Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment has been made of whether children’s social care practice adequately supports parents who are experiencing post-separation abuse.

The Children’s Social Care National Framework (2023) statutory guidance sets the direction for children’s social care practice. It describes expectations for practitioners working sensitively with whole families, including to identify and address the impact of trauma. It also sets out that leaders should put in place meaningful and collaborative forums with children, young people and families, such as family group decision making.

The national rollout of Family Help, multi-agency child protection and family group decision making reforms, delivered through the Families First Partnership programme, will prioritise supporting the whole family and intervening at the earliest opportunity to prevent problems escalating, including supporting parents who are experiencing post-separation abuse. This will require excellent place-based service design driven by local authorities working effectively with local partners, including health, police, education providers and specialist agencies such as domestic abuse and victim support services, underpinned by good multi agency safeguarding arrangements and listening closely to families.