HC Deb 08 January 2004 vol 416 cc475-6W
Mr. Forth

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 4 December,Official Report, column 194W, on truancy, if he will list the programmes within the Behaviour Improvement Programme 2002 to 2004; and what the (a) purpose and (b) cost of each was. [R] [144138]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

The Behaviour Improvement Programme funds a range of measures to improve behaviour, reduce exclusions, provide full-time education for excluded pupils, reduce truancy, improve attendance and provide key workers for children at risk of exclusion, truancy and crime. Different measures are adopted by local education authorities and Excellence in Cities partnerships to reflect local priorities. They typically include: Behaviour and Education Support Teams, which bring together education, health and social care professionals to provide multi-agency support for pupils with serious behaviour problems, their families and their schools; expanded Learning Support Units, which provide in-school education for disruptive pupils outside mainstream classes; additional Learning Mentors, who provide support for individual pupils with behaviour and attendance problems; additional time for senior school staff to focus on behaviour and attendance issues; electronic registration systems for schools; enhanced Pupil Referral Units and other forms of alternative provision for excluded pupils; additional services on school sites to increase community involvement; and support for parents of disaffected or excluded pupils.

Each BIP LEA is receiving about £1.4 million in 2003–04 and will receive a similar level of funding in 2004–05.