Northern Ireland Executive receives funding from DLUHC to administrate the Homes for Ukraine scheme in Northern Ireland. The tariff is unringfenced and the Devolved Administrations have the flexibility to exercise discretion in using the funding, including payments to non-profitable organisations. Further information in this regard is a matter for the Executive Office in Northern Ireland.

We recognise that children in care are more likely than their peers in the general population to have contact with the criminal justice system. That is why we published a joint national protocol with the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in 2018 on reducing the unnecessary criminalisation of looked after children and care leavers: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-protocol-on-reducing-criminalisation-of-looked-after-children. The protocol was produced with the input of local authority representatives, and other partners. Since the publication of the protocol, the proportion of children in care aged 10-17 who are charged with an offence or receive a caution has reduced from 3% in 2019 to 2% in 2023. Latest data for year ending March 2023 also show that 3% of care leavers age 19-21 were in custody. This figure has remained the same for the last 5 years.

We are also taking action on risk factors that can lead to criminal behaviour including through our work to improve school attendance.

Through the care leaver Ministerial Board, we are working closely with MoJ to improve support and outcomes of care-experienced people in the criminal justice system.

The MoJ is currently updating its strategy for people with care experience in the criminal justice system, to ensure that their time in the criminal justice system is used to support them to lead crime-free lives. The strategy will include a focus on race and its role in shaping the experiences and outcomes of those with care experience, and will link to wider departmental efforts to address racial disproportionality in the criminal justice system. The MoJ are aiming to publish this strategy in 2024.

The department considers charity sector colleagues to be key stakeholders in work taking place across the department, including on children’s social care reform, as outlined in 'Stable Homes, Built on Love'. The department regularly engages with the Chief Executive and Policy Leads from Barnardo’s on children’s social care policy, as well as their counterparts at Action for Children, The Children’s Society, National Children’s Bureau and NSPCC. The charity sector is also represented in a variety of reference groups on specific aspects of children’s social care policy.

The majority of children in care do not have any interaction with the criminal justice system. Offending rates for children in care are now at 2%, down from 5% in 2015.

The department has a national protocol in place on reducing the unnecessary criminalisation of looked after children and care leavers and is taking action on risk factors that can lead to criminal behaviour including through the department’s work to improve school attendance.

The department continues to work urgently across government and with local authorities to ensure that all vulnerable children, no matter their age or circumstances, are kept safe and receive the support they need.

See, Hear, Respond was set up as a short-term response to address the specific support needs of children and young people due to the sudden and unpredictable impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and national restrictions. The government recognises the vital role that it has played in supporting over 45,000 vulnerable children, young people and families.

The current contract is due to end at the end of March 2021. The government continues to work closely with local authorities, the third sector and charity partners to understand the needs of local communities. It will keep under review any further measures that are necessary to support vulnerable children and young people.

The enhanced Domestic Abuse Bill, as re-introduced on 3 March, includes a new statutory duty on tier one local authorities in England to provide support to victims of domestic abuse, and their children, within safe accommodation. This new measure augmented those already in the Bill addressing the impact of domestic abuse on children. As provided for in clause 66(2)(b), the statutory guidance which will accompany the Bill will recognise the effect of domestic abuse on children. The guidance will outline the range of impacts domestic abuse can have on children, as well as appropriate support and referral mechanisms. The Bill will also establish in law, the independent Domestic Abuse Commissioner who will be required to consider the impact of domestic abuse on children, and the services available to them.

In the Government’s further response to the Joint Committee on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill (CP 214), also published on 3 March, we indicated that the Domestic Abuse Commissioner has agreed to undertake an in-depth exploration of the current community-based support landscape. The Government will then work with the Commissioner to understand the needs identified and develop options on how best to address them.

I can confirm that the Justice Secretary is in regular contact with his Cabinet colleagues on support for children affected by domestic abuse, including the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, as well as with leading charitable organisations working in this sector.

In addition, we know that there are specific concerns for victims of domestic abuse and their children during the COVD-19 outbreak. We are working with other Government Departments to ensure that sufficient support is in place for these victims

The UK Government is committed to stamping out all forms of child sexual abuse.

We have made significant investments to improve our capabilities to tackle CSA offending, improve our safeguarding response and expand our support for victims and survivors, including through increased funding for support services across the country which victims and survivors can access throughout their lifetime. We have also invested in innovative approaches to tackling vulnerability among children and young people at-risk of exploitation and piloted innovative multi-agency support for those who have experienced sexual abuse.

The Home Office has also funded the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse to improve societal understanding of the scale and nature of child sexual abuse and the experiences of lesser heard communities.

However, we need to do more to drive a whole system response to child sexual abuse; this is why we have announced we will invest an additional £30 million to safeguard children from sexual abuse. Further, we will publish a first-of-its-kind national strategy to prevent and tackle all forms of child sexual abuse. We routinely engage with child protection charities and other experts including Barnardo’s on protecting children from child sexual abuse. This has included engagement on development of the Strategy, including through a third sector stakeholder group, which will meet at regular intervals to feed into current and future policy development surrounding child sexual abuse.

The Department has been working closely with Barnardo’s to develop and scope a pilot of voluntary work experience opportunities for care leavers in some of Barnardo’s high street shops. The objective of this pilot is to give young people independence within their communities and to support them to gain confidence and skills that will help them gain employment and create a better future for themselves.

The pilot is expected to run for 6 months, with individual placements lasting between 6-8 weeks. Barnardo’s have offered that those engaged in work experience will be able to enrol on a Level 2 training course with the Barnardo’s Volunteer Academy at any stage of their placement. They will also have the option to stay on as a volunteer once the placement has ended.

Participants will have a DWP Care Leaver Single Point of Contact, which is a work coach that leads on care leaver issues. Additional support will also be available in the form of a team of staff, including the claimant’s individual work coach and the care leaver’s Personal Adviser, based in the Local Authority care leaver team. The DWP’s National Employer and Partnership Team lead has arranged to meet the staff who will be involved in the pilot in each Jobcentre.

Care leavers will be given a work book to complete during their placement which will encompass feedback and a record of achievements. After the pilot, care leavers will review their progress with their work coach and update their CV. They will also work to agree the next step for them as individuals, for example further training, an apprenticeship or moving into work.

I certainly agree with my hon. Friend that Barnardo’s is a brilliant charity and that we should all congratulate it on the work it does. We have a huge responsibility to people who are in the care of the state, which does not end when they are 18 years old. That is why we are announcing new measures in the Queen’s Speech to include support from a personal adviser, for example, until these people are 25 and to make sure that other bodies such as local authorities have a care for those people, bringing all the opportunities to their attention. This is part of the life chances strategy, which lies at the heart of this Queen’s Speech.

Q11

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Nusrat Ghani (Wealden) (Con):

Will the Chancellor join me in congratulating Barnardo’s, the UK’s oldest and largest children’s charity, which this year celebrates 150 years of supporting and protecting vulnerable children? Does he agree that young people need support beyond the age of 18 to maximise their life chances and that the Government’s new care leavers covenant, which extends the duty of care to 25, is therefore a fitting way to build on Barnardo’s proud history of giving young people the best opportunities in life?

Child Trafficking Advocates are tasked with supporting all agencies to make decisions in the best interests of child victims and ensuring the child’s views are voiced and respected. The Modern Slavery Bill includes a requirement for all public authorities to cooperate with the advocate. As this is not in force we have agreed with all 23 local authorities in the trial that they will cooperate with the advocate. Whilst consultation with the advocate will be expected, final decisions regarding the care and safety of the child will remain the responsibility of the local authority, Home Office, parent or guardian where relevant.