Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Covid-19: Vulnerable Children

Tuesday 5 May 2020 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Henry Smith asked about specific support for vulnerable children, including those with special educational needs, and the Department responded with tailored advice and resources.
  • Tulip Siddiq questioned the reduction in legal protections for children in care, and the response indicated that temporary flexibilities were implemented after close consultation with ADCS.
  • Robert Halfon suggested a catch-up premium for tuition and mentoring support, and the response acknowledged the need for concepts like these to ensure no child misses out on education due to the crisis.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Henry Smith Con Epsom and Ewell
Children & Families
Context

The MP is concerned about the welfare of vulnerable children including those in care and with special educational needs.

Question

What specific support is being provided by the Department to vulnerable children, such as children in care and those with special educational needs like dyslexia?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Education (Gavin Williamson)

We have been working across the sector to provide clear guidance on supporting children with special educational needs. Tailored advice, support, and online resources have been provided for children in various special educational need settings, as well as for families educating at home.

Answered
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Q2 Tulip Siddiq Lab Hornsey and Wood Green
Children & Families
Context

The Children's Commissioner raised concerns about reduced legal protections for children in care.

Question

Does the Secretary of State agree with the Children's Commissioner that the Government's latest reduction in legal protections for children in care, without proper scrutiny or an opportunity to scrutinise, is not justified?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Education (Gavin Williamson)

We worked closely with ADCS on regulations that allow flexibilities in response to concerns raised about providing the best care during the crisis. These are temporary measures, not intended to continue once the crisis ends.

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Q3 Robert Halfon Con Harlow
Education
Context

The MP highlights that only 5% of vulnerable children are currently in school, with many potentially exposed to online harms and not accessing education.

Question

Does my right hon. Friend agree that a catch-up premium will be necessary to provide tuition, mentoring, and wellbeing support for these children as schools reopen?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Education (Gavin Williamson)

I join my right hon. Friend in paying tribute to teachers and support staff, and I am interested in his ideas about catching up lost learning time. We are exploring concepts like tuition, mentoring, and wellbeing support as part of ensuring no child misses out due to the crisis.

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