Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to standardise the colour of defibrillation units to allow easier identification by the general public, and when they plan to communicate any such plans to the general public.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are no plans to standardise the colour of defibrillation units.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF), in partnership with the Resuscitation Council UK, the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives and the National Health Service, have set up The Circuit, a national defibrillator network database.
The Circuit provides a national database of where defibrillators can be found so that ambulance services can identify the nearest defibrillator at the time of an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The Circuit is live in in all ambulance services across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In addition, at the end of January 2022, the BHF launched defib finder, a website that will assist members of the public to locate their nearest defibrillator, including a mapping function.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the public’s knowledge of the availability defibrillation units and where these units can be found.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are no plans to standardise the colour of defibrillation units.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF), in partnership with the Resuscitation Council UK, the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives and the National Health Service, have set up The Circuit, a national defibrillator network database.
The Circuit provides a national database of where defibrillators can be found so that ambulance services can identify the nearest defibrillator at the time of an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The Circuit is live in in all ambulance services across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In addition, at the end of January 2022, the BHF launched defib finder, a website that will assist members of the public to locate their nearest defibrillator, including a mapping function.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the initial teacher training core content and early careers frameworks prioritise adaptive teaching for children with special educational needs and disability in accordance with individual need.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF) has been designed with the knowledge that the quality of teaching is the most important factor in improving outcomes for pupils, particularly for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with additional needs. Careful consideration has been given to the needs of trainee teachers in relation to supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and the Early Career Framework (ECF) builds on that learning for early career teachers (ECTs). These reforms support the department’s ambition that all new teachers starting in the profession learn how to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.
Both the CCF and the ECF outline what trainee and new teachers should learn, and should learn how to do, in respect of adaptive teaching. The CCF sets out a minimum entitlement for trainee teachers and places a duty on ITT providers and their partner schools to meet this entitlement through incorporating the CCF into their course curricula. Courses must be designed so that trainee teachers can demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. This includes the requirement in Standard 5 that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. To be recommended by an accredited provider for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), trainees must demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. To pass statutory teacher induction, ECTs must demonstrate that they meet the Teachers' Standards through a formal assessment, signed off by their head teacher and independently checked by their appropriate body.
The department is exploring opportunities to build teacher expertise through a review of the CCF and ECF frameworks. Aiming to conclude by the end of 2023, the review will identify how the frameworks can equip new teachers to be more confident in meeting the needs of children and young people with SEND.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Minister of State for the Department of Work and Pensions in evidence to the House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee on 3 May, when the root and branch review of the Disability Confident scheme will take place.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
In 2021, we began a review of the Disability Confident scheme which was announced in the National Disability Strategy (NDS). In January 2022, the High Court declared the NDS was unlawful because the UK Disability Survey, which informed it, was held to be a voluntary consultation that failed to comply with the legal requirements on public consultations. The Secretary of State wanted to minimise the risk of acting inconsistently with the Court’s declaration, therefore, we paused a limited number of policies referred to in the strategy, including work directly related to the Disability Confident review. The Secretary of State has successfully obtained permission to appeal this decision. The Court of Appeal hearing is due to take place on 28 and 29 June 2023.
The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work is exploring what additional steps we can take, whilst respecting the Court’s decision and awaiting the outcome of the appeal.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which trainees and early career teachers understand the legislative requirements, including their professional responsibilities, which relate to pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF) has been designed with the knowledge that the quality of teaching is the most important factor in improving outcomes for pupils, particularly pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with additional needs.
Careful consideration has been given to the needs of trainee teachers in relation to supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The early career framework (ECF) builds on that learning for early career teachers (ECTs). These reforms support the department’s ambition that all new teachers starting in the profession learn how to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.
The CCF sets out a minimum entitlement for trainee teachers and places a duty on ITT providers, and their partner schools, to meet this entitlement. In addition to the content detailed in the CCF, it remains a statutory requirement of providers to ensure that their curricula ensure trainees are fully aware of their duties in respect of safeguarding and equalities legislation.
Courses must be designed so that trainee teachers can demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. This includes the requirement in Standard 5 that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.
Part two of the Teachers’ Standards outlines that teachers must have an understanding of, and always act within, the statutory frameworks which set out their professional duties and responsibilities. To be recommended by an accredited provider for the award of qualified teacher status, trainees must demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. To pass induction, ECTs must demonstrate that they meet the Teachers' Standards through a formal assessment, signed off by their head teacher and independently checked by their appropriate body.
The department is exploring opportunities to build teacher expertise through a review of the CCF and ECF. Aiming to conclude by the end of 2023, the review will identify how the frameworks can equip new teachers to be more confident in meeting the needs of children and young people with SEND.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the ITT core content framework and early career framework: call for evidence consultation, which closed on 21 April, when updates to the ITT core content and early career framework will be published.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Department is conducting a review of the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework and Early Career Framework together this year. This review began in January 2023 and is aiming to conclude by the end of 2023.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the ITT core content framework and early career framework: call for evidence consultation, which closed on 21 April, what criteria they will use to assess the evidence presented and include it in the updated framework.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
In partnership with the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and panels of experts, the department is reviewing the evidence base of the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) and Early Career Framework (ECF). To support this work, the department published a call for evidence to identify additional recent, relevant and high-quality research that may inform amendments to the existing CCF and ECF.
Evidence submitted will be considered by the Department and EEF on the basis of whether it is robust, relevant and helpfully supplements the existing evidence cited in the frameworks. The EEF will provide a quality assessment on submitted evidence, particular attention will be paid to the methodology, effect of any study, and the relevance of the source to UK classroom contexts.
These standards already underpin the CCF, ECF and National Professional Qualifications frameworks, ensuring framework statements are based on the latest and most robust evidence.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government where the framework for the advice that the careers services provide to jobseekers with (1) dyslexia, and (2) other specific learning difficulties, can be found online.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The National Careers Service (the Service) provides free, up to date, impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills and the Labour Market in England.
The Service helps customers make informed choices about their career options, whatever their age, ethnic group and background. Discussions are tailored to meet the individual needs and circumstances of each customer, such as those with dyslexia and other additional needs.
The more in-depth, community-based service offers intensive support to adults (including jobseekers) with special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities as one of the six priority groups for the Service.
Alongside the community-based service, customers can access the service via the National Careers Service website here: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/. The department is committed to ensuring the website is accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
The Service’s Accessibility Statement contains information about the accessibility of the website, steps that individuals can take if they cannot access parts of the website and contact details to allow individuals to report accessibility problems. The Accessibility Statement can be found here: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/help/accessibility.
Development of the online service is supported by significant user research, including users with SEND. Where possible, research is undertaken across a representative range of users, including those with disabilities. Components are also tested to make sure they work with a broad range of browsers, devices and assistive technologies, including screen magnifiers, screen readers and speech recognition tools.
The following webpage sets out additional, specific job support for individuals with SEND and additional needs: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/career-and-job-support-for-people-with-a-disability. This includes signposting to the British Dyslexia Association for learning disability job support.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government where an individual adult who has been identified with a special educational need caused by a recognised disability, or a parent or guardian of such an individual, can find information about the process of transferring from education into work.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department wants to provide all young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) with good opportunities that allow them to transition from education into a fulfilling adult life.
On 2 March 2023, the department published the SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan, in response to the Green Paper published in March last year. This outlines the government’s mission for the SEND and AP system to fulfil children and young people’s potential, build parents’ trust and provide financial sustainability.
The department committed to developing good practice guidance to support consistent, timely, high-quality transitions for children and young people with SEND and in AP. This will ultimately look at transitions between all stages of education from early years and will focus initially on transitions into and out of post-16 settings, including into employment.
We are also supporting the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to develop and pilot an Adjustments Passport that will help to smooth the transition into employment and support people changing jobs. The Adjustments Passport will capture the in-work support needs of the individual and the pilots will establish whether the passport can reduce the need for assessments where needs remain the same. This will empower the passport holder to have a more confident conversation with potential employers about workplace adjustments.
Schools and colleges are expected to develop and improve their careers provision for young people in line with the world-class Gatsby Benchmarks, addressing the individual needs of each pupil, and seeking to raise the career aspirations of students with SEND. A new £2.6 million careers programme will deliver targeted, age-appropriate careers support in over 2,200 primary schools, to encourage children to think about future jobs, raise aspirations and challenge stereotypes, including those about people with disabilities.
To ensure children and young people with SEND are aware of their options, careers guidance for pupils with SEND should take account of the full range of relevant education, training and employment opportunities, such as traineeships and apprenticeships, supported internships or routes into higher education.
For those with an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan, there must be a specific focus from Year 9 onwards on preparing the young person for adulthood, including employment, as part of their EHC plan’s annual review. Planning for the transition to adulthood should result in clear outcomes being agreed that are ambitious and stretching, and which are tailored to the needs and interests of the young person.
The National Careers Service offers free, up-to-date, impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills, and the labour market in England. It helps people realise their full potential and supports social mobility by working with individuals to motivate them and develop their understanding of the full range of options open to them, whatever their background or circumstances. There's more information available at: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/.
DWP is running a series of programmes to support learning disabled people into employment, including the Work and Health Programme, Intensive Personalised Employment Support and Local Supported Employment. They are also working with employers via Disability Confident to increase their capacity to recruit, retain and support learning disabled employees.
Furthermore, Access to Work is a demand led, discretionary DWP grant that supports the recruitment and retention of disabled people in sustainable, paid employment.
The grant provides personalised support, including workplace assessments, travel to and in work, support workers, specialist aids and equipment including vehicle adaptations to enable disabled people and those with a health condition, to move into or retain employment. AtW can fund up to £66,000 worth of flexible, personalised support per person per year.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that those with an identified special educational need receive careers guidance, from the point of identification, that explains how to access government-provided workplace support for those special educational needs and disabilities throughout their adult working lives.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department wants to provide all young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) with good opportunities that allow them to transition from education into a fulfilling adult life.
On 2 March 2023, the department published the SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan, in response to the Green Paper published in March last year. This outlines the government’s mission for the SEND and AP system to fulfil children and young people’s potential, build parents’ trust and provide financial sustainability.
The department committed to developing good practice guidance to support consistent, timely, high-quality transitions for children and young people with SEND and in AP. This will ultimately look at transitions between all stages of education from early years and will focus initially on transitions into and out of post-16 settings, including into employment.
We are also supporting the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to develop and pilot an Adjustments Passport that will help to smooth the transition into employment and support people changing jobs. The Adjustments Passport will capture the in-work support needs of the individual and the pilots will establish whether the passport can reduce the need for assessments where needs remain the same. This will empower the passport holder to have a more confident conversation with potential employers about workplace adjustments.
Schools and colleges are expected to develop and improve their careers provision for young people in line with the world-class Gatsby Benchmarks, addressing the individual needs of each pupil, and seeking to raise the career aspirations of students with SEND. A new £2.6 million careers programme will deliver targeted, age-appropriate careers support in over 2,200 primary schools, to encourage children to think about future jobs, raise aspirations and challenge stereotypes, including those about people with disabilities.
To ensure children and young people with SEND are aware of their options, careers guidance for pupils with SEND should take account of the full range of relevant education, training and employment opportunities, such as traineeships and apprenticeships, supported internships or routes into higher education.
For those with an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan, there must be a specific focus from Year 9 onwards on preparing the young person for adulthood, including employment, as part of their EHC plan’s annual review. Planning for the transition to adulthood should result in clear outcomes being agreed that are ambitious and stretching, and which are tailored to the needs and interests of the young person.
The National Careers Service offers free, up-to-date, impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills, and the labour market in England. It helps people realise their full potential and supports social mobility by working with individuals to motivate them and develop their understanding of the full range of options open to them, whatever their background or circumstances. There's more information available at: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/.
DWP is running a series of programmes to support learning disabled people into employment, including the Work and Health Programme, Intensive Personalised Employment Support and Local Supported Employment. They are also working with employers via Disability Confident to increase their capacity to recruit, retain and support learning disabled employees.
Furthermore, Access to Work is a demand led, discretionary DWP grant that supports the recruitment and retention of disabled people in sustainable, paid employment.
The grant provides personalised support, including workplace assessments, travel to and in work, support workers, specialist aids and equipment including vehicle adaptations to enable disabled people and those with a health condition, to move into or retain employment. AtW can fund up to £66,000 worth of flexible, personalised support per person per year.