Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will (a) ensure that the Staying Put programme is adequately (i) costed and (ii) funded and (b) bring forward a national minimum allowance for that programme to cover the cost of looking after a young person.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
Since its introduction in May 2014, the Department for Education has provided over £90 million in funding to local authorities to implement Staying Put; and has committed to provide a further £23.77 million in 2019/20. Decisions on funding beyond March 2020 will be subject to the outcome of the next Spending Review.
The government does not believe that introducing a national minimum allowance is the right way forward. Unlike children in foster care, young people in Staying Put arrangements are adults, and may be in work, or claiming benefits. These financial sources can be used to contribute to the cost of providing the Staying Put arrangement, in a similar way that young people who are still living at home with their parents may contribute to the costs of running the household.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to support foster carers to assist their former fostered children when they leave care.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
In 2014, the government introduced ‘Staying put: arrangements for care leavers aged 18 years and above’ which allows care leavers to continue living with their former foster carer when they reach age 18: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-put-arrangements-for-care-leavers-aged-18-years-and-above. This means young people can continue to benefit from a stable and secure family setting, preparing for independence at a more gradual pace and moving into independent living when they are ready, rather than facing a cliff-edge on reaching age 18.
To support local authorities to implement Staying Put we have provided £68.35 million to date. Funding for 2019/20 will be £23.77 million, and funding beyond 2020 will be subject to future spending reviews.
The latest data show that for the year ending March 2018, 55% of those ceasing to be looked after in a foster placement on their 18th birthday stayed put with their former foster carer, which is an increase of 4% on the previous year. Furthermore, 31% of 19 year-olds were still with former foster carers on their 19th birthday, and 26% of 20 year-olds still with former foster carers on their 20th birthday. Again, these were both increases on the previous year.
Asked by: Laura Smith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance his Department provides to (a) schools and (b local education authorities on dealing with race-related incidents and hate crime in schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Racism has no place in our schools and any incident is unacceptable. All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy which outlines measures to prevent all forms of bullying.
The Department issues guidance to schools on how to prevent and tackle bullying. This was last updated in July 2017 and outlines the Government’s approach to bullying, the legal obligations and powers schools have, and the principles which underpin the most effective anti-bullying strategies in schools. It provides information on sources of support, including tackling bullying based on race, religion and nationality. This guidance can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying.
The Department has published a research report which details common strategies that schools have found to be effective in combating bullying, along with more detailed case studies showing practical measures taken by schools. The report is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/approaches-to-preventing-and-tackling-bullying.
In January 2016, the Department launched the website www.educateagainsthate.com, jointly with the Home Office, to provide schools with practical advice on protecting children from extremism and radicalisation. The website highlights the main routes to report a hate crime and includes our guidance to schools on promoting the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs.
The Department’s guidance is directed towards schools rather than on local authorities, therefore guidance is only issued for schools.