The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill – an Overview

Introduced to Parliament on 17 December 2024, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill aims to improve child welfare, standardise education policies and strengthen safeguarding across England.

Currently, at the committee stage, the Bill is undergoing scrutiny and potential amendments, particularly regarding teacher pay and conditions. The following reforms are proposed:

Children’s Social Care Reforms

Family Group Decision Making (FGDM)

Local Authorities must offer FGDM to at-risk families to promote family-led support plans before formal care proceedings.

Strengthening Education’s Role in Safeguarding

Schools will be formally recognised as key safeguarding partners in multi-agency child protection arrangements, but not a statutory partner such as the Police, health and social care, as it currently stands in the draft bill.

Multi-Agency Child Protection Teams

Local authorities must form teams with police and health services to improve coordination and child protection responses.

Information Sharing & Unique Child Identifiers

A national child identifier system will improve data sharing between local authorities, schools, and safeguarding agencies.

Support for Kinship Carers

Local authorities must publish support offers for kinship carers, ensuring access to financial and educational resources.

Expansion of Virtual School Head Role

Virtual School Heads (VSHs) will now oversee the educational progress of children in kinship care and those with social workers.

Support for Care Leavers

Local authorities must provide clear pathways for housing, employment, and education for young people leaving care.

Regulation of Deprivation of Liberty

A statutory framework will regulate the deprivation of liberty for children in secure accommodation, ensuring legal safeguards.

Education Policy Reforms

Free Breakfast Clubs in Primary Schools

State-funded primary schools must provide free breakfast clubs, improving pupil well-being and readiness to learn.

School Uniform Policy Changes

Schools must limit branded uniform items to reduce costs for families.

National Register for Children Not in School

Local authorities must monitor home-educated children to ensure appropriate education standards.

Regulation of Independent & Unregistered Schools

Unregistered educational providers must now meet minimum safeguarding and curriculum standards.

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) for Academies

All academy teachers must have QTS or be working towards it, ensuring consistency with maintained schools.

National Curriculum for Academies

Academies must follow the National Curriculum, reducing disparities across schools.

Statutory Pay and Conditions for Teachers in Academies

Academy teachers will now receive the same statutory pay and working conditions as those in maintained schools.

Collaboration Between Academies and Local Authorities

Academies must work with local authorities on admissions and place planning to ensure fair school access.

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill - Debate & Criticism

There has been much debate and indeed criticism of the Bill. It is thought that standardised teacher qualifications and pay will not only improve employment conditions but also the quality of education. It is argued that free breakfast clubs and uniform affordability measures will reduce financial pressure on families. The stronger safeguarding measures proposed will certainly increase the protection of vulnerable children. However, academy leaders have expressed concern that forced adherence to National Curriculum requirements could limit innovation. Critics argue that increased Local Authority oversight may reduce school autonomy. There have also been some concerns regarding central government overreach on the proposed home education regulations.

Whilst HM Government has acknowledged these concerns and is engaging with stakeholders to refine the Bill’s provisions, the major reforms of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will enhance equity, safeguarding and educational consistency. As it progresses through Parliament, further debate and amendments will shape its final impact on the education system in England.

SSS Learning

24 March 2025