Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that vulnerable children are safeguarded in the event of school closures in England.

Supporting vulnerable children is a priority at this time. On Wednesday 18 March, my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Education announced that schools would remain open for vulnerable children, alongside the children of critical workers. Vulnerable children include those who have a social worker and those with education, health and care (EHC) plans.

We know that for many children who have a social worker, being in school can be a protective factor helping to keep them safe from harm. There is an expectation that vulnerable children who have a social worker will attend school, so long as they do not have underlying health conditions that put them at severe risk.

Guidance for schools on supporting vulnerable children at this time is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people.

We recognise that local authorities and other safeguarding partners are under increased pressure during this period and are considering all options to ensure that they can continue to keep children safe. HM Treasury has created a £5 billion emergency response fund, which includes £1.6 billion of additional funding to help local authorities address any pressures they are facing in response the Covid-19 pandemic across all service areas, including children’s social care. Through the Coronavirus Act, we are seeking powers to bring additional social workers onto the register of social workers held by the regulator, Social Work England, to give local authorities flexibility to meet the challenges of dealing with Covid-19.