Overview

This bill aims to strengthen the safeguarding and welfare of children in education and training settings in England and Wales by imposing new duties on providers. It covers 16-19 academies, further education institutions, apprenticeships, and technical education programs.

Description

16-19 Academies and Further Education:

The bill amends the Education Act 2002. It mandates that 16-19 academies must implement arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Further education institutions in England will be required to comply with safeguarding duties as a condition for government funding or agreements with the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State will also be able to issue guidance on appropriate arrangements.

Apprenticeships and Technical Education:

The bill amends the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009. It stipulates that financial resources provided for English statutory apprenticeships and approved technical education will be conditional upon providers adhering to safeguarding duties. These duties include establishing arrangements to safeguard and promote children's welfare and having regard to any guidance provided by the Secretary of State.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly allocate new funding but will likely influence government spending by conditioning existing funding for educational institutions on their adherence to child welfare safeguarding measures. The financial impact will depend on the number of providers needing to adjust their practices to meet the new requirements and any potential penalties for non-compliance. Specific figures are not provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

• 16-19 Academies: Required to implement safeguarding measures and meet new welfare standards.
• Further Education Institutions (England): Subject to new safeguarding duties as a condition of government funding and agreements.
• Apprenticeship Providers: Must comply with safeguarding duties to receive government funding.
• Technical Education Providers: Must comply with safeguarding duties to receive government funding.
• Children (16-19): Directly benefit from enhanced safeguarding and welfare provisions in their educational settings.
• The Secretary of State for Education: Responsible for issuing guidance and overseeing compliance with the new duties.

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