Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to support children experiencing (a) loneliness and (b) social isolation (i) within and (ii) outside school.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department works closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the government’s strategy for tackling loneliness, which aims to reduce loneliness across all age groups through building the evidence base, reducing the stigma associated with loneliness and driving a lasting shift.
The department does not hold information on the steps schools and colleges are taking to assess the potential risks of loneliness and social isolation among their students. It does monitor children and young people’s feeling of loneliness and sense of belonging at school through regular parent, pupil and learner panel surveys. The department uses this data, alongside other sources, in its annual State of the Nation reports, which presents trends in children and young people’s wellbeing and related experiences, including loneliness, sense of belonging and relationships.
As part of the department’s approach to loneliness, it wants all schools to provide supportive, inclusive environments where all pupils feel they belong and can form positive relationships with peers and adults. The department’s Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum supports this, by teaching pupils about the features and importance of healthy, respectful relationships and the wellbeing benefits of time spent with family and friends.
The department has also produced a range of guidance for schools relevant to supporting pupils experiencing loneliness. The department’s statutory RSHE guidance states that a firm foundation in the benefits and characteristics of good health and wellbeing will enable teachers to talk about isolation, loneliness, unhappiness, bullying and the negative impact of poor wellbeing. It makes clear that isolation and loneliness can affect children and it is very important for children to discuss their feelings with an adult and seek support.
Extra-curricular activities also provide valuable opportunities for social connection, both in and outside of schools; the government is taking action to widen access to these opportunities. This includes investing £200 million a year in its holiday activities and food programme and supporting up to 200 secondary schools to improve their extra-curricular offer through the new Enrichment Partnerships Pilot. Through the National Youth Guarantee, the department is committed to every young person aged 11 to18 having access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer by 2025, supporting them to make new lasting social connections.
Finally, the guidance on a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing can help settings ensure pupils have opportunities to raise issues affecting them, which may include social isolation and loneliness, and to support them with these challenges. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-children-and-young-peoples-emotional-health-and-wellbeing.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to require his frontline officials to (a) assess the potential (i) loneliness and (ii) social isolation when interacting with people who may be vulnerable to those challenges and (b) signpost those people to (A) social prescribing services and (B) other civil society engagement opportunities.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
All new and existing staff who work with customers are trained to consider a person's circumstances and to tailor support according to their individual needs. Staff complete training that covers a wide range of claimant circumstances, including how to recognise the signs of loneliness and social isolation.
Staff also have access to information on services and support available in their local area for claimants who are vulnerable or who have complex needs, and can signpost to relevant organisations, suggest social prescribing options, or other relevant opportunities such as volunteering.
We’re committed to improving and expanding this Jobcentre Plus signposting, as outlined in Department for Culture, Media and Sport's fourth Tackling Loneliness Report.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will provide guidance to schools on (a) ensuring that their pupils have opportunities to raise challenges relating to (i) social isolation and (ii) loneliness and (b) strategies for supporting young people that may experience those challenges.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department works closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the government’s strategy for tackling loneliness, which aims to reduce loneliness across all age groups through building the evidence base, reducing the stigma associated with loneliness and driving a lasting shift.
The department does not hold information on the steps schools and colleges are taking to assess the potential risks of loneliness and social isolation among their students. It does monitor children and young people’s feeling of loneliness and sense of belonging at school through regular parent, pupil and learner panel surveys. The department uses this data, alongside other sources, in its annual State of the Nation reports, which presents trends in children and young people’s wellbeing and related experiences, including loneliness, sense of belonging and relationships.
As part of the department’s approach to loneliness, it wants all schools to provide supportive, inclusive environments where all pupils feel they belong and can form positive relationships with peers and adults. The department’s Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum supports this, by teaching pupils about the features and importance of healthy, respectful relationships and the wellbeing benefits of time spent with family and friends.
The department has also produced a range of guidance for schools relevant to supporting pupils experiencing loneliness. The department’s statutory RSHE guidance states that a firm foundation in the benefits and characteristics of good health and wellbeing will enable teachers to talk about isolation, loneliness, unhappiness, bullying and the negative impact of poor wellbeing. It makes clear that isolation and loneliness can affect children and it is very important for children to discuss their feelings with an adult and seek support.
Extra-curricular activities also provide valuable opportunities for social connection, both in and outside of schools; the government is taking action to widen access to these opportunities. This includes investing £200 million a year in its holiday activities and food programme and supporting up to 200 secondary schools to improve their extra-curricular offer through the new Enrichment Partnerships Pilot. Through the National Youth Guarantee, the department is committed to every young person aged 11 to18 having access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer by 2025, supporting them to make new lasting social connections.
Finally, the guidance on a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing can help settings ensure pupils have opportunities to raise issues affecting them, which may include social isolation and loneliness, and to support them with these challenges. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-children-and-young-peoples-emotional-health-and-wellbeing.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department holds information on the steps (a) schools and (b) colleges are taking to assess the potential risks of (i) loneliness and (ii) social isolation among their students.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department works closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the government’s strategy for tackling loneliness, which aims to reduce loneliness across all age groups through building the evidence base, reducing the stigma associated with loneliness and driving a lasting shift.
The department does not hold information on the steps schools and colleges are taking to assess the potential risks of loneliness and social isolation among their students. It does monitor children and young people’s feeling of loneliness and sense of belonging at school through regular parent, pupil and learner panel surveys. The department uses this data, alongside other sources, in its annual State of the Nation reports, which presents trends in children and young people’s wellbeing and related experiences, including loneliness, sense of belonging and relationships.
As part of the department’s approach to loneliness, it wants all schools to provide supportive, inclusive environments where all pupils feel they belong and can form positive relationships with peers and adults. The department’s Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum supports this, by teaching pupils about the features and importance of healthy, respectful relationships and the wellbeing benefits of time spent with family and friends.
The department has also produced a range of guidance for schools relevant to supporting pupils experiencing loneliness. The department’s statutory RSHE guidance states that a firm foundation in the benefits and characteristics of good health and wellbeing will enable teachers to talk about isolation, loneliness, unhappiness, bullying and the negative impact of poor wellbeing. It makes clear that isolation and loneliness can affect children and it is very important for children to discuss their feelings with an adult and seek support.
Extra-curricular activities also provide valuable opportunities for social connection, both in and outside of schools; the government is taking action to widen access to these opportunities. This includes investing £200 million a year in its holiday activities and food programme and supporting up to 200 secondary schools to improve their extra-curricular offer through the new Enrichment Partnerships Pilot. Through the National Youth Guarantee, the department is committed to every young person aged 11 to18 having access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home and opportunities to volunteer by 2025, supporting them to make new lasting social connections.
Finally, the guidance on a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing can help settings ensure pupils have opportunities to raise issues affecting them, which may include social isolation and loneliness, and to support them with these challenges. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-children-and-young-peoples-emotional-health-and-wellbeing.
Sep. 04 2023
Source Page: Exploring interventions to tackle lonelinessFound: Exploring interventions to tackle loneliness
Sep. 04 2023
Source Page: Exploring interventions to tackle lonelinessFound: Exploring interventions to tackle loneliness
Sep. 04 2023
Source Page: Exploring interventions to tackle lonelinessFound: Exploring interventions to tackle loneliness
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the levels of loneliness and social isolation in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England; and what (i) financial and (ii) other steps her Department is taking to tackle loneliness and social isolation in those areas.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS collects data on levels of loneliness in England through its annual Community Life Survey (CLS), which suggests that prevalence of loneliness in 2021-22 remained similar to pre-COVID levels, with 6% of adults reporting that they are always or often lonely. Levels of loneliness in the West Midlands in 2021-22 were similar to levels in England (7% always or often lonely). Data is not available to estimate loneliness levels at a constituency level.
The government launched the Know Your Neighbourhood (KYN) Fund in March 2023, an up to £30 million package of funding designed to widen participation in volunteering and tackle loneliness in 27 disadvantaged areas across England. The KYN Fund will run until March 2025, with funding allocations taking place up until March 2024. A key focus of the programme is to generate and share learning on how people in disadvantaged areas can be supported to volunteer and improve their social connections, which will help to support sustained action beyond the lifetime of the Fund. Four areas in the West Midlands fall in scope of the KYN Fund: Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Stoke-on-Trent and Cannock Chase.
Furthermore, the government continues to take action to tackle loneliness across England through public communications to reduce the stigma about loneliness, building the evidence base on loneliness and supporting other government departments and external organisations to consider loneliness in their work.
Copies of the fourth annual report on the government's world-first tackling loneliness strategy are available in the Libraries of the House of Commons and Lords and online.
Sep. 04 2023
Source Page: Exploring interventions to tackle lonelinessFound: Exploring interventions to tackle loneliness
Sep. 04 2023
Source Page: Exploring interventions to tackle lonelinessFound: Exploring interventions to tackle loneliness