LGA expresses concern that Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill does not make education system a statutory safeguarding partner
The Local Government Association (LGA) has said it is “disappointed” that the education system will not be made a statutory safeguarding partner through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which is to have its second reading in Parliament today (8 Jan).
In a briefing the LGA said education has an essential role to play in local safeguarding arrangements.
The Association noted that while it supports measures to increase the role of educators in local safeguarding arrangements, it would like to see education as a statutory safeguarding partner and “powers to compel education settings to participate in local multi-agency safeguarding work where they do not engage”.
On home education, meanwhile, the organisation welcomed measures in the Bill around a ‘children not in school’ register, and recognised that the “vast majority” of those who home-school their children are doing an excellent job.
However, it warned: “We also know that home-schooling has been a factor in a number of cases where children have come to serious harm. […] We continue to call for powers and resources for councils to speak to children directly, to check that they are safe and being taught a suitable education.”
The LGA welcomed proposals to improve support for care leavers, but called for the Bill to include a measure to extend corporate parenting duties to government departments and relevant public bodies to further support care leavers.
It highlighted its support of the model for Regional Care Cooperatives being trialled in Greater Manchester and the South East, focussing on strategic planning and specialist provision. However, it added: “We want to ensure that powers in this Bill enable us to learn lessons from what works in the pathfinders, enable local flexibility and keep decision-making as close to children as possible. We would like to see more clarity as to the circumstances in which councils can be directed to form or terminate regional arrangements.”
On Ofsted, the LGA said it had “anticipated” powers within the Bill for Ofsted to be able to inspect multi-academy trusts, as committed to within the Government’s election manifesto. However, these powers are currently missing.
It said: “We have raised for some time concerns around a lack of accountability for multi-academy trusts and believe this Bill offers a clear opportunity to address this issue.”
Lottie Winson
