Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of people claiming free childcare for two-year olds are working.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Parliamentary question has been transferred to the Department for Education as it relates to the entitlement to early learning for two year olds, for which this Department has responsibility.
The Department for Education collects data on the number of two years olds taking up their entitlement to a funded learning place. However, the data requested is not available because the Department does not collect data on the employment status of parents who claim their entitlement to a funded early learning place.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to introduce relationship skills to the school curriculum.
Answered by Edward Timpson
Sex and relationships education (SRE) is compulsory in all maintained secondary schools and academies are expected to provide SRE as part of a broad and balanced curriculum. All schools should offer high quality relationships education and build a curriculum that meets the needs of their students.
Any school teaching SRE must have regard to the Secretary of State’s Sex and Relationship Education Guidance (2000). The guidance makes clear that all sex and relationship education should be age-appropriate and that schools should ensure young people develop positive values and a moral framework that will guide their decisions, judgments and behaviour.
In order to support teaching about healthy relationships, the PSHE Association has developed non-statutory guidance for schools about the topic of consent, which was published in March 2015 and can be found at www.pshe-association.org.uk. We strongly welcome this guidance. The PSHE Association’s guidance will help teachers establish the legal framework around consent and supports the government’s ‘This is Abuse’ campaign, which helps educate young people about damaging behaviours within relationships.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much and by what percentage the cost of childcare has increased (a) in nurseries and (b) for childminders in London since 2010.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Department for Education does not collect its own data, but uses cost information from a number of independent surveys, such as the Family and Childcare Trust Annual Childcare Cost Survey 2015 which can be found online at: http://www.familyandchildcaretrust.org/childcare-costs-surveys. The FCT survey measures the average market price for 25 hours of paid-for childcare and, therefore, takes no account of the 15 hours free early education and childcare that the majority of parents of young children are entitled to. |
The Department has already increased funding in the early years from £2 billion to £3 billion a year over the course of this Parliament. We are the first Government to fund 15 hours a week of free childcare for all three- and four-year-olds and for disadvantaged two-year-olds. The funding for all three and four-year-olds is worth an additional £425 a year per child; and the funding for around 40% of two-year-olds, £2,500 a year per child.
We will be introducing Tax-Free Childcare from autumn 2015, under which up to 1.8 million working families could benefit by up to £2,000 per child, per year.
For working parents on low and middle incomes, working tax credit pays up to 70% of their childcare costs which could be worth up to £6,370 for their first child. Under Universal Credit, the subsidy rate will increase to 85% of childcare costs and support will be available, for the first time, to those working fewer than 16 hours per week.
In relation to childcare costs in London being higher, we have invested £30 million to increase the number of childcare places available for two-year-olds and to encourage more school nurseries to open from 8am - 6pm. Linked with this, we are working with the Family and Childcare Trust, the Greater London Authority and the Local Government Association, and with the support of London Councils, on a project to help schools in London develop flexible, full-day nursery provision. The project, and the learning it generates, will increase the amount of flexible childcare available and the choices that parents have.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children from disadvantaged backgrounds have been unable to access free entitlement to childcare for (a) two-year-olds and (b) three and four-year-olds in London in each of the last five years.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Department for Education does not collect this data. However, information on take up is published annually and the latest published data is available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/provision-for-children-under-5-years-of-age-january-2014.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the pilot allowing approved adopters to search the Adoption Register is now working.
Answered by Edward Timpson
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak, on 5 January 2015 (PQ 219289). The pilot to allow approved adopters to search the Adoption Register has been delayed to ensure it is working as effectively as possible. Both the Department and the British Association of Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) are committed to the security of children’s and families’ data. This is a new service and it is crucial that we are satisfied that the system is completely secure before launching the pilot. BAAF have contacted all the agencies involved in the pilot to inform them of the current situation.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many disabled two-year-olds have been (a) eligible for and (b) received free early years entitlement since September 2014.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Department for Education’s Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents [1] collects information on the proportion of families using formal childcare who receive financial support from an employer. However, this information is only available at national level. I have asked Ofsted to respond using the data they hold on registered nursery places. Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, will write to the hon. Member, and a copy of his response will be placed in the House library. Some providers such as schools with nursery provision for children aged three or over are exempt from registration. The number of places therefore may not include the full range of early years provision available in the area.
The Department’s Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey [2] collects data on all registered childcare places, including those in maintained schools and nurseries. These figures are therefore more comprehensive than the Ofsted figures; however data is only available at a national and regional level.
The Department does not hold information on the number of eligible two year olds with a disability. However, all two year olds in receipt of Disability Living Allowance or with a statement or education health and care plan will be eligible. The number of two year olds taking up funded early education at January 2015 with a high level of special educational need or a disability will be published as part of the provision for children under five years of age statistical publication on 25 June 2015.
[1] www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents-2012-to-2013
[2] www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-providers-survey-2013
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many nursery places have been available in Wirral South constituency in each year since 2010.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Department for Education’s Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents [1] collects information on the proportion of families using formal childcare who receive financial support from an employer. However, this information is only available at national level. I have asked Ofsted to respond using the data they hold on registered nursery places. Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, will write to the hon. Member, and a copy of his response will be placed in the House library. Some providers such as schools with nursery provision for children aged three or over are exempt from registration. The number of places therefore may not include the full range of early years provision available in the area.
The Department’s Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey [2] collects data on all registered childcare places, including those in maintained schools and nurseries. These figures are therefore more comprehensive than the Ofsted figures; however data is only available at a national and regional level.
The Department does not hold information on the number of eligible two year olds with a disability. However, all two year olds in receipt of Disability Living Allowance or with a statement or education health and care plan will be eligible. The number of two year olds taking up funded early education at January 2015 with a high level of special educational need or a disability will be published as part of the provision for children under five years of age statistical publication on 25 June 2015.
[1] www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents-2012-to-2013
[2] www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-providers-survey-2013
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people have used employer-supported childcare in (a) the North West and (b) Merseyside in each year since 2010.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Department for Education’s Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents [1] collects information on the proportion of families using formal childcare who receive financial support from an employer. However, this information is only available at national level. I have asked Ofsted to respond using the data they hold on registered nursery places. Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, will write to the hon. Member, and a copy of his response will be placed in the House library. Some providers such as schools with nursery provision for children aged three or over are exempt from registration. The number of places therefore may not include the full range of early years provision available in the area.
The Department’s Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey [2] collects data on all registered childcare places, including those in maintained schools and nurseries. These figures are therefore more comprehensive than the Ofsted figures; however data is only available at a national and regional level.
The Department does not hold information on the number of eligible two year olds with a disability. However, all two year olds in receipt of Disability Living Allowance or with a statement or education health and care plan will be eligible. The number of two year olds taking up funded early education at January 2015 with a high level of special educational need or a disability will be published as part of the provision for children under five years of age statistical publication on 25 June 2015.
[1] www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents-2012-to-2013
[2] www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-providers-survey-2013
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the proportion of workers in the childcare sector who are employed on zero-hour contracts.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Department for Education has not made an estimate of the proportion of workers in the childcare sector who are employed on zero-hour contracts.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the (a) median and (b) mean wage was for childcare workers in each of the last five years.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Department for Education’s Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey[1] collects data on the wages for childcare workers.
Tables providing figures on the mean wage for childcare workers for 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013 are provided in the attachment. The survey was not carried out in 2012 and so no figures are available for that year.
Figures showing the median wage for childcare workers in each of the last five years are not readily available.
[1] www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-providers-survey-2013