Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 78
78
Acknowledged
Commission independent evaluation on designating care experience a protected characteristic.
Recommendation
The Department for Education should commission an independent evaluation of the impact of designating care experience a protected characteristic in those areas where local authorities have adopted this, to assess the impact of this on the extent and quality of support for care leavers in those areas. (Recommendation, Paragraph 197) 94
Government Response Summary
The government notes that new corporate parenting responsibilities will be introduced via the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to tackle stigma against care leavers. It states it will continue to monitor the impact where local authorities have adopted care experience as a protected characteristic, but does not commit to commissioning an independent evaluation.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
We know looked after children and care leavers face stigma and discrimination, and we are determined to tackle this. That is why we have included measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to introduce new corporate parenting responsibilities on each Secretary of State and relevant public bodies. This will mean that they will need to be alert to matters which adversely affect this cohort and ensure their policies and services better take account of the challenges that looked after children and care leavers face and provide opportunities for them to thrive. We are aware that a number of local authorities have chosen to treat care- experience as if it were a protected characteristic and we will continue to monitor what impact this is having on the support those local authorities provide to looked after children and care leavers in those local authorities.