Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of children’s social care provision in (a) Sefton and (b) Lancashire.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Southport, to the answer I gave on 21 September 2022 to Question’s 45108 and 45126 in respect of children’s social care provision in Sefton. The Commissioner appointed in Sefton by the former Secretary of State for Education is currently finalising the report for submission to the department by 30 September 2022 to be published in October 2022. This report will help determine the best next steps to ensure improvements are made for vulnerable children and families.