Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to improve access to ESOL provision for (a) refugee women and (b) refugee women who have childcare and caring responsibilities.

The government recognises that learning English is essential in enabling refugee women to rebuild their lives. We are working across government to develop a new strategy for English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) in 2019, which will include addressing the needs of refugees.

The department funds ESOL through the Adult Education Budget, which is allocated to providers on an annual basis. Colleges and adult learning providers have the freedom and flexibility to determine how they use their Adult Education Budget allocation to meet the needs of their communities. This includes planning, with local partners, the ESOL courses that they will deliver locally. The Home Office and the Department for Education have provided £10 million to enable refugees resettled through the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme to access additional classes.

We know that there are many examples of good practice to overcome barriers for learners with childcare needs. Through the ESOL strategy, we will explore what else needs to be done to enable good local solutions and to support greater access to English language provision.

All 3 and 4 year olds in England are entitled to 570 hours a year of funded early education over no fewer than 38 weeks of the year (which equates to 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year) irrespective of the immigration status of the child or their parent(s).

Local authorities have a duty to provide information, advice and assistance for parents and prospective parents on the provision of childcare in their area. Parents can contact their local Family Information Service for details of local childcare and early years provision in their area.

For those who come to the UK under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, additional funds are made available for childcare to ensure this is not a barrier for mothers and carers to learn English.