Yesterday we debated the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill in Parliament. This is a detailed and significant Bill with a number of different parts to it. The Bill does apply to England but contains vital elements around Safeguarding and Child Protection which in the light of current concerns and disinformation, it is important to clarify.
- Multi Agency Child Protection teams. In the past, ineffective multi-agency working has been a key factor where child protection activity fails to keep children safe. This will change that.
- Family Group Decision Making. This will mandate local authorities to offer a ‘family group decision-making’ meeting at the point the local authority is seriously considering applying to the court for a care or supervision order, to give all families an opportunity to come together and make a plan in response to concerns regarding the child’s welfare.
- Role of Education. A strengthened role for education in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.
- Children Not In School Registers. These will be compulsory forin each local authority area in England. LAs will need to provide support to the parents of children on their registers and where there are concerns around a child or if they attend special schools, they will need local authority consent to home educate.
The Bill also covers areas such as free breakfast clubs, school uniforms and the need for Qualified Teacher Status in all state schools including academies plus many others. Again, these are specific to England, as Education is a devolved matter.
This legislation will act on years of Conservative neglect and inaction and has support from across the House of Commons.
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