My MP Abtisam Mohamed has tabled a number of amendments for Report stage of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. [LINK via this page] The debate will take place in the House of Commons on Monday March 17 and Tuesday March 18. See also https://edyourself.org/amendments-for-wellbeing-bill-2/
Members of Parliament can add their names to an amendment, see this link https://guidetoprocedure.parliament.uk/articles/jsaXD4Cr/how-to-add-a-name-to-an-amendment
USE THIS LINK TO FIND AND CONTACT YOUR MP https://www.writetothem.com/
MPs who haven’t signed the amendment can still speak at Report; they don’t have to put their names on a list, they just have to try and catch the Speaker’s eye, according to this link.
My main page on the Bill is here https://edyourself.org/childrens-wellbeing-schools-bill/
Lone Parents
The Wellbeing Bill as currently drafted will have a disproportionate impact on lone parents required to supply details of the former partner or risk the school attendance order process.
Amendments 5-7 are about registration and would make it no longer compulsory to provide the second parent’s name (if not relevant to the child’s education)
Amendments 8-12 are about the school attendance order process and would remove the use of school attendance orders for what is called “Conditions C or D” where a parent is unable or unwilling to provide information for the register.
Abtisam Mohamed Amendment 5
★. Clause 26, page 49, line 40, leave out “each” and insert “the”
Member’s explanatory statement
This amendment would remove the obligation on parents to provide information on the second parent.
Abtisam Mohamed Amendment 6
★. Clause 26, page 49, line 41, leave out “each” and insert “any” See explanatory statement for Amendment 5
Abtisam Mohamed Amendment 7
★. Clause 26, page 50, line 2, leave out “each parent of the child” and insert “a parent” See explanatory statement for Amendment 5
Showing How The Bill Would Change 1
Page 49
436C Content and maintenance of registers
(1) A register under section 436B must contain the following information
in respect of a child registered in it—
(a) the child’s name, date of birth and home address,
(b) the name and home address of each the parent of the child, ★5
(c) the name of each any parent who is providing education to that ★6
child
Page 50
(d) the amount of time that the child spends receiving education
from each parent of the child, a parent ★7
Abtisam Mohamed Amendment 8
★. Clause 27, page 58, leave out lines 22 to 24
Member’s explanatory statement
This amendment, along with Amendments 9, 10, 11 and 12, would mean that preliminary notices
would not be served on a child’s parent for not providing certain information.
Abtisam Mohamed Amendment 9
★. Clause 27, page 58, lines 27, leave out “, C or D”
This amendment is related to Amendment 8.
Abtisam Mohamed Amendment 10
★. Clause 27, page 59, leave out lines 9 to 22
This amendment is related to Amendment 8.
Abtisam Mohamed Amendment 11
★. Clause 27, page 59, line 24, leave out “to D” and insert “or B”
This amendment is related to Amendment 8.
Abtisam Mohamed Amendment 12
★. Clause 27, page 59, line 41, leave out “, C or D”
This amendment is related to Amendment 8
Showing How The Bill Would Change 2
Page 58
436H Preliminary notice for school attendance order(2) A local authority in England may serve a preliminary notice on a ★8
child’s parent if it appears to the authority that either condition C or
condition D is met.
(3) A “preliminary notice” means a notice requiring the child’s parent on
whom the notice is served to satisfy the local authority that—
(a) the child is receiving suitable education, where condition A, C is relied on to serve the notice; ★9
or D
Page 59(6) Condition C is that ★10
(a) the child is eligible to be registered by the local authority under
section 436B,
(b) the authority has asked the child’s parent for information under
section 436D(1), and
(c) the child’s parent has not provided that information before the
end of the relevant period (as defined in section 436D(4)(a)),
or has provided incorrect information.
(7) Condition D is that the child’s parent is under a duty to provide
information to the local authority under section 436D(2) in relation to
the child and
(a) has not provided the information before the end of the relevant
period (as defined in section 436D(4)), or
(b) has provided incorrect information.
(8) A preliminary notice must—
(a) state which of conditions A to D or B are relied on to serve the ★11
notice
436I School attendance orders
(1) A local authority in England must serve an order under this section
on a child’s parent if—
(a) the authority has served a preliminary notice on the child’s
parent under section 436H,
(b) the child’s parent fails to satisfy the local authority, within the
period specified in the notice, that—
(i) the child is receiving suitable education, in a case where
condition A, C or D is cited in the notice ★12