Sarah Sackman corrected a written answer on Ministry of Justice: Foster Care

27 January 2025 · Commons written answer · Ministry of Justice

Josh MacAlister (Labour, Whitehaven and Workington) asked written question 24290 on 15 January 2025. Sarah Sackman answered on 23 January 2025 for the Ministry of Justice, and Sarah Sackman corrected the answer on 27 January 2025. The corrected text no longer gives the figures 279, 317, 340, 352, 423. Altogether 388 words differ between the two versions.

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether (a) her Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies offers employees who are foster carers (i) flexible working, (ii) paid time off for (A) training and (B) settling a new child into their home and (iii) other support.

Original and corrected answer

Struck through: original only. Bold: correction only.

Original	Corrected
The table below shows the average time for decisions to be made on applications* for criminal injuries compensation by people resident in Warrington*. Calendar Year \| Average time (days) 2020 \| 279 2021 \| 423 2022 \| 340 2023 \| ~~352~~ ~~2024~~ ~~\| 317~~ The table does not include archived bereavement applications because the ~~address~~ of the ~~applicant~~ is ~~not retained. In most cases, applications are archived three years after~~ the case has been closed. **The above table includes all awards where the applicant named Warrington as the town in their home address in their application. Over the last three years, we have seen continued growth in people coming forward to ~~claim compensation. To help meet this rising demand and to boost our capacity to assess claims, we~~ continue to ~~uplift staff numbers in line with funding. We are working~~ to ~~identify efficiencies in~~ the way we work led by an in-house continuous improvement team. We have sponsored work to explore and implement helpful case management system changes and the potential for ~~Artificial Intelligence applications to deliver further efficiencies by assisting our claims officers as they identify key information relevant to the assessment process.~~	\| \| \| \| \| \| Employees have a statutory right to request flexible working which applies from the first day of employment. Employees can make two statutory requests for flexible working in any 12-month period. This will include requests to support employees who undertake foster caring outside of their employment. In addition, foster carers may apply for flexible working when settling a new child into their home. We do not have a policy which explicitly covers paid time off for foster carers for (A) training and/or (B) settling a new child into their home. Employees are able to take annual and flexi leave as required and request flexible working. In the Ministry of Justice, special leave may be granted to foster carers who need time off work to attend to their caring responsibilities. It may be planned or unplanned, and paid or unpaid. Employees may request special leave for several reasons including: to undertake an assessment process to gain approval that they are suitable to foster; to take time off when the child is first placed with them settle the child ensure appropriate childcare arrangements can be put in place to allow the employee to continue to work; and to take emergency leave to care for dependants. At the discretion of a manager, special leave without pay may be granted for other personal reasons not mentioned above.

Original

Corrected

The table below shows the average time for decisions to be made on applications* for criminal injuries compensation by people resident in Warrington**.
Calendar Year
| Average time (days)
2020
| 279
2021
| 423
2022
| 340
2023
| ~~352~~
~~2024~~
~~| 317~~
*The table does not include archived bereavement applications because the ~~address~~ of the ~~applicant~~ is ~~not retained. In most cases, applications are archived three years after~~ the case has been closed.
**The above table includes all awards where the applicant named Warrington as the town in their home address in their application.
Over the last three years, we have seen continued growth in people coming forward to ~~claim compensation. To help meet this rising demand and to boost our capacity to assess claims, we~~ continue to ~~uplift staff numbers in line with funding. We are working~~ to ~~identify efficiencies in~~ the way we work led by an in-house continuous improvement team.
We have sponsored work to explore and implement helpful case management system changes and the potential for ~~Artificial Intelligence applications to deliver further efficiencies by assisting our claims officers as they identify key information relevant to the assessment process.~~

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Employees have a statutory right to request flexible working which applies from the first day of employment. Employees can make two statutory requests for flexible working in any 12-month period. This will include requests to support employees who undertake foster caring outside of their employment. In addition, foster carers may apply for flexible working when settling a new child into their home.
We do not have a policy which explicitly covers paid time off for foster carers for (A) training and/or (B) settling a new child into their home. Employees are able to take annual and flexi leave as required and request flexible working.
In the Ministry of Justice, special leave may be granted to foster carers who need time off work to attend to their caring responsibilities. It may be planned or unplanned, and paid or unpaid. Employees may request special leave for several reasons including:
to undertake an assessment process to gain approval that they are suitable to foster;
to take time off when the child is first placed with them settle the child ensure appropriate childcare arrangements can be put in place to allow the employee to continue to work; and
to take emergency leave to care for dependants.
At the discretion of a manager, special leave without pay may be granted for other personal reasons not mentioned above.

The question and answer on the Parliament website.

Receipt

Read from	https://questions-statements-api.parliament.uk/api/writtenquestions/questions/1755735?expandMember=true
Date read	15 October 2026
SHA-256	`5563af8cf5f734f54a2a1fa10028e689cb96f2bd6d0cfc68049585527812786b`