Responding to the announcement of the new Children's Wellbeing
and Schools Bill, Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of
NASUWT – The Teachers' Union, said:
“This new legislation will mark a major step change in protecting
the rights of all children, which is warmly welcomed by the
NASUWT.
“When any child is left at risk of abuse and neglect, every child
is at risk. For too long, previous governments have failed to
protect the most vulnerable children. That situation has to
change.
“NASUWT has called for a new deal for children and young people
and today's legislation will be a step forward in delivering that
new deal.
“We welcome the commitments set out in the Children's Wellbeing
and Schools Bill to give all children the best start in life by
requiring all agencies to work together in the interests of
children and young people in their areas.
“The introduction of children's registers and a national unique
identifier number for children are also welcome, as are the
measures to give teachers a stronger voice in child protection
and safeguarding matters.
“NASUWT welcomes the commitments in the Bill to end the
presumption of the right of parents to home educate their
children. Too many children have been let down and left in
unsuitable and unsafe conditions. That has to change. The best
place for every child is to be in school.
“After more than a decade of chaos and fragmentation, we welcome
the commitments to strengthen the role of local councils in local
school place planning and school admissions.
“It is also right that measures are taken to end the programme of
forced academisation of schools which has, too often, let
children down at great financial cost to the taxpayer.
“We are pleased to see that many of the ambitions set out in
NASUWT's Teachers' Manifesto are now being taken forward by the
Government through this Bill.
“A national framework of pay and conditions across all
state-funded schools is essential in ensuring that every child
receives the high quality education to which they are entitled,
and it is to be welcomed that the Bill will also require teachers
to hold qualified teacher status and to have the same core pay
and conditions rights irrespective of where they work.
“The measures set out in this Bill have the potential to secure
the transformational change that will secure the right of every
child and young person to grow up in safety and security with the
best opportunities to live happy and rewarding lives.
“As the Bill progresses in Parliament, NASUWT will be seeking
assurances that the Government will be working closely with the
sector to ensure that the measures set out in the Bill are
delivered in practice.”
