Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve accessibility to higher education for people with progressive neurological conditions such as Friedreich’s ataxia.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is committed to ensuring that all students are supported to both access higher education (HE) and to thrive while they are there. For example, in our recent Skills White Paper we committed to significantly increasing the take-up of the Adjustment Planner. This allows all individuals to go through the support that they think would be right for them and discuss this with the people they are studying with.
It also remains the case that HE providers have responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for all their disabled students.
Wherever possible, disabled students should expect to have their needs met through inclusive learning practices and individual reasonable adjustments made by their provider.
In addition to reasonable adjustments, the Disabled Students’ Allowance is available for the provision of more specialist support. For students with progressive neurological conditions, such as Friedreich’s ataxia, this may include assistive technology.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support kinship carers in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend constituency.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Local authorities in England are responsible for setting out a Kinship Local Offer, which outlines the support available to kinship carers and the children they care for.
This offer should cover all types of kinship care arrangements, both formal and informal, and can include information on financial support, legal advice, training and peer support, and educational and emotional wellbeing services.
Nationally, support is available to kinship carers through peer-to-peer support groups and a programme of training, delivered by the charity Kinship. This includes free workshops, events and access to advice and guidance. Virtual School Heads also work with schools to promote the education of children in kinship care and ensure their needs are met and kinship carers in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend can benefit from this.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the number of Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund applications that received match-funding in (a) Newcastle upon Tyne and (b) North Tyneside in (i) 2023-24 and (ii) 2024-25.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The table below confirms the information requested.
Financial year | Newcastle upon Tyne | North Tyneside | ||
Applications | Match funded | Applications | Match funded | |
2023/24 | 57 | 2 | 53 | 0 |
2024/25 | 43 | 1 | 44 | 1 |
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the number of children with approved Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund applications in (a) Newcastle upon Tyne and (b) North Tyneside in (i) 2023-24 and (ii) 2024-25.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The table below confirms the information requested.
Financial year | Newcastle upon Tyne | North Tyneside | ||
Applications | Match funded | Applications | Match funded | |
2023/24 | 57 | 2 | 53 | 0 |
2024/25 | 43 | 1 | 44 | 1 |
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of childcare support for PhD researchers on the demographics of people who take up studentships.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Student parents are eligible for the universal 15 hours of free early education which is available to all 3 and 4-year-olds regardless of family circumstances. Students who work in addition to studying may be eligible for 30 hours free childcare if they meet the income requirements.
The government recognises the value of parents continuing in education and provides a range of support for students in higher education to support them with childcare. Further information on the childcare offers available to parents can be found at: https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/.
The government introduced new support packages for students starting postgraduate master’s degree courses from the 2016/17 academic year onwards and postgraduate doctoral degree courses from 2018/19 onwards. These loans are not based on income and are intended as a contribution to the cost of study. They can be used by students according to their personal circumstances to cover the costs of fees and living costs including childcare. The new support packages have provided a significant uplift in support for postgraduate students while ensuring the student support system remains financially sustainable.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of support available to PhD researchers with the costs of childcare.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Student parents are eligible for the universal 15 hours of free early education which is available to all 3 and 4-year-olds regardless of family circumstances. Students who work in addition to studying may be eligible for 30 hours free childcare if they meet the income requirements.
The government recognises the value of parents continuing in education and provides a range of support for students in higher education to support them with childcare. Further information on the childcare offers available to parents can be found at: https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/.
The government introduced new support packages for students starting postgraduate master’s degree courses from the 2016/17 academic year onwards and postgraduate doctoral degree courses from 2018/19 onwards. These loans are not based on income and are intended as a contribution to the cost of study. They can be used by students according to their personal circumstances to cover the costs of fees and living costs including childcare. The new support packages have provided a significant uplift in support for postgraduate students while ensuring the student support system remains financially sustainable.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on ensuring that adult (a) mental health services and (b) social care are involved in improving information-sharing through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
No discussions have been had regarding either aspect. The focus in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is to improve information sharing by introducing a consistent identifier for children up to the age of 18. We will consider the role both the adult and child identifiers can play in the transition to adulthood as this work moves forward.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of local government finances on the ability of local authorities to fund additional therapy above the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund's fair access limit.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The adoption and special guardianship support fund provides up to £3,000 per child annually for therapeutic support. The department has assessed that £3,000 can fund an average of 19-20 hours of therapy, on the basis of median hourly rates for contact time, and allowing for additional costs. Decisions to fund additional therapy beyond this fair access limit rest with individual local authorities. Adoptive and kinship families can also receive help from local authority Family Help services. The government is doubling investment in these services to over £500 million in 2025/26.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to consult charities on SEND reform.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and I continue to engage with special educational needs and disabilities charities, stakeholders and parent carers, and are conducting weekly engagement sessions via webinars, meetings and visits. We are also engaging via roundtables with the voluntary, charity and community sectors, the most recent being in June 2025.
These engagements will carry on throughout the White Paper consultation period into the autumn and beyond.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to answer Question 53853, tabled by the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend on 21 May 2025.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
I can confirm that a response has been submitted to my hon. Friend, the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend to Question 53853.