Vulnerable children: Sir Kevan Collins, ex-education recovery tsar, speaks to Lords committee

Sir Kevan Collins, former Education Recovery Commissioner who resigned after the government announced catch-up funding one tenth the amount he recommended, will give evidence to the House of Lords Public Services Committee (@LordsPublicSCom) this week (Wednesday 14 July at 3.00 p.m.) as it continues its inquiry into vulnerable children and public services.

The committee will ask Sir Kevan about support for vulnerable children in the education system. Likely questions include:

• Based on your recent experience of attempting to secure a recovery package for schools, what prevents government from investing significant sums in children’s long-term life chances?
• How much of your funding package did you recommend should be invested in the early years, what outcomes were you hoping would be achieved, and how did you involve the Department of Health and Social Care to ensure a joined-up strategy?
• Did the Education Recovery Commission produce an estimate of the post-pandemic mental health needs of school children and are government plans sufficient to address the current level of demand?

The committee will hear also about local prevention and collaboration from (at 4.00 p.m.):

• Saleem Tariq OBE, Director of Children’s Services, Leeds City Council
• Andy Couldrick, Chief Executive, Birmingham Children’s Trust
• Jane Powell, Associate Director of Nursing: Head of Safeguarding, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust