Written questions by Thomas.

What steps her Department is taking to deliver accessible training and support services for kinship carers.

Following the Care Review, the government appointed the first ever National Kinship Care Ambassador and updated the Kinship Care Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities, which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/670d3ed5e84ae1fd8592f2fa/Kinship_Care_-_statutory_guidance_for_local_authorities__October_2024.pdf.The government has also extended both the delivery of over 140 kinship carer peer support groups across England and the virtual school head role (on a non-statutory basis) to include championing the education, attendance, and attainment of children in kinship care.Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we will mandate all local authorities in England to publish their local kinship offer and offer Family Group Decision Making at pre-proceedings where that is in the child’s best interests.The department will soon launch a Kinship Allowance Pilot to support eligible kinship carers with the costs of raising a child, which will support up to 4,500 children in kinship care in pilot local authorities. Any wider rollout of this will be informed by findings of the evaluation.Kinship leave is also in scope of government’s parental leave review, which will recommend improvements to the current parental leave system.

How much funding her Department has provided for programmes that support the mental health of teachers and school staff in the last 12 months.

The department is funding the charity, Education Support, to deliver free mental health and wellbeing support to school and college leaders. Professional supervision enables leaders to work with qualified and experienced supervisors to develop strategies to support their mental wellbeing.A new three-year contract was awarded to Education Support to deliver this support from April 2024 to March 2027 at a value of up to £1.5 million with the aim of supporting approximately 2,500 leaders. Over 1,300 leaders have been supported since April 2024.Funding figures for the last 12 months are not available. For the 2025/26 financial year, approximately £500,000 is expected to be spent.

When she plans to extend the Kinship Allowance programme to all eligible local authorities.

Following the Care Review, the government appointed the first ever National Kinship Care Ambassador and updated the Kinship Care Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities, which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/670d3ed5e84ae1fd8592f2fa/Kinship_Care_-_statutory_guidance_for_local_authorities__October_2024.pdf.The government has also extended both the delivery of over 140 kinship carer peer support groups across England and the virtual school head role (on a non-statutory basis) to include championing the education, attendance, and attainment of children in kinship care.Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we will mandate all local authorities in England to publish their local kinship offer and offer Family Group Decision Making at pre-proceedings where that is in the child’s best interests.The department will soon launch a Kinship Allowance Pilot to support eligible kinship carers with the costs of raising a child, which will support up to 4,500 children in kinship care in pilot local authorities. Any wider rollout of this will be informed by findings of the evaluation.Kinship leave is also in scope of government’s parental leave review, which will recommend improvements to the current parental leave system.

What steps she is taking to financially support kinship carers.

Following the Care Review, the government appointed the first ever National Kinship Care Ambassador and updated the Kinship Care Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities, which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/670d3ed5e84ae1fd8592f2fa/Kinship_Care_-_statutory_guidance_for_local_authorities__October_2024.pdf.The government has also extended both the delivery of over 140 kinship carer peer support groups across England and the virtual school head role (on a non-statutory basis) to include championing the education, attendance, and attainment of children in kinship care.Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we will mandate all local authorities in England to publish their local kinship offer and offer Family Group Decision Making at pre-proceedings where that is in the child’s best interests.The department will soon launch a Kinship Allowance Pilot to support eligible kinship carers with the costs of raising a child, which will support up to 4,500 children in kinship care in pilot local authorities. Any wider rollout of this will be informed by findings of the evaluation.Kinship leave is also in scope of government’s parental leave review, which will recommend improvements to the current parental leave system.

What assessment her Department has made of trends in the number of students with SEND being excluded from school on the economy in the long-term.

The department regularly monitors trends in suspension and permanent exclusion rates for various pupil groups and undertakes regular reviews of the evidence concerning the long-term outcomes of pupils who have experienced a suspension or permanent exclusion. We are aware that there is an association with adverse life outcomes for pupils who have been excluded.

What consideration her Department has given to using SEND resources to fund increased staffing and provision at mainstream schools; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on the number of children who would remain in mainstream education.

The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, ensuring teachers have the tools to better identify and support children before unmet needs escalate, as well as ensuring specialist special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision schools cater to those with the most complex needs.On 12 December, the government announced a £3 billion investment to deliver around 50,000 specialist places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The funding will be distributed to local authorities for them to spend on new places in mainstream settings (including SEN units), on adaptations to mainstream settings to make them more inclusive, or on special schools where required.We will bring forward a full Schools White Paper in the new year, underpinned by our belief that high standards and inclusion are two sides of the same coin.

What steps her Department is taking to support teacher health and wellbeing.

The department is working in partnership with the sector to improve staff mental health and wellbeing, and boost retention.We are continuing to fund the charity, Education Support, to provide free professional supervision and counselling to school and college leaders. Professional supervision enables leaders to work with qualified supervisors to develop strategies to support their mental wellbeing. Since April 2024, over 1,300 leaders have been supported.The department has also worked with the sector and mental health experts to co-create the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter. The Charter sets out commitments from the department, Ofsted, and education settings to protect and promote the wellbeing of staff. As of December 2025, over 4,200 schools and colleges have signed up to the Charter.The department has developed its Improve Workload and Wellbeing service alongside school leaders, which contains a range of resources for schools to reduce workload and improve staff wellbeing.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the health and wellbeing of teachers.

Supporting the wellbeing of our expert education workforce is critical to this government’s mission to break down the barriers to opportunity for children and young people.The department tracks teacher wellbeing through the longitudinal study, the Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders. Wave 4 shows improved wellbeing across all Office for National Statistics (ONS) validated personal wellbeing measures in 2025. Average life satisfaction, happiness, and feelings of life being worthwhile all increased, while average anxiety decreased.We also compare teacher and leader wellbeing with the wider population in England. In 2025, these measures remain lower for teachers and leaders.We commission research to assess teacher wellbeing. For example, the inclusion of ONS-validated personal wellbeing questions in the School and College Voice Survey (SCVS) to capture seasonal differences. The latest data from June 2025 shows that all four wellbeing measures remain broadly in line with the same period last year.More broadly, our ‘Improve workload and wellbeing for school staff’ service, developed alongside school leaders, contains resources for schools to reduce workload and improve wellbeing. The service can be accessed here: https://improve-workload-and-wellbeing-for-school-staff.education.gov.uk/. The ’Education staff wellbeing charter’ sets out commitments from the department, Ofsted, schools and colleges to protect and promote staff wellbeing. Almost 4,300 schools and colleges have signed up. The charter can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-staff-wellbeing-charter.

What steps her Department is taking to improve early intervention for dyslexic learners.

I refer the hon. Member for Tewkesbury to the answer of 1 December to Question 85049.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the provision of multi-sensory impairment teachers.

It is the responsibility of local authorities, schools, and further education (FE) settings to commission appropriately qualified staff to support the education of children and young people in their area.To teach a class of pupils with sensory impairments, a teacher is required to hold the relevant mandatory qualification in sensory impairment (MQSI). This is in addition to qualified teacher status (QTS) and must be achieved within three years. Teachers working in an advisory role to support these pupils should also hold the appropriate qualification. To offer MQSIs, providers must be approved by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. There are currently seven providers of the MQSI.An apprenticeship in sensory impairment has been available since September 2025 and will open up a paid, work-based route into teaching children and young people with sensory impairments. This will improve the supply of those qualified to teach this important cohort and further help to improve their outcomes.Trainee teachers intending to work as special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) specialists in the FE sector are eligible for a training bursary worth £15,000, tax free. The bursary will again be offered in the 2026/27 academic year. SEND specialist teachers working with learners with sensory impairments are eligible to apply for the bursary.

What steps she is taking to introduce a standardised national framework for supporting children with SEND.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.We are aware of the challenges in the SEND system and understand how urgently they need to be addressed.We will build a better system which is grounded in evidence, identifies and supports need at the earliest opportunity, and ensures families can secure support swiftly without a fight.We are continuing to engage closely with children, parents and experts as we develop plans to ensure all children get the outcomes and life chances they deserve.

What steps her Department is taking to improve recruitment and retention of multi-sensory impairment teachers.

It is the responsibility of local authorities, schools, and further education (FE) settings to commission appropriately qualified staff to support the education of children and young people in their area.To teach a class of pupils with sensory impairments, a teacher is required to hold the relevant mandatory qualification in sensory impairment (MQSI). This is in addition to qualified teacher status (QTS) and must be achieved within three years. Teachers working in an advisory role to support these pupils should also hold the appropriate qualification. To offer MQSIs, providers must be approved by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. There are currently seven providers of the MQSI.An apprenticeship in sensory impairment has been available since September 2025 and will open up a paid, work-based route into teaching children and young people with sensory impairments. This will improve the supply of those qualified to teach this important cohort and further help to improve their outcomes.Trainee teachers intending to work as special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) specialists in the FE sector are eligible for a training bursary worth £15,000, tax free. The bursary will again be offered in the 2026/27 academic year. SEND specialist teachers working with learners with sensory impairments are eligible to apply for the bursary.

What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of taking steps to help ensure that all local authorities employ multi-sensory impairment teachers.

It is the responsibility of local authorities, schools, and further education (FE) settings to commission appropriately qualified staff to support the education of children and young people in their area.To teach a class of pupils with sensory impairments, a teacher is required to hold the relevant mandatory qualification in sensory impairment (MQSI). This is in addition to qualified teacher status (QTS) and must be achieved within three years. Teachers working in an advisory role to support these pupils should also hold the appropriate qualification. To offer MQSIs, providers must be approved by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. There are currently seven providers of the MQSI.An apprenticeship in sensory impairment has been available since September 2025 and will open up a paid, work-based route into teaching children and young people with sensory impairments. This will improve the supply of those qualified to teach this important cohort and further help to improve their outcomes.Trainee teachers intending to work as special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) specialists in the FE sector are eligible for a training bursary worth £15,000, tax free. The bursary will again be offered in the 2026/27 academic year. SEND specialist teachers working with learners with sensory impairments are eligible to apply for the bursary.

What steps she is taking to put the SEN support arrangements on a statutory footing.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.We are aware of the challenges in the SEND system and understand how urgently they need to be addressed.We will build a better system which is grounded in evidence, identifies and supports need at the earliest opportunity, and ensures families can secure support swiftly without a fight.We are continuing to engage closely with children, parents and experts as we develop plans to ensure all children get the outcomes and life chances they deserve.

What steps she is taking to ensure that the progress of children with SEND is accurately measured.

Through the school census, the department collects data on the performance of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities across the country. We use this to routinely publish data on the outcomes of pupils with special educational needs throughout their education, including attainment, absence, exclusions and progression to further and higher education.The Curriculum and Assessment Review is reviewing how performance measures incentivise behaviour and outcomes for every child. Once the final report is published, the government will respond, including consideration of its recommendations on performance measures.

Whether the recently announced £15,000 bursary for SEND-specialist teacher trainees will include those training to become multi-sensory impairment teachers.

The department recently announced that the further education (FE) initial teacher education bursaries programme will continue to be available for the 2026/27 academic year. Eligible subjects include special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with bursaries worth £15,000 each, tax free.The SEND bursary is intended to support new teachers training to work with learners with a wide range of SEND in FE settings. This could include learners with multi-sensory impairments.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure provision is available for all disabled children to receive an education in schools rather than at home.

The government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special and alternative provision schools cater to those with the most complex needs.We expect schools to welcome all pupils, including those with disabilities. The Equality Act 2010 outlines the duties of schools to make reasonable adjustments for disabled children and young people. Settings will be held to account for their support for pupils with disabilities through Ofsted, who are focusing on inclusion in their new approach to inspection.

What recent assessment she has made of the appropriateness of her Department contacting teaching staff during the summer holiday.

The department is committed to engaging positively with school staff and ensuring they receive information to support them in carrying out their roles. However, they are only contacted during the summer holidays where there is a need to share important, time-sensitive information.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in nursery fees on the finances of families with nursery-age children.

In 2025/26, the department plans to provide over £8 billion for the early years entitlements as we roll out their expansion. This represents an additional £2 billion compared to 2024/25.The government’s roll out of an expansion to the funded hours of childcare working parents are entitled to began in April 2024, and parents have been accessing 30 hours per week from the term after their child turns nine months old since 1 September 2025. This marks the final stage of the rollout and will save eligible families who use their full entitlement £7,500 a year on average.The government will provide an additional £1.6 billion per year by 2028/29, compared to 2025/26, to continue the expansion of government-funded childcare for working parents.Additionally, the Universal Credit childcare offer supports claimants with the costs of childcare, no matter how many hours they work. Tax-Free Childcare remains available for working parents of children aged 0-11, or up to 17 for eligible disabled children.

What steps her Department is taking to financially support parents of children who attend nursery.

It is the government’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.To support parents with the cost of childcare, the department offers:The universal 15 hours offer for all 3 and 4 year-old children, which is available to all families regardless of parental circumstances: https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-and-education-for-2-to-4-year-olds?step-by-step-nav=f237ec8e-e82c-4ffa-8fba-2a88a739783b.15 hours entitlement for families of 2 year-olds receiving additional forms of support: https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-2-year-olds?step-by-step-nav=f237ec8e-e82c-4ffa-8fba-2a88a739783b. This is available for families where the parent or child receives certain types of extra support.The 30 hours entitlement for eligible working parents in England, from the term after their child turns nine months old to when they start school. With this, working parents could save £7,500 per year, transforming the costs of having children for families.More information can be found at the new Best Start in Life parent hub: https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/.