Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the proposed reducing interparental conflict programme, how local authorities will be encouraged to ensure that children in low-income and workless families benefit from any support provided by that programme.

Local authorities, and the partners they work with, are best placed to understand what support the families in their area need. DWP will be working with 30 local authorities to help build our understanding of how to do this well, through providing face-to-face support for disadvantaged (including low income and workless) families experiencing conflict. Local authorities will be responsible for identifying families experiencing damaging parental conflict and referring them to appropriate interventions, making sure that the parents who need help are offered support.

To help local areas do this, we will make training and guidance for frontline practitioners and relationship support professionals available in all local areas in England. We will support managers and commissioners to understand why and how to address parental conflict; support frontline staff to recognise parental conflict; and offer appropriate advice to make sure that they are able to refer parents to appropriate services.