Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has been made of whether children’s social care practice adequately supports parents who have experienced trauma, including childhood abuse, to recover and safely parent.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The children’s social care national framework (2023) is statutory guidance that sets direction for children’s social care practice. It describes expectations for practitioners working sensitively with whole families, including to identify and address the impact of trauma. Ofsted plays a crucial role in upholding children’s social care standards. In November 2025, Ofsted confirmed they will update their Inspecting Local Authority Children’s Services inspection framework from April 2026 and continue to align inspection with the national framework.
The department has also confirmed the national rollout of Family Help, multi-agency child protection and family group decision making reforms, delivered through the Families First Partnership programme. These services will prioritise supporting the whole family and intervening at the earliest opportunity to prevent problems escalating, including where there are experiences of trauma. This will require excellent place-based service design driven by local authorities working effectively with local partners, including health, police and education providers, and listening closely to families.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to widen access to appropriate therapy treatments for adult survivors of childhood abuse.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
National Health Service mental health services can support adults who have experienced trauma as a result of childhood abuse.
The Government has chosen to prioritise funding to deliver expansions of NHS Talking Therapies. These offer well-governed, evidence-based, and effective psychological therapy services for common mental health problems, including depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress reactions. These services are available in every integrated care system through self-referral.
NHS Talking Therapies consistently meet the existing waiting time standards, which state that 75% of referrals should be seen within six weeks, and 95% of referrals should be seen within 18 weeks. NHS Talking Therapies continue to expand to deliver additional courses of treatment and to increase the number of sessions available. It is expected that an additional 384,000 people will access treatment by 2028/29.
Guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends that individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder should receive high-intensity interventions from the outset. The recent expansion focuses on the high-intensity workforce within NHS Talking Therapies, who receive training on how to support individuals impacted by abuse. This workforce includes therapists trained in trauma focussed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of NHS therapy treatments for adult survivors of childhood abuse.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
National Health Service mental health services can support adults who have experienced trauma as a result of childhood abuse.
The Government has chosen to prioritise funding to deliver expansions of NHS Talking Therapies. These offer well-governed, evidence-based, and effective psychological therapy services for common mental health problems, including depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress reactions. These services are available in every integrated care system through self-referral.
NHS Talking Therapies consistently meet the existing waiting time standards, which state that 75% of referrals should be seen within six weeks, and 95% of referrals should be seen within 18 weeks. NHS Talking Therapies continue to expand to deliver additional courses of treatment and to increase the number of sessions available. It is expected that an additional 384,000 people will access treatment by 2028/29.
Guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends that individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder should receive high-intensity interventions from the outset. The recent expansion focuses on the high-intensity workforce within NHS Talking Therapies, who receive training on how to support individuals impacted by abuse. This workforce includes therapists trained in trauma focussed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of trauma informed schools for (a) children with SEND, mental health challenges and childhood trauma and (b) other students.
Answered by David Johnston
Schools have the flexibility to decide what pastoral support they provide to best meet the individual needs of all their pupils, including children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), mental health challenges or who have experienced trauma. However, the department recommends a whole-school approach as the most effective way to promote and support mental health and wellbeing for all pupils, including those who may be particularly vulnerable.
The department’s guidance on the principles of a whole school or college approach recognises the importance of an individualised response to pupil needs, and can help contribute towards creating a safe environment for those who have experienced trauma and adverse experiences. This guidance can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-children-and-young-peoples-emotional-health-and-wellbeing. To help settings embed a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing, the department is offering funded senior mental health lead training to all state schools and colleges, including special and alternative provision settings. This training covers the range of mental health issues likely to be encountered in schools and colleges and the risk factors associated with specific groups, including children with special educational needs and who have experienced trauma, to support leads to understand and plan appropriate responses to pupils’ mental health and wellbeing needs. Over 15,100 settings have received a training grant so far, including more than 7 in 10 state secondary schools.
Additionally, a range of department guidance makes clear the need for school staff to be aware of adverse childhood experiences, including trauma, and the potential impact on children. ‘Keeping children safe in education’ is statutory guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2.
The department’s mental health and behaviour guidance also recommends school staff be aware of how potentially traumatic childhood experiences can impact on children’s behaviour and education and the importance of schools providing early support to pupils at such times. It signposts to further information on supporting children through difficult life events. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-and-behaviour-in-schools--2.
Finally, the SEND Code of Practice sets out that all schools should apply a ‘graduated approach’, which means identifying a child’s needs, implementing appropriate support and reviewing it regularly. This guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25. Schools should involve pupils and their parents at each of these stages. The department expects schools and local authorities to consider the individual circumstances of each pupil and family and take the best course of action to support them.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of children who have been off-rolled from school who have (a) mental health challenges, (b) care experience, (c) experienced trauma or adverse childhood experiences, (d) learning differences and (e) SEND.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The department does not hold information on absence by the specific categories of mental health challenges, care experience or learning differences, but does hold absence data by special educational need (SEN) primary need and SEN provision. This is published in the ’Pupil Absence in Schools in England’ statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england. The following links give absence rates by SEN primary need and SEN provision in England in 2021/22: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/4f2e3e6f-bd4d-475a-f345-08dc3835f618, and: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/e227eadc-6f55-4c88-525a-08dc3ae70a0c.
Information on the number of children looked after who have been absent from school is published annually in the ’Outcomes for Children in Need, Including Children Looked After in England’ statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/outcomes-for-children-in-need-including-children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-england. The following link gives information on absence rates for children looked after on 31 March 2022: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/62dd649a-c5bd-4bc7-f354-08dc3835f618.
The department does not hold data on ‘off-rolling’. The government is clear that off-rolling (the practice of removing a pupil from the school roll without using a permanent exclusion, when the removal is primarily in the best interests of the school, rather than the best interests of the pupil) is unacceptable in any form and continues to work with Ofsted to tackle it.
The department does not hold information on suspensions by the specific categories of mental health challenges, care experienced or learning differences, but does hold suspensions data by SEN primary need and SEN provision. This is published in the ’Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England’ statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/suspensions-and-permanent-exclusions-in-england. The following links give suspension rates by SEN primary need and SEN provision in England in 2021/22: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/d4cda29e-4001-4c50-525d-08dc3ae70a0c, and: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/8a5b1881-c48c-46fd-525e-08dc3ae70a0c.
Information on the number of children looked after with a suspension is published annually in the ‘Outcomes for Children in Need, Including Children Looked After in England’ statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/outcomes-for-children-in-need-including-children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-england. The following link gives information on suspension rates for children looked after on 31 March 2021: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/43a05b59-1957-41b0-5268-08dc3ae70a0c.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of children who are suspended from school who have (a) mental health challenges, (b) care experience, (c) experienced trauma or adverse childhood experiences, (d) learning differences and (e) SEND.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The department does not hold information on absence by the specific categories of mental health challenges, care experience or learning differences, but does hold absence data by special educational need (SEN) primary need and SEN provision. This is published in the ’Pupil Absence in Schools in England’ statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england. The following links give absence rates by SEN primary need and SEN provision in England in 2021/22: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/4f2e3e6f-bd4d-475a-f345-08dc3835f618, and: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/e227eadc-6f55-4c88-525a-08dc3ae70a0c.
Information on the number of children looked after who have been absent from school is published annually in the ’Outcomes for Children in Need, Including Children Looked After in England’ statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/outcomes-for-children-in-need-including-children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-england. The following link gives information on absence rates for children looked after on 31 March 2022: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/62dd649a-c5bd-4bc7-f354-08dc3835f618.
The department does not hold data on ‘off-rolling’. The government is clear that off-rolling (the practice of removing a pupil from the school roll without using a permanent exclusion, when the removal is primarily in the best interests of the school, rather than the best interests of the pupil) is unacceptable in any form and continues to work with Ofsted to tackle it.
The department does not hold information on suspensions by the specific categories of mental health challenges, care experienced or learning differences, but does hold suspensions data by SEN primary need and SEN provision. This is published in the ’Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England’ statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/suspensions-and-permanent-exclusions-in-england. The following links give suspension rates by SEN primary need and SEN provision in England in 2021/22: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/d4cda29e-4001-4c50-525d-08dc3ae70a0c, and: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/8a5b1881-c48c-46fd-525e-08dc3ae70a0c.
Information on the number of children looked after with a suspension is published annually in the ‘Outcomes for Children in Need, Including Children Looked After in England’ statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/outcomes-for-children-in-need-including-children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-england. The following link gives information on suspension rates for children looked after on 31 March 2021: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/43a05b59-1957-41b0-5268-08dc3ae70a0c.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of children who are absent from school who have (a) mental health challenges, (b) care experience, (c) experienced trauma or adverse childhood experiences, (d) learning differences and (e) SEND.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The department does not hold information on absence by the specific categories of mental health challenges, care experience or learning differences, but does hold absence data by special educational need (SEN) primary need and SEN provision. This is published in the ’Pupil Absence in Schools in England’ statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england. The following links give absence rates by SEN primary need and SEN provision in England in 2021/22: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/4f2e3e6f-bd4d-475a-f345-08dc3835f618, and: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/e227eadc-6f55-4c88-525a-08dc3ae70a0c.
Information on the number of children looked after who have been absent from school is published annually in the ’Outcomes for Children in Need, Including Children Looked After in England’ statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/outcomes-for-children-in-need-including-children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-england. The following link gives information on absence rates for children looked after on 31 March 2022: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/62dd649a-c5bd-4bc7-f354-08dc3835f618.
The department does not hold data on ‘off-rolling’. The government is clear that off-rolling (the practice of removing a pupil from the school roll without using a permanent exclusion, when the removal is primarily in the best interests of the school, rather than the best interests of the pupil) is unacceptable in any form and continues to work with Ofsted to tackle it.
The department does not hold information on suspensions by the specific categories of mental health challenges, care experienced or learning differences, but does hold suspensions data by SEN primary need and SEN provision. This is published in the ’Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England’ statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/suspensions-and-permanent-exclusions-in-england. The following links give suspension rates by SEN primary need and SEN provision in England in 2021/22: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/d4cda29e-4001-4c50-525d-08dc3ae70a0c, and: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/8a5b1881-c48c-46fd-525e-08dc3ae70a0c.
Information on the number of children looked after with a suspension is published annually in the ‘Outcomes for Children in Need, Including Children Looked After in England’ statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/outcomes-for-children-in-need-including-children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-england. The following link gives information on suspension rates for children looked after on 31 March 2021: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/43a05b59-1957-41b0-5268-08dc3ae70a0c.
Asked by: Gareth Johnson (Conservative - Dartford)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) removing the limitation period for civil claims relating to childhood sexual abuse and (b) bringing forward legislative proposals to align the law in England and Wales with that in Scotland following the introduction of the Limitation (Child Abuse)(Scotland) Act 2017.
Answered by Laura Farris
The government recognises that it might take years, and in many cases decades, for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse to come forward and feel ready to disclose their trauma. We will shortly consult on strengthening existing judicial guidance, and set out options to reform limitation law in child sexual abuse cases in England and Wales.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to end the use of (a) detention, (b) isolation and (c) exclusion for school children who have experienced childhood trauma.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The Department does not hold the data on what proportion of children being excluded from school have experienced trauma. However, the Department does publish data on the proportion and characteristics of pupil excluded from schools in England. The most recent data available is for the 2021/22 school year, and is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england#dataBlock-4f294de1-5a99-43ff-df43-08db35ba7ff4-tables.
Creating a culture with high expectations of behaviour is a priority for the Government. The Department supports head teachers in using suspension and permanent exclusion as a sanction where warranted as part of creating calm, safe, and supportive environments where pupils and staff can work in safety and are respected.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that schools take a (a) whole school and (b) therapeutic approach to supporting children with trauma.
Answered by David Johnston
Schools have the flexibility to decide what pastoral support they provide to best meet the individual needs of all their pupils. This includes how they approach supporting children who have experienced trauma. However, the department recommends a whole-school approach as the most effective way to promote and support mental health and wellbeing, including for pupils or groups of pupils who may be particularly vulnerable, such as those who have experienced trauma.
The department’s guidance on the principles of a whole school or college approach, recognises the importance of an individualised response to pupil needs, and that taking a trauma-informed approach can help contribute towards creating a safe environment for those who have experienced trauma and adverse experiences. This guidance can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-children-and-young-peoples-emotional-health-and-wellbeing.
The department is offering all state-funded schools and colleges in England a grant to train a senior mental health lead, who can embed and sustain a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing. This training covers the range of mental health issues likely to be encountered in schools and colleges and the risk factors associated with specific groups, including those who have suffered from trauma, to support leads to understand and plan appropriate responses to pupils’ mental health and wellbeing needs. Over 14,400 settings have received a training grant so far, including more than 7 in 10 state secondary schools.
Additionally, a range of department guidance makes clear the need for school staff to be aware of adverse childhood experiences, including trauma, and the potential impact on children. Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) is statutory guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2. This guidance makes clear that school and college Designated Safeguarding Leads should receive training that supports their understanding of the lasting impact that adversity and trauma can have on a children’s behaviour, mental health and wellbeing, and what is needed in responding to this in promoting educational outcomes. KCSIE also references the need for all staff to consider the impact of trauma on a child to inform their approach to safeguarding, including what support should be provided for that child.
The department’s mental health and behaviour guidance also recommends for school staff to be aware of how potentially traumatic adverse childhood experiences can impact on children’s behaviour and education and the importance of schools providing early support to pupils at such times, and signposts to further information on supporting children through difficult life events. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-and-behaviour-in-schools--2.