Government publishes school attendance measures

3 mins read

Thursday 19 December 2024

Tags: carer's leave, carer's allowance overpayment, children's wellbeing and school bill, transition

As the year draws to a close, the government has made some important announcements. Our policy and campaigns team has summarised them here.

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

The government has published its Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill for England this week.

Much of the media interest in the Bill is rightly about proposals to protect children at risk of abuse. This includes plans to introduce new registers to identify children who are not in school. Parents will no longer have an automatic right to educate their children at home if their child is subject to a child protection investigation or under a child protection plan.

The bill also includes measures on breakfast clubs and branded school uniform; about attendance of children at school; inspections of schools and colleges; and school admissions.  

The Bill will now pass through Parliament, where MPs and Peers will have an opportunity to look at it in more detail and ask for any changes. The second reading will be on Wednesday 8 January 2025.

Contact and other disability charities will make sure the Bill benefits disabled children and their families.

Review into Carer’s Allowance earnings

The Government has published more information about the Independent Review of Carer’s Allowance overpayments. The review will look at:

  • How overpayments of Carer’s Allowance linked to earnings accrued and why it happened.
  • What changes can be made to reduce the risk of such overpayments accruing in future.
  • With respect to overpayments already made, how the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) can best support those who have accrued them.

The Independent Reviewer, Liz Sayce OBE, is now gathering evidence. Contact has been asked to contribute. We will be sharing evidence from our helpline and Counting the Costs research .

We found of those getting Carer’s Allowance (46%) that 1 in 10 say they have been overpaid. 73% said it was because of their earnings. On average, these parents had to repay the DWP £1,045. Families also told us about the impact on them, including stress/anxiety and anger.

Carer’s Leave

The Carer’s Leave Act introduced a new entitlement to unpaid leave for employees across England, Scotland and Wales. The new law came into force in April 2024.

The Employment Rights Directorate in the Department for Business and Trade is looking at how this new law is working in practice and how to improve awareness and take-up.

They have asked Contact for our views. If you have any experience of asking for carer’s leave, please email [email protected].

Transitions report

A new joint thematic review from Ofsted and CQC on Preparation for Adulthood has concluded that longstanding “systemic challenges are limiting efforts and some young people face a ‘cliff edge’ in health support once they turn 18.”

Contact’s preparing for adult life hub has lots of helpful information on money and benefits, getting a job, housing, sex and relationships.