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Education and Training (Welfare of Children) Bill

13 March 2020

Proposing MP
Mary Foy Lab
City of Durham
Type
Bill Debate

At a Glance

Issue Summary

The statement addresses the Education and Training (Welfare of Children) Bill which aims to ensure consistent safeguarding standards for all post-16 education providers. The statement discusses the Education and Training (Welfare of Children) Bill aimed at closing a loophole in safeguarding provisions for publicly funded post-16 education providers. The statement discusses the Education and Training (Welfare of Children) Bill which aims to extend guidance on safeguarding children to include independent providers of additional training and education. The Education and Training (Welfare of Children) Bill aims to ensure consistent safeguarding provisions across all educational institutions funded by the government, regardless of their type or stage of education. The statement is about Mary Foy's Education and Training (Welfare of Children) Bill which aims to ensure that all training and education providers receiving government funding are subject to the same safeguarding legislation.

Action Requested

The MP requests support for the Bill, which would extend legal safeguarding duties to all publicly funded providers of post-16 education, including apprenticeship and T-level providers, ensuring that all young people have equal protection under the law regardless of their chosen provider.

Key Facts

  • The New College Durham is one of the best further education colleges in the country.
  • In the last academic year, 50 students under the age of 19 started an apprenticeship in Mary Foy's constituency.
  • There will be 113 new T-level providers over the next two years.
  • The Bill would place safeguarding duties on an estimated 30 16-to-19 academies, 100 specialist post-16 providers and 1,000 independent providers across England.
  • Currently, 16-to-19 academies are not legally classified as schools or colleges.
  • About 20 sixth-form colleges have already converted to become academies and this number is likely to rise.
  • The Sixth Form Colleges Association estimates that the average sixth-form college pays around £300,000 a year in VAT.
  • The Bill aims to address a loophole by covering independent providers of additional training and education.
  • One in six 16 to 19-year-olds reports having a mental health condition or feeling under strain.
  • Sandwell College is highlighted as an example of effective cross-stakeholder approach.
  • The Bill ensures legal certainty for safeguarding provisions across various educational institutions.
  • Providers already have some form of requirement for safeguarding, but the Bill simplifies this landscape.
  • 'Keeping Children Safe in Education' guidance covers multiple areas including abuse, bullying, and neglect.
  • Mary Foy's Bill addresses an anomaly in current legislation.
  • The Bill aims to protect young people in all forms of funded training and education.
  • Technical qualifications like T-levels are expanding alongside further education.
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