Today, December 17, marks the introduction of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill in Parliament, a pivotal step in safeguarding children at risk of abuse and ensuring no vulnerable child falls through the cracks.
Central to the government's Plan for Change, this Bill aims to prioritise children's futures in the overhaul of public services, breaking down barriers to opportunity. The proposed measures are designed to give every child the best start in life, fostering sustainable and lasting change that children and families need and deserve to thrive.
In recent years, several distressing cases have highlighted the failures of a fragmented system. The new measures will enshrine children's best interests into law, making child-centred governance a reality.
Key provisions of the Bill include the introduction of new registers to track children not enrolled in school. This will enable councils to better support these children and ensure they receive a high-quality education.
Additionally, the Bill proposes a unique identifier number for children across services, similar to the national insurance number for adults.
Parents will no longer have the automatic right to home-school their children if the child is under a child protection investigation or plan. Local authorities will have the power to mandate school attendance if a child's home environment is deemed unsuitable or unsafe.
Teachers and educators, often the first to notice signs of abuse or neglect, play a crucial role in safeguarding. Last year, schools were the second largest source of referrals to children’s social care. The Bill ensures that teachers and schools are always involved in safeguarding decisions in their area.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
In recent years, too many children have been failed by their last line of defence: the state.
This Bill will be a seminal moment for child protection. No more words, no more lessons learnt. This government will put children first at every turn.
That means a child-centred government, with better protections for young people and real join up between children’s social care, schools and local services. Alongside further measures to drive high and rising standards in our schools, this Bill will deliver on this government’s Plan for Change, so that all children, whatever their circumstances, can achieve and thrive.
Ensuring families can access the help they need to stay together is crucial, but often, fragmented services hinder this goal. To address this, the government is doubling its investment in Family Help services to £500 million next year. This significant funding boost will enable local authorities to support vulnerable families and protect children before issues escalate into crises. The additional resources will provide comprehensive support for families dealing with challenges like substance misuse or mental health issues, helping to identify and assist at-risk children earlier.
Effective data sharing is essential for early intervention. The introduction of a unique identifier number for children will help those responsible for child welfare to better integrate relevant data, preventing children from slipping through the cracks.
While some children will inevitably need to enter the care system, early intervention can often keep families together. New laws will require all councils to offer Family Group Decision Making, a service that brings extended family members together when a child is at risk of entering care. Additionally, councils will be required to publish a local kinship offer, informing family members and friends who step in to care for children about available support, such as training and peer support groups.
The Bill also aims to curb excessive profit-making by children’s social care providers, potentially introducing a cap on profits.
New measures under the Bill will also enhance educational standards. Councils will be able to consider proposals for all types of schools, not just academies, ensuring new schools are opened by the best local providers. All new teachers will be required to hold or be working towards Qualified Teacher Status and complete a statutory induction period. Uniform core pay and conditions for teachers will be established, with schools having greater flexibility to attract and retain top talent.
Schools and councils will collaborate on admissions, with councils gaining more power to ensure decisions meet local needs, including the placement of vulnerable children. Failing schools run by local authorities will not be automatically converted to academies, allowing for a broader range of strategies to improve standards.
The government’s Plan for Change aims to rebuild Britain through investment and reform, driving a decade of national renewal and prioritizing the needs of working people. As part of this plan, the government is committed to ensuring more children are school-ready, helping to close the opportunity gap. Initiatives already underway include extending early language support, investing £15 million in school-based nurseries, and enhancing training and guidance for early educators to better support children with special educational needs.
Photo iStock and UK Government
