This post builds on previous correspondence we have had with Equity in Education [EiE] concerning the “Child Friendly Versions” [CFV] of the “Children missing education database” consultation which was held earlier this year. Relevant posts are from 8 April and 13 June.
We received a reply from EIE on 9 July, which reads as follows:
Dear Families First in Education
In your letter of 13th June, you requested the following additional information in relation to the children missing education database consultation:
1) a full list of all organisations in the above “networks” whom were asked to support EiE with “reaching children and young people”
2) the dates on which each of them was approached
3) the number of responses received via each partner organisation.
This information is included in the table below. This has also been provided in response to your separate freedom of information request.
Organisation Number of responses Date approached Children’s Commissioner for Wales 0 15/02/2024 Children in Wales 14 28/02/2024 Local authorities 52 06/03/2024 Kind regards
Equity in Education
A printed PDF copy of the original email is available.
Whilst the above information is helpful, it also raised further questions. In particular these concerned Local Authorities’ participation in this exercise, and also additional responses received from children and young people.
Yesterday therefore we wrote to EiE, with a copy to the current Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle MS, requesting further information about the conduct of this aspect of the recent CME databases consultation and the responses received from young people.
Here are the key points from our letter:
A) Local Authorities, further breakdown –
- We requested the dates on which each organisation was ‘approached,’ but this may differ from the date on which they were asked to circulate the materials to their contacts – so please provide in respect to the principal councils*, the date on which they were each provided with copies of the children’s and young people’s document, and the date on which each was asked to circulate them if the two dates differ.
- A list of each of the unitary authorities through which responses were received;
- The number of responses received through each of those local authorities.
B) Responses from young people –
- The number of responses which could be identified as being submitted by children and young people which are not included in the 66 identified in your response;
- The number of these additional responses which directly answered the questions set out in the documents prepared by your department;
- The number of responses, out of the 52 collected by the principal councils, submitted at the roundtable events organised by your department in conjunction with local authorities.
Our full letter is also available as PDF.
As with previous correspondence with Equity in Education, we will provide an update in the future on any reply we receive.
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