Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how his Department is working with the Forced Marriage Unit to safeguard children from early and forced marriage in preparation for the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 coming into force in March 2023.

The department is working closely with the Ministry of Justice, as sponsor department for the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022. We are also working with the joint Home Office and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) to ensure schools and children’s social care providers are made aware of the change in the law.

Keeping children safe in education statutory guidance sets out the role all school staff play in safeguarding children, including information for staff on what forced marriage is, as well as signposting to further help from the government’s FMU.