Tag: Department for Education

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 13 February 2026.

A new package of support will help early years settings strengthen their workforce and improve outcomes for children from the very start.

Early years staff across the country will be supported to upskill and qualify as teachers through new paid degree apprenticeships, as the government marks the close of National Apprenticeship Week and continues its work to raise the quality of early education and improve children’s life chances.

The new early years teacher degree apprenticeship will allow 400 staff to earn while they learn, gaining the skills to teach in nurseries and early years settings, improving the quality of early education children receive in the years that matter most. 

By raising skills and creating clear routes to higher pay, the programme will help make early years a more attractive and rewarding profession, supporting recruitment and retention for the staff who are central to giving children the best start in life.

High-quality early education and childcare makes a lasting difference to a child’s life. The evidence is clear that the better trained the staff in nurseries and early years settings are, the more children benefit.

Research show that providers with graduate-level early years staff deliver better outcomes for children. For every 10% increase in settings employing a graduate, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development rises by around 1.2%. 

Backed by a £3.2 million grant to support employers, the programme will contribute £9,000 per apprentice each year to cover training costs. The government will also provide an additional £8,000 per apprentice to help employers cover backfill, training and National Insurance costs, so that no provider is left out of pocket. 

Department for Education data shows those with degree-level qualifications in early years typically earn around £5.50 more per hour than those trained to A-level standard, underlining how apprenticeships can boost pay while strengthening quality across the sector. 

The announcement comes as part of National Apprenticeship Week, when employers, providers and government showcase how apprenticeships unlock opportunity, build skills and drive economic growth. Department for Education analysis estimates apprentices will contribute £25 billion to England’s economy across their working lives. 

Minister for Early Education Olivia Bailey said: 

These degree apprenticeships give early years staff the chance to build skilled, well-paid and rewarding careers while continuing to do the vital work they do every day for children and families.

High-quality early education can change the course of a child’s life. When we back the people who guide children through those first crucial years, we help build their confidence, prepare them for school and set them up to thrive in the years ahead.

Backing progression and better pay in early years is good for families, good for the workforce and good for our country.

Completing the apprenticeship gives early years staff the skills and status to lead learning, not just support it, meaning they can work within higher staff-to-child ratios and progress into better-paid, senior roles across early years settings. 

The £8,000 support grant will be paid to training providers, who will pass the funding directly on to early years settings employing the apprentice. 

Sophie Hayter, Qualification Lead at Kido Nurseries and Pre-Schools said: 

This is a significant and welcome step forward for our sector. By investing directly in the professional development of early years practitioners and providing funding to settings to support, the government is recognising the vital importance of highly skilled educators in shaping children’s earliest experiences.  

This funding not only strengthens workforce quality and sustainability, but also ensures more children can benefit from graduate-level expertise during the most critical stage of their development.

This investment is part of the government’s Best Start in Life strategy and supports its long-term ambition to have an Early Years Teacher in every setting, helping address the current shortfall of graduate-level staff across the sector. 

It follows the announcement of a record £9.5 billion investment delivering affordable and high-quality childcare places for families all over the country. Working parents can now save up to £7,500 a year through expanded funded hours, supported by clearer guidance to ensure families are not hit with unexpected charges. Funding rates are also increasing above inflation to help nurseries and childcare providers maintain quality as access expands.  

More widely, the government is using apprenticeships to unlock opportunity and tackle skills shortages across the country, with a series of announcements this week reinforcing its commitment to high-quality training and clear routes into work. 

The government has unveiled a series of further measures during National Apprenticeship Week to expand opportunities across the country. 

As part of the government’s education estates strategy announced this week, construction firms working on school building projects will have to show that they are providing opportunities for apprenticeships and T Level students, creating around 13,000 new opportunities.  

Further measures announced during National Apprenticeship Week include new pilots to match ‘near miss’ applicants with similar apprenticeship opportunities in their area, alongside a new online platform giving young people clearer, more accessible information about apprenticeships and career outcomes. 

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 12 February 2026.

Guidance for gender questioning children is clear schools should take a careful approach when a child asks to social transition.

Schools and colleges will soon have clear and pragmatic guidance instructing them that they must take a very careful approach when a child asks to socially transition.

Legal duties will be absolutely clear after government embeds guidance within Keeping children safe in education, the established statutory safeguarding framework schools are expected to follow.

Backed by Baroness Cass, whose review warned that strong evidence about the impact of social transition remains limited, the guidance says children’s wellbeing and safeguarding must be at the centre of every decision and schools cannot take a one size fits all approach.  

It clearly sets out that single sex spaces must be protected. Without exception, no child should be made to feel unsafe through inappropriate mixed sex sport, and there should be no sharing of school and college toilet facilities over eight years old or mixed sex sleeping arrangements on trips.  

It is also vital that schools and teachers are aware of any child’s birth sex to be able to take appropriate action where needed, so the guidance will also make clear that this must be accurately recorded in school and college records.  

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:  

Parents send their children to school and college trusting that they’ll be protected. Teachers work tirelessly to keep them safe. That’s not negotiable, and it’s not a political football.  

That’s why we’re following the evidence, including Dr Hilary Cass’s expert review, to give teachers the clarity they need to ensure the safeguarding and wellbeing of gender questioning children and young people.   

This is about pragmatic support for teachers, reassurance for parents, and above all, the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.

The guidance also provides much needed clarity by determining schools should always consider any clinical advice the family has received and seek parents’ views unless there is a genuine safeguarding reason not to.

School leaders and unions including Star Academies and the Sixth Form College Association have backed the clear red lines set out in the proposed guidance to protect all children and young people.  

KCSIE is kept under regular review to make sure it is meeting the need of schools, colleges and families, allowing for further changes as new evidence emerges.

It is already used by teachers and schools and colleges every day – and the latest iteration includes strengthened guidance and guardrails on issues central to our children’s safety from violence and harassment to online risks and mental health.

Dr Hilary Cass, Author of the Cass Review, said: 

The safety and wellbeing of the child must be at the heart of any decision when a young person is questioning their gender. Schools, parents and government share this fundamental responsibility. 

Integrating this guidance within Keeping Children Safe in Education ensures this. It places this work alongside other duties to protect children, on a clear statutory footing, with proper accountability for all involved. 

The updated guidance is practical and reflects the recommendations of my review, giving schools much needed clarity on their legal duties so they can support children with confidence.

Sir Hamid Patel CBE, Chief Executive of Star Academies, said:  

This gender questioning guidance offers a considered and practical framework for schools and colleges navigating the complexities around gender-questioning children.   

It rightly prioritises transparency with parents and a cautious, evidence-informed response to complex issues.  

By setting out clear expectations and red lines within Keeping Children Safe in Education, it helps schools and colleges to navigate sensitive situations while ensuring that all children and young people are protected, respected, and supported. 

Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

We welcome the publication of guidance on supporting gender questioning children.

Schools and colleges have done a very good job in dealing with this complex and sensitive issue over the course of many years, striving to create inclusive environments for all their young people. But they have had to do so amid an often-polarised public debate.

We have long called for clear, pragmatic and well-evidenced national guidance to support them in this area and we are pleased to have reached this point.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

We welcome the publication of this guidance for consultation, as there is a clear need for greater clarity about how schools should manage this sensitive issue and support their pupils.

Placing this within existing safeguarding guidance ensures that the key principles of safeguarding children underpin the approach schools take. It is important to remember that individual children and young people are at the heart of this, and schools remain focused on ensuring that every child in their care is safe and treated with compassion and humanity.

Bill Watkin, Chief Executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said:

Sixth form colleges make every effort to safeguard the welfare and dignity of all students, as well as to provide welcoming, inclusive environments for those who identify as trans or are questioning their gender.

The major additions proposed today by DfE to the statutory safeguarding guidance will allow them to continue to do that with greater confidence, ending a long period of uncertainty about how to apply broad legal principles to the day-to-day reality on the ground in colleges.

We are particularly pleased that DfE has addressed many of our questions and concerns about previous draft guidance, including by acknowledging that the best approach will vary by student age and stage.

Polly Harrow, DfE Further Education Student Support Champion; Vice-Principal Kirklees College:

The consultation on Gender Questioning guidance within KCSIE will be welcomed by the FE sector. The guidance is useful for all educators and gives clear information and advice on an issue that needs clarity and sensitivity.

I would urge practitioners to take the opportunity to comment, as the final guidance will be invaluable for supporting our work in this space.

Leora Cruddas CBE, Chief Executive of the Confederation of School Trusts said:

This is an important area, where schools need to follow the law while responding sensitively to individual circumstances.

This updated guidance gives clarity, but also the flexibility to demonstrate respect and care for pupils and families.

Working together we can help ensure all pupils are properly safeguarded.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 26 January 2026.

Safe AI tutoring tools co-created with teachers to be available to schools by the end of 2027, helping to close the attainment gap.

Up to 450,000 children from disadvantaged backgrounds could benefit from safe AI powered tutoring tools providing personalised, one-to-one learning support – levelling the playing field for those who cannot afford private tutors.

The government’s mission is to break down barriers to opportunity so every child, regardless of background, can achieve and thrive. Currently, too many disadvantaged children are lagging behind their peers with just one in four achieving a pass in English and maths at GCSE at grade 5 or above, compared to over half of their peers.

Evidence shows that one to one tutoring can accelerate a pupil’s learning by around five months, but access to tutoring is deeply unequal, with children from wealthier families far more likely to benefit. The government is running a tender for industry to co-create AI tutoring tools with teachers, with the goal of bringing these tools to a similar level of quality, so that we can offer, at scale, the kind of personalised one to one support often only available to a privileged few.

By adapting to individual pupils’ needs, the tools could provide extra help when they get stuck and identify where they need more practice to master their lessons, with the potential to help them catch up with their peers.

From Summer term this year, there will be teacher-led co-creation of AI tutoring tools with industry. The tools will then be available to schools by the end of 2027. From years 9 – 11 alone this means the tools could support up to 450,000 children a year on free school meals to access one to one tutoring.

Under the plans the government will work alongside teachers, AI labs and leading tech companies to robustly test AI tutoring tools, so they are safe and work for pupils, including the most disadvantaged, and school staff. This includes ensuring they work in tandem with the National Curriculum to build on children’s learning in class.  

The tools will help drive up standards by complementing high-quality face-to-face teaching – not replacing it – offering targeted support to students who need it most while also pushing the most able pupils to go further, so every child can achieve and thrive.

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:

Our mission is to break the link between background and destiny, and we’re working hand-in-hand with teachers to make that a reality. AI tutoring tools have the potential to transform access to tailored support for young people, taking tutoring from a privilege of the lucky few, to every child who needs it – so all children can achieve and thrive.

But AI tools are only helpful in education if they are safe and support learning – and that is a non-negotiable. We will ensure tutoring tools are designed with teachers and rigorously tested, so they enhance pupils’ learning and keep our children safe online, never replacing the human connection that only great teachers can provide.

Technology Secretary, Liz Kendall, said:

Every child should have an equal shot at success, no matter their background – but in reality, too many disadvantaged children are falling behind their peers in school.

We’re determined to close that gap. That’s why we are going to work with teachers and tech experts to make safe, smart AI tutoring tools available to schools by the end of 2027 – providing extra help for kids who couldn’t otherwise afford it.

Alongside the high quality, face-to-face teaching of our brilliant educators, this will help level the playing field for hundreds of thousands of children from disadvantaged backgrounds to make the most of their education by removing the barriers that get in the way.

Trials of the AI tutoring tools will begin later this year with children in secondary schools across the country, drawing on first-hand experience from teachers. Their expertise and feedback will ensure the tools are at their most effective, with evidence gathered from trials then informing their wider use.

Robust benchmarks will also be developed so parents and teachers can be confident that AI tools for use by pupils are high quality, reliable and most importantly safe.

Teachers and school staff will be supported with clear, practical training developed with the education sector, so they have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to use AI safely and effectively.

The announcement today builds on the measures announced last week to ensure opportunities to harness the benefits of AI and technology in education can be maximised and protect young people from online harms including:

• Launching a consultation on children’s social media use and banning phones in schools to protect young people’s wellbeing and ensure safer online experiences.
• Developing the first-ever guidance on screen use for under-fives to offer parents practical support on balancing screens with play, speaking and reading.
• A £23 million investment to expand the government’s EdTech Testbeds pilot programme – enabling more than 1,000 schools and colleges to test AI tools and assistive technology, supporting teachers from primary school onwards by saving them time and reducing workloads.
• Updated safety standards that will ensure tech companies meet the high bar the government expects when developing tools for use in education, with a focus on tackling emerging risks like AI affecting learning, emotional and social development.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 8 January 2026.

New academy trust inspections to boost transparency for parents and strengthen outcomes for children.

Millions of children will benefit from a stronger, fairer and more transparent school system as the Government sets out plans to introduce inspection of multi-academy trusts.

The Education Secretary has today tabled an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, to give parents and communities greater confidence that schools are part of strong, supportive trusts focused on improving outcomes for every child.

The measure delivers on the commitment made in the government’s manifesto to bring multi academy trusts into the inspection system.

High-quality academy trusts play a vital role in raising standards and widening opportunity for children. Educating most pupils in England, they oversee key decisions that shape children’s education – from curriculum to staffing.

Trust inspection will ensure those decisions are subject to clear, independent scrutiny, while recognising, celebrating and backing strong trusts so every child benefits from the highest standards, wherever they live or go to school.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

Every child no matter their background should be able to achieve and thrive, and strong schools working together through high quality trusts help make that possible.

That collaboration must be matched by clear, fair accountability. Trust inspection will recognise excellence, support improvement and ensure no child is overlooked, especially those with the greatest needs.

This is national renewal in action – public services working together, rooted in communities and focused on improving outcomes so every child, wherever they grow up, is set up for success.

Trust inspections will focus on leadership, governance and impact – including how effectively trusts improve schools, provide high quality education, support staff, use resources and promote pupil wellbeing. The approach will celebrate excellence, support improvement and recognise trusts that play a wider system role by helping all children and schools across communities to succeed.

The Bill will also introduce new powers of intervention to step in when trusts are not meeting acceptable standards including moving academies to stronger trusts, whilst also offering a route of recognition and celebration of those that are transforming outcomes for pupils.

Cathie Paine, CEO of REach2, said:

We welcome the move toward trust‑level inspections. Trusts play a huge role in improving education and driving greater equity, so it makes sense to look at how they work as a whole.

The key will be making sure this is done proportionately and in a way that reflects the different sizes and approaches across the system. If we get that balance right, it won’t just strengthen accountability – it will give a clearer picture of how trusts support schools, add value and, most importantly, how we can make things better for every child.

It’s also a great chance for trusts to learn from each other and share what works, which can only make the system stronger.

These reforms are part of the Government’s drive to raise standards and renew public services. Groups of schools working together in strong, community-centred partnerships are one of the most effective and sustainable ways to secure better outcomes for children.

That is why strong collaboration between schools, in particular high quality school trusts, will play a pivotal role in delivering our vision in the forthcoming Schools White Paper – helping to raise standards across the system and ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed regardless of their background, needs or where they live.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 8 January 2026.

Year 11 students across England will be able to view their GCSE results on their phones for the first time from this summer, speeding up the process of enrolling into college, freeing up teachers and college staff from unnecessary paperwork, and bringing record-keeping into the 21st century. 

The Education Record app is being rolled out nationally to modernise how young people access their exam results once they have left school.

It will make it easier for young people to enrol in their post-16 destination and will give them access to their results at their fingertips for life, providing employers with clear, accurate information on a job candidate’s education history without relying on paper certificates which can be easily lost.

Pupils will still go into school on results day to meet face-to-face with their teachers and receive their results. Their results will later become available on the app.

Schools and colleges will also be able to easily access information about which students need extra support, including whether they need to continue working towards English and maths GCSEs, have SEND requirements or qualify for free school meals.

It is estimated to save schools and colleges up to £30 million per year in administrative costs once the full roll out is complete. This funding can be put directly back into school and college budgets, freeing up resources so that staff can focus on teaching, and breaking down barriers to opportunity through the government’s Plan for Change.

The Education Record app is part of the wider government drive to overhaul how the public sector uses technology and innovates.

Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said:

No student should have to rifle through drawers looking for a crumpled certificate when they’re preparing for a job interview.

This app will give young people instant access to their results whenever they need them while freeing up teachers and college staff from unnecessary paperwork.

Work is already underway to link the Education Record and the GOV.UK Wallet, part of the government’s drive to harness technology and innovation as set out in its Plan for Change. It paves the way for citizens to store everything from exam results to driving licences in one secure digital space.

The national roll out follows on from the app being piloted in Greater Manchester and West Midlands where thousands of pupils have already benefitted since last summer.

Schools and colleges are being encouraged to sign up now ahead of results days in August 2026. Pupils in schools that sign up can download the app now and should speak to their school to set it up before results day, when they will receive their GCSE results as the first records on the app.

Director of Education Policy at the Association of Colleges, Cath Sezen, said:

We are delighted to see confirmation of a national pilot of the Education Record. This is a significant step forward in supporting young people as they move to college, an apprenticeship or later into higher education and work.

Giving colleges access to key data will ensure that transitions are smoother for students; instead of repeating basic information time and time again, conversations can focus on finding the appropriate course to support their career aims, and settling into life at college.

The Education Record also has the potential to cut down on admin time and costs during the busy enrolment period which means that more time can be spent on making sure students have the best start to their post-16 pathways.

General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, Pepe Di’Iasio, said: 

It is a sensible move to use digital technology to simplify the transition to post-16 education for everyone involved. Young people work so hard to obtain their GCSE results, it is important that they have a secure and accessible record of their achievements as they move through the education system. 

We are glad that GCSE students still have the chance to go into school on results day. This face-to-face contact not only allows them to celebrate with peers and teachers, but also to receive any advice or support they may require regarding next steps. 

We are sure that school and college leaders will also welcome the administrative savings made possible as a result of this change, although this will only amount to a drop in the ocean compared to the funding pressures they remain under.

General Secretary of School Leaders’ union NAHT, Paul Whiteman, said:

Providing students with a digital education record is a sensible development and expanding this programme to a national pilot, following the successful smaller ones, is a positive step.

The potential to include post-16 qualifications in the future will make the record an even more useful tool for students to support their transitions to further education, training and employment.

The announcement follows the launch of the government’s Youth Guarantee to support almost a million young people into employment or learning opportunities, tackling the unacceptably high number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) and ensuring no one is allowed to slip through the cracks.

More widely the government is transforming post-16 education with reforms announced in the Post 16 Education and Skills White Paper including introducing structured professional development for further education teachers and an expectation that colleges deliver at least 100 hours of face-to-face English and maths teaching for those who haven’t passed those GCSEs.

The government is also creating V levels, a brand new vocational pathway to sit alongside A levels and T Levels, allowing students to explore different sectors like Engineering or Digital while keeping their options open.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 30 December 2025.

New action in early 2026 to address urgent need for more foster carers and support retention of existing carers.

Vulnerable children in the care system in England will be provided with more stable and loving homes, thanks to government plans to radically accelerate foster carer recruitment. 
 
The government has committed to tackling the growing shortage of foster carers across England, confirming that a comprehensive package of reforms will be introduced in the new year to increase the number of foster places available and support the retention of existing carers. 
 
The latest figures published by Ofsted highlight the scale of the challenge inherited by this government. At the end of March 2025, there were 33,435 fostering households – a 10% decline since 2021.  
 
Foster carer recruitment is a key area of government reform, with the package of measures addressing the urgent need for more places for children in the social care system. 
 
A lack of foster homes pushes children into residential care, where they have worse expected outcomes in education, health and long-term prospects, and where they can become more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, as highlighted in the Casey Audit. 
 
Over the Christmas period, foster carers are sharing their experiences of welcoming children into their homes. Their stories demonstrate the lasting impact of stable, supportive care, which the government is further strengthening through the landmark Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. 
 
Minister for Children and Families, Josh MacAlister, said: 

Fostering changes lives – not just for children who need safety, stability and love, but for the families who open their homes to them. 

We know the number of foster carers has been falling, and that is why this government will be taking decisive action to give stable and loving homes to children that need them.  

The festive season highlights the urgent need to get more children in care into loving, supportive homes where they can thrive – I’d urge anyone who has considered fostering to look into signing up.

The fostering reforms to be introduced early in the new year will be backed by new funding for children’s social care announced at the Spending Review and will focus on: 

• Expanding who can become foster carers, removing unnecessary barriers and enabling more people with full-time jobs or families of their own to offer foster care, and removing unnecessary barriers 
• Better supporting carers to fit fostering around busy family and working lives 
• Developing innovative models of fostering, informed by insights from foster carers and frontline practitioners.  

These reforms will expand the pool of potential foster carers, enabling more children to find places in foster homes. They will also ensure existing foster carers receive better support to help them continue delivering for children. 
 
Further details will be set out in the new year, with a consultation expected to launch in early 2026.  
 
Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said:

Children in care deserve the same things as every other child: loving relationships, a safe home and support throughout their life that sets them up to meet their ambitions – and these are the things they tell me they want.

Too often they are denied these things because of a shortage of safe, caring homes. No child should be considered too complex for foster care, but instead of living with a foster carer who can provide high-quality care and therapeutic support, many of our most vulnerable children are placed in unregistered accommodation with no scrutiny over standards, or left to fend for themselves in semi-independent housing, miles from the homes and people they know.

I look forward to working closely with Minister MacAlister to set ambitious targets for increasing the number of foster carers in this country, so that every child feels the benefit of a homely, family environment.

This festive season, the government is urging people who are able to foster to consider doing so.  
 
Foster carers are sharing their experiences of welcoming children into their homes, demonstrating that fostering can be rewarding and that carers do not need to fit a traditional mould to provide excellent care. 
 
Around Christmas, routines change and feelings of loneliness and uncertainty can be heightened for children in care. This highlights the ongoing need for stable, supportive placements with carers who can access support including a weekly fostering allowance, training and advice networks. 
 
Amy Burns, founder of Messy Fostering, was fostered at 14 and spent summers with her teacher Jo, who stepped in to support. Her experience illustrates how fostering can succeed outside conventional family structures. 
 
Amy Burns said:  

The simple truth is that fostering saved my life… That’s it. At 14, I had already been let down by so many adults.

I suddenly found myself surrounded by adults who not only taught me how to advocate for myself, but were there to catch me when things weren’t going quite right.

Fostering isn’t simple or easy but I was finally safe and I slowly learned how to breathe again.

The government will continue to work closely with local authorities, fostering agencies and carers to ensure that the 2026 reforms deliver a sustainable, high-quality fostering system that meets the needs of children now and in the future.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 11 December 2025.

Plans for a new Child Protection Authority unveiled as part of government strategy to protect children from predators and abuse.

Reforms to protect children from abuse will be significantly strengthened through the creation of a new Child Protection Authority, tasked with identifying emerging threats and driving accountability across the system. 

The proposals for a new public body will strengthen England’s child protection system by providing national oversight, ensuring that vulnerable children are not failed by the authorities who are supposed to protect them.  

At present, intelligence on harms can be fragmented, data analysis patchy, and lessons from serious cases slow to translate into practice. The Child Protection Authority will address these issues head on by providing strong leadership to ensure good child protection practice is embedded consistently across local areas. 

Safeguarding failures allowed grooming gangs to operate in many towns and cities and led to horrifying cases like that of Sara Sharif, and the Child Protection Authority will tackle these underlying systemic issues – delivering on a key recommendation from the Casey Audit on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse. 

It comes alongside a broad package of measures being introduced through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which will ensure that agencies responsible for looking after children are working together closely and sharing relevant information, to get frontline expertise to where it’s needed and ensure no child falls through the cracks.  

It also sits alongside the Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs announced by the Home Secretary this week. Chaired by Baroness Anne Longfield, the inquiry will examine the actions of the police, councils, social services and other agencies, both locally and nationally, making sure any wrongdoing or cover-ups are brought to light and holding those responsible to account – backed by £65 million of funding.  

The Child Protection Authority delivers on a key recommendation from IICSA’s report and problems identified by the Casey Audit into group-based child sexual exploitation.  

It will help protect children from harms including sexual exploitation and abuse, domestic violence, trafficking, organised crime, and other complex risks. 

Minister for Children and Families, Josh MacAlister said:  

Every child deserves to grow up safe, and we owe it to victims and survivors to confront the problems that have allowed abuse and exploitation to go unchecked.  

The creation of a Child Protection Authority is a key part of our response to the massive failings which have been exposed by the grooming gangs scandal and by horrifying child protection cases like that of Sara Sharif. 

The government is taking broad action to build a more expert, decisive and focused child protection system, and this consultation is vital as we step up protections for children, and we want to hear from practitioners, experts, families and survivors to make sure we get this right.

Alexis Jay, author of the IICSA report, said: 

I am pleased to see the publication of this consultation on the establishment of the Child Protection Authority. 

These proposals are a positive step in the implementation of the second recommendation in my final report and reflect detailed discussions with ministers and officials. I look forward to continuing to work with the department in the design of this new national body to help keep children safe. 

I would encourage anyone with an interest in child protection to respond.  

Sir David Holmes CBE, Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel chair, said:

Every child deserves to grow up safe from harm, abuse, and neglect. The Panel’s work is driven by this principle. That’s why we support the Government’s decision to establish a Child Protection Authority in England — a significant step forward in creating a clearer, more unified child protection system.

The Child Protection Authority will absorb and build on the foundations laid by our Panel, ensuring that national learning from serious incidents translates into practical improvements that frontline professionals can implement. This is an opportunity to deliver a system that is even more evidence-based, collaborative, and focused on outcomes for children. We will work closely with government, safeguarding partners, and practitioners to shape this new authority and ensure it reflects the voices of those who work tirelessly to protect children every day.

We urge everyone who works with children to respond to the consultation so together we can build a system that puts children first.

The Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse, said:

We welcome the government’s progress in implementing IICSA’s recommendations and, if carefully designed and implemented, the new Child Protection Authority will play a key role in this, supported by specialist bodies such as the CSA Centre.

The number of children supported through a child protection plan due to concerns of child sexual abuse has fallen from 25% to an all-time low of 3.5% in the last 30 years, so today’s publication of new, more detailed data, is a welcome first step in better understanding the reasons for that startling decline.

Better data and analysis will also enhance the CSA Centre’s implementation of evidence-based resources into practice, including our Response Pathway, with initiatives such as our practice leads programme, so we can support professionals to better identify and respond to concerns of child sexual abuse.

Catherine Worboyes, Interim Director of Children and Adult Social Care Pathfinders at Redbridge Local Authority, said:

It has felt like a long time coming, but I’m really pleased that we’re putting one of the main IICSA recommendations into practice by setting up a Child Protection Authority (CPA). As a practice leader, I genuinely believe it is going to make a difference, bringing together the fantastic learning across the multi-agency partners and consistently embedding it across a national system.

In the past learning has not always led to improvements, with a child protection system which has lacked national authority. The CPA is an opportunity to enhance accountability, authority and system development, through better understanding of child led data to prevent emerging risks.

Alongside this, the government is also strengthening child protection through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.  

This includes mandatory sharing of relevant information between public authorities and introducing laws to allow the creation of a Single Unique Identifier to help link data across safeguarding agencies.  

Elsewhere, mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse was introduced in the Crime and Policing Bill on 25 February 2025, and the child safety duties under the Online Safety Act 2023 commenced in July 2025. 

The consultation is proposing that the new body will have powers to hold organisations including safeguarding partners to account on child protection. This will involve working closely with inspectorates and partners such as healthcare professionals, social workers and the police to improve practice. Frontline enforcement in criminal cases will remain with the police.  

The government is consulting on the powers the Child Protection Authority should have, as well its organisational model and governance structure, shaped by feedback from the sector. The Establishing a Child Protection Authority consultation will run for 12 weeks.

The Department for Education is also publishing new analysis and data on child sexual abuse and exploitation in response to a recommendation in Baroness Casey’s Audit on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, recognising that transparency is essential in maintaining accountability. 

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 11 December 2025.

Around 50,000 specialist places to be created nationwide – making sure more children with SEND can thrive alongside their friends at their local school.

Children with SEND will benefit from a brilliant education close to home as the government announces at least £3 billion to create tens of thousands of new specialist places in mainstream schools.

The Education Secretary has today (11 December 2025) announced a transformational expansion of specialist, calm learning spaces in mainstream schools, equipped with facilities to support children with special educational needs and disabilities, following the launch of the largest national conversation on SEND in a generation.

It will mean young people won’t have to travel miles from home to have their needs met, and can instead get support in tailor-made spaces with the right facilities while also mixing with other classes for subjects or parts of the day that are appropriate for them. 

For too long, children with SEND have been forgotten, with families forced to fight for the support they deserve and a school place that meets their needs. At least 180,000 pupils with SEND currently receive transport to school – journeys that for many are longer than 3 miles, and for 9% are in single occupancy vehicles such as taxis. 

In addition, the government has confirmed it will deliver on all 10,000 places – in all areas – due to be created by planned special free schools. It will do this either by building the planned schools, or by giving local authorities the funding to create the equivalent number of specialist places themselves – often more quickly than through free school projects.  This is on top of the tens of thousands of places created through the new £3 billion investment.

Today’s announcement will lay the groundwork for significant future reform of the SEND support system – helping to make schools inclusive by design, so every child, in every corner of the country can have their needs met where they live.  We will set out more details in the Schools White Paper and subsequent allocation of funding on how this investment will support pupils in mainstream settings, as well as how we will ensure specialist places in mainstream become a core part of the local school offer in all parts of the country.  

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said: 

A child’s background should not determine where they end up. Education is the route to opportunity, and opportunity should be for every child, regardless of their individual needs and circumstances.

For too many families, the reality has been very different, but this government will fix the broken education system for children and young people with SEND by making sure that their local school is also the right school. Ahead our reforms next year, we’re laying the foundations of a new system that shifts children with SEND from forgotten to included and earns the confidence of parents. 

This £3 billion investment will transform lives. It will open the door to opportunity for tens of thousands of children with SEND, giving them the chance to learn, belong and succeed in their local community. This is how we build an education system that works for every child.

Today’s cash boost – which will see 2026 to 2027 allocations issued in spring – builds on the £740 million already invested to create over 10,000 specialist places.  

It will help create calming spaces, supporting children with needs such as autism or ADHD who may feel overstimulated by busy school environments, as well as breakout spaces for children who need more support – giving children the helping hand they need to access mainstream education.  

Anna Heaton, Executive Principal and Trust Lead for Secondary SEND and Inclusion:  

At Delta Academies Trust, inclusion means doing all we can to break down barriers to learning, enabling all our learners to participate and achieve together. 

Our resourced provision units provide a bridge back to learning for our most vulnerable learners and help us ensure pupils access the support they need to fulfil their potential. This results in greatly improved attendance and engagement in learning, but the benefits for our pupils and their families go far beyond this in terms of improving mental health and wellbeing.   

One family told us that the resourced provision unit had transformed their child from one who didn’t want to do anything and couldn’t see a future, into someone who wants to learn and wants to talk about what they will do next.

The government is also today confirming the outcome of its review of mainstream free schools. To prioritise the investment in specialist places being announced today, a number of mainstream free school projects will not go ahead, reflecting the government’s commitment to putting school places where they’re needed most, now and in the future.   

The number of primary school pupils has been falling since 2019, with the number of secondary school pupils due to begin falling from next year. Meanwhile, the number of young people with SEND has risen to at least 1.7 million – an increase of 400,000 pupils since 2020.  

Those projects that will continue are those that meet the needs of communities, responding to demographic and housing demand without creating surplus places. New schools that provide a unique offer for students who would otherwise not get it, without damaging the viability of existing local schools and colleges, will also be supported. 

The capital investment is part of the government’s £38 billion investment in the education estate from 2025 to 2026 to 2029 to 2030, which also includes funding for the expansion of the School rebuilding programme – driving up the standards of classrooms across the country. The government has confirmed today that applications for the further 250 rebuilding projects will open in the new year and that those schools with the most severe need will be prioritised to ensure every child can achieve and thrive.  

Today’s announcement is a pivotal step to improving the life chances of children with SEND across the country, but the work will not, and cannot, stop here.  

Full plans to improve the SEND system will be set out through the Schools White Paper early in the new year.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 9 December 2025.

Education Secretary announces reforms to tighten rules on fraud in the student finance system that cost taxpayers £2m in 2022/23.

Students and taxpayers will have greater confidence in higher education as tough new reforms through our Plan for Change tighten controls on university franchising arrangements and make sure public money is used as intended, shoring up the reputation of our world-class sector.

Franchiser providers with 300 or more students will soon face mandatory regulation by the Office for Students and be required to meet the same standards as universities or be completely cut off from accessing student loan funding in 2028/29. 

Franchising allows universities to subcontract teaching to other organisations—such as colleges or private training providers delivering specialist courses like health or business. When done well, it can widen access, however rapid growth and inconsistent oversight that this government inherited have left parts of the system open to abuse.

The government is determined to ensure every student receives high-quality education, with the new measures putting students and their outcomes before profits as regulators could face fines or suspension of their registration if they have concerns about poor-quality provision, financial exploitation, or fraudulent practices. 

This poor practice has real consequences for young people’s futures and cost £2 million to the public purse in 2022/23 alone.

As part of the crack down, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson will write to all providers setting out the changes and warning that poor-quality or exploitative arrangements must be cleaned up or closed down.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 

Too many rogue operators have treated students as a route to fast cash, not as people investing in their future.  

Those days are over. If you use public money, you will be held accountable and face proper scrutiny. 

Our higher education sector is one of Britain’s greatest strengths. Through our Plan for Change we are determined to protect its reputation, putting students first and making sure every pound from the public purse is well spent.

The number of students at franchised providers has more than doubled in five years, with nearly sixty percent taught at providers not directly regulated by the Office for Students.

With students on franchised courses currently far more likely to drop out and far less likely to progress into work or further study. Just three-quarters complete their courses – compared with almost nine in ten across the rest of the sector. 

These measures will crackdown on courses where there are clear signs of exploitation, such as admitting students who are unlikely to succeed – for example, those with very poor English language skills or students who have low attendance rates and those who are using their place at the provider purely to access public money.  

These robust reforms come as the Government publishes the outcomes of its consultation, proposing measures to strengthen oversight of higher education franchising. Regulations to enable the changes to HE franchising will be laid before Parliament in Spring 2026. 

These reforms will work alongside tougher OfS registration conditions on management and governance standards, stronger system controls to prevent fraud, and cross-government work led by the Public Sector Fraud Authority.

Measures outlined in the Post-16 White paper to lift quality, shut down poor practice, and tighten controls on public money to ensure a higher education system that provides quality for all students regardless of where they study as part of our Plan for Change. 

Vivienne Stern MBE, Chief Executive of Universities UK said:

It is vital that franchise provision is underpinned by high and robust standards and we support this step, which will help to protect the higher education sector’s world-renowned reputation for quality.  

UUK’s members have been taking extensive actions to tighten controls, and we have long championed the introduction of measures requiring franchise partners to register with the OfS.

The Office for Students is also strengthening its own regulatory regime for franchising, including tougher initial registration conditions on governance and the management of public money, publishing annual data on outcomes for franchised students, and consulting on new requirements for universities overseeing franchise partnerships. 

Office for Students, Director of Regulation, Philippa Pickford said:

Today’s announcement will help ensure students studying under subcontractual arrangements are getting a high quality higher education, as well as giving taxpayers confidence that public funding is being used appropriately.

We have been raising concerns about poor practices that have been exposed in some subcontractual arrangements for some time, and plan to announce a response to our own consultation on subcontractual arrangements in higher education in early 2026.

This summer, we also announced reforms to our registration process that will allow us to register institutions that will deliver high quality higher education and treat their students fairly.

Ministers will also legislate, when parliamentary time allows, to give the OfS stronger powers to act quickly where quality is compromised or public money is at risk, ensuring problems in franchised provision can be dealt with more rapidly in future.