Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that schools are informed when a pupil's parent is sent to prison.

The government has a key mission to break down the barriers to opportunity for every child, which is why the department is committed to identifying children affected by parental imprisonment and ensuring they get the community support they need to thrive.

Our approach to recognising children affected by parental imprisonment must be sensitive, child and family-focused, and in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

​We will continue to engage schools, children with lived experience of parental imprisonment, local authorities and charities, alongside other external stakeholders with a broad range of expertise, to help shape our policy to better identify and support children affected by parental imprisonment.​