Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a child risk disclosure scheme.

The government recognises the strength of feeling behind proposals for a Child Risk Disclosure Scheme and has considered the potential merits of such an approach. At its heart, the proposal seeks to ensure that relevant information about risk is shared quickly so that children can be protected from harm.

Some key elements of such a scheme are already possible through existing arrangements. Sarah’s Law enables both proactive and application‑based disclosures where there is a risk to a child, and we are strengthening this by placing it on a statutory footing.

We are also taking further action to improve visibility of risk and support safeguarding professionals, including through the introduction of a child cruelty register and a new information sharing duty. This duty will place a clear legal obligation on agencies to share information relevant to a child’s welfare at the earliest opportunity.

These reforms along with a strengthened role for education in local safeguarding arrangements, the creation of multi-agency child protection teams and a new Child Protection Authority will strengthen safeguarding in England, helping keep children safe from harm.

We will continue to engage closely with Maya Chappell’s family and other stakeholders to test whether ongoing reforms are addressing the risks they have identified.