voluntary-aided school bodies – to ensure their schools are safe, well-maintained and compliant with relevant regulations, and alert the department if there is a significant concern with a building. Local authorities and academy trusts do not need to report building closures to the department. Therefore, the department does not hold this data. The department does provide support on a case-by-case basis, working with the sector if it is alerted to a serious safety issue. The department always puts the safety and wellbeing of children and staff in schools and colleges at the heart of our policy decisions.There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England. The number of schools and colleges with confirmed reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was 237, or around 1%. The department has committed to resolving this problem of RAAC as quickly as possible.Where the presence of RAAC has been confirmed, the government is funding its removal from schools and colleges in England. The department has committed to resolving this problem as quickly as possible, permanently removing RAAC either through grant funding or the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP).  Permanently removing RAAC may involve refurbishment of existing buildings or rebuilding affected buildings.For schools and colleges receiving grants, it is for individual responsible bodies to develop project plans that suit their individual circumstances, drawing on the department’s support as needed. The scope and cost of each project will vary depending on the extent of the issue and nature and design of the buildings. Grants are agreed with responsible bodies and we support them as they take this forward.As of 27 November 2024, 30 schools, where works are being delivered by responsible bodies via grant funding, have informed us they have permanently removed RAAC.A total of 122 schools with confirmed RAAC have been included in SRP. Once a school enters delivery, a project team will carry out a feasibility study which will determine the scope of the works. SRP projects take on average 3 to 5 years to complete.

How many schools included in the School Rebuilding Programme to (a) rebuild and (b) refurbish buildings where reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete is present have (i) seen contracts awarded, (ii) initiated construction work and (iii) completed construction work.

The department provides capital funding, guidance and support to help responsible bodies and their schools effectively manage their school buildings. It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, local authorities and voluntary-aided school bodies – to ensure their schools are safe, well-maintained and compliant with relevant regulations, and alert the department if there is a significant concern with a building. Local authorities and academy trusts do not need to report building closures to the department. Therefore, the department does not hold this data. The department does provide support on a case-by-case basis, working with the sector if it is alerted to a serious safety issue. The department always puts the safety and wellbeing of children and staff in schools and colleges at the heart of our policy decisions.There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England. The number of schools and colleges with confirmed reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was 237, or around 1%. The department has committed to resolving this problem of RAAC as quickly as possible.Where the presence of RAAC has been confirmed, the government is funding its removal from schools and colleges in England. The department has committed to resolving this problem as quickly as possible, permanently removing RAAC either through grant funding or the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP).  Permanently removing RAAC may involve refurbishment of existing buildings or rebuilding affected buildings.For schools and colleges receiving grants, it is for individual responsible bodies to develop project plans that suit their individual circumstances, drawing on the department’s support as needed. The scope and cost of each project will vary depending on the extent of the issue and nature and design of the buildings. Grants are agreed with responsible bodies and we support them as they take this forward.As of 27 November 2024, 30 schools, where works are being delivered by responsible bodies via grant funding, have informed us they have permanently removed RAAC.A total of 122 schools with confirmed RAAC have been included in SRP. Once a school enters delivery, a project team will carry out a feasibility study which will determine the scope of the works. SRP projects take on average 3 to 5 years to complete.

How many state-funded schools have been (a) temporarily and (b) permanently closed due to unsafe buildings in each year since 2019; and if she will list all the schools affected.

The department provides capital funding, guidance and support to help responsible bodies and their schools effectively manage their school buildings. It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, local authorities and voluntary-aided school bodies – to ensure their schools are safe, well-maintained and compliant with relevant regulations, and alert the department if there is a significant concern with a building. Local authorities and academy trusts do not need to report building closures to the department. Therefore, the department does not hold this data. The department does provide support on a case-by-case basis, working with the sector if it is alerted to a serious safety issue. The department always puts the safety and wellbeing of children and staff in schools and colleges at the heart of our policy decisions.There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England. The number of schools and colleges with confirmed reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was 237, or around 1%. The department has committed to resolving this problem of RAAC as quickly as possible.Where the presence of RAAC has been confirmed, the government is funding its removal from schools and colleges in England. The department has committed to resolving this problem as quickly as possible, permanently removing RAAC either through grant funding or the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP).  Permanently removing RAAC may involve refurbishment of existing buildings or rebuilding affected buildings.For schools and colleges receiving grants, it is for individual responsible bodies to develop project plans that suit their individual circumstances, drawing on the department’s support as needed. The scope and cost of each project will vary depending on the extent of the issue and nature and design of the buildings. Grants are agreed with responsible bodies and we support them as they take this forward.As of 27 November 2024, 30 schools, where works are being delivered by responsible bodies via grant funding, have informed us they have permanently removed RAAC.A total of 122 schools with confirmed RAAC have been included in SRP. Once a school enters delivery, a project team will carry out a feasibility study which will determine the scope of the works. SRP projects take on average 3 to 5 years to complete.

What progress has been made on the Condition Data Collection 2 programme; and how many schools have been assessed under the programme.

The Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) programme is collecting condition, contextual and building management data for every government-funded school in England. CDC2 is collecting data on over 22,000 educational establishments between 2021 and 2026.To date, the programme has visited 18,248 schools and released 15,912 CDC2 reports to schools, which represents 83% of the total number of schools to be visited and 72% of the total number of reports to be released to schools.

What plans her Department has to continue funding the Staying Close programme after April 2025.

This government is committed to providing support for care leavers to ensure they have the practical and emotional support they need as they move towards independence. The department is currently providing £23 million this financial year for 47 local authorities and three charities to deliver Staying Close. My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has announced the overall settlement for the department for the 2025/26 financial year. The department is working internally to confirm the detail of 2025/26 budgets and future funding plans as soon as possible.As announced in the Oral Statement in the House of Commons on 18 November, it is this government’s intention to make the Staying Close programme a national offer to all former relevant children up to the age of 25, when parliamentary time allows.This will set the clear expectation that the local authority must assess whether provision of Staying Close support to the former relevant child is required, in the interests of that person’s welfare.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of Staying Close funding scheme on prospects of children leaving the care system.

Within the 2022/23 to 2024/25 financial years, the department is providing £53 million to 47 local authorities and three private providers to deliver the Staying Close programme. The programme supports care leavers to find and maintain move-on accommodation, and provides practical and emotional support from someone they know and trust, to young people leaving residential and other care placements.The independent evaluations of the initial pilots showed Staying Close found promising evidence that this programme can support better outcomes for care leavers including a 20% improvement in mental health outcomes, a 13% reduction in the number of young people who were not in education, employment or training and a 21% reduction in anti-social behaviour.The evaluations reported that Staying Close supported young people to develop and build the skills needed to prepare for independent living. Feedback showed that young people’s life skills had improved after six months of participating in the project and that they felt happier in themselves. They also showed increased participation in activities, whether education, employment or getting involved with other activities in the project.The department continues to look at the impact of Staying Close and have commissioned the Centre for Homelessness Impact (CHI) to undertake further evaluation. This is due to report in early 2025.

Whether she plans to (a) continue and (b) expand the Staying Close programme.

This government is committed to providing support for care leavers to ensure they have the practical and emotional support they need as they move towards independence. The department is currently providing £23 million this financial year for 47 local authorities and three charities to deliver Staying Close. My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has announced the overall settlement for the department for the 2025/26 financial year. The department is working internally to confirm the detail of 2025/26 budgets and future funding plans as soon as possible.As announced in the Oral Statement in the House of Commons on 18 November, it is this government’s intention to make the Staying Close programme a national offer to all former relevant children up to the age of 25, when parliamentary time allows.This will set the clear expectation that the local authority must assess whether provision of Staying Close support to the former relevant child is required, in the interests of that person’s welfare.

What resources she is allocating to new measures to achieve the recruitment of 6,500 additional teachers.

The within-school and -college factor that makes the biggest difference to a child’s outcome is high quality teaching, but there are shortages of qualified teachers across the country. This is why this government will work with the sector to deliver its pledge to recruit 6,500 additional teachers across schools and colleges over the course of this parliament, to raise standards for children and young people, and deliver its mission to break down the barriers to opportunity at every stage. The department’s measures will include getting more teachers into shortage subjects, supporting areas that face recruitment challenges and tackling retention issues. Further details will be shared in due course.The department has already made good, early progress towards this pledge by ensuring teaching is once again an attractive and respected profession. The department has accepted in full the School Teachers’ Review Body’s recommendation of a 5.5% pay award for teachers and leaders in maintained schools, which is effective from September. The department is also removing the requirement for performance related pay.Alongside this the department is also supporting teachers to improve their workload and wellbeing, including opportunities for greater flexible working. Teachers are now allowed to undertake planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time remotely and the department is also delivering a programme focused on embedding flexible working in schools and multi-academy trusts (MATs). This includes the delivery of supportive webinars and peer support provided by flexible working ambassador schools and MATs. ​Additionally, the department has made available a range of resources to help address teacher workload and wellbeing, including its improve workload and wellbeing for school staff service and the education staff wellbeing charter.The department has also expanded the school teacher recruitment campaign 'Every Lesson Shapes a Life' and the further education teacher recruitment campaign 'Share your Skills'.My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced a Budget on 30 October to be followed by a multi-year spending review in the spring of next year. Decisions about future funding will be subject to the outcomes of these fiscal events.The department is dedicated to working in partnership with the sector to re-establish teaching as an attractive profession, and one that existing teachers want to remain in, former teachers want to return to, and new graduates and industry professionals wish to join.