Children and Young Persons Bill

Briefing for the third reading

The Children and Young Persons Bill had its Report stage and Third Reading in the House of Commons on Wednesday 8 October. (The report stage offers the opportunity for further amendments and the third reading is the final chance for debate.) The Fostering Network has been campaigning on the registration of foster carers and also on the issue of children staying with their foster carers until the age of 21. We have prepared an updated general briefing on the Bill, and have also updated the briefing on the registration of foster carers.

The Fostering Network lobby of Parliament for the second reading of the Children and Young Persons Bill, 16 June 2008

A packed Committee Room at the House of Commons heard speeches from Kevin Brennan, the Minister for Children, Young People and Families, David Kidney, Labour MP for Stafford and Chair of the All-Party Looked After Children and Care Leavers Group, Annette Brooke, Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and Poole North and Chair of the All-Party Adoption and Fostering Group, and Tim Loughton, Conservative MP for East Worthing and Shoreham and Shadow Minister for Children.

You can read the Second Reading debate in Hansard.

The Bill has now been through its Committee stage (detailed discussion) on from Tuesday 24 June to Thursday 3 July. You can read the proceedings. The report stage (an opportunity for further amendments) and the third reading (the final chance for debate in the Commons before the Bill returns to the Lords) will take place on 8 October.

The Second Reading has happened a lot sooner than anticipated and we are busy preparing briefings for MPs who will support the amendments we are seeking. We are hoping you can help with examples from your experience (either your own or other foster carers) that can be used to illustrate the points we are making. Examples do not need to be identified by name.

The key points are:

• Allegations against foster carers

  We are seeking an amendment that will secure the payment of fees for foster carers who are effectively suspended until there is a determination (either they return to work as a foster carer or their approval is terminated) we are seeking to emphasise that at present foster carers are effectively suspected without pay, that the process takes far too long, and that independent support is very variable and not always available.

  We are looking for examples of situations that help make the argument - they might be examples of situations that make one of our points well - each example does not have to make all three.

• Delegated responsibility

  We have MPs who support the principle that we must delegate more to foster carers (thanks to all of your hard work lobbying these MPs!) - again good examples of some of current difficulties - decisions that really could be delegated and the consequence for the foster carer and the child having to get LA approval.

  Please respond as quickly as possible. If you don't have time to email some points we are happy to talk to you on the phone (020 7620 8406) and take down the details. All details can be anonymised.

There are other things you can do to influence the final shape of the Bill.

• Briefing for the second reading of the Bill

Write to your MP

If you couldn't get to the lobby (or if you did but didn't manage to see your MP, you can still write to them. You can use our template letter for foster carers as a basis.

If you do hear from your MP or visit a surgery to talk to them, use our lobbying sheet as a prompt and to record their replies.

Write to your local paper about the lobby

Members can use a template letter to let their local paper about the lobby and urge their M.P. to support the amendment to the Bill that will enable young people to stay on with their foster carers until 21, if this is what the young person wants and needs.

What was the lobby for?

The aim of the lobby was to give foster carers and young people the opportunity to make their voice heard by politicians and help influence the debate on the vitally important Children and Young Persons Bill. Most MPs have never had any contact with foster carers and have had little interaction with children in care. With this in mind it is crucial we use this opportunity to raise the profile of foster carers and the young people they look after push for improvements in the support they receive.

The key aim of the Fostering Network’s campaigning on the Children and Young Persons Bill is to ensure that young people can stay with their (former) foster carers from between 18 and 21. However we are also aiming for more support during allegations, the delegation of everyday responsibilities to foster carers and the ability for foster carers to register with the General Social Care Council.

Children and Young Persons Bill briefings

The Fostering Network and British Association of Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) have produced a joint briefing summarising the issues to be considered in the second reading of the Children and Young Persons Bill. Download the joint briefing.

The Fostering Network also produced a briefing for the House of Lords Committee in January.

The Fostering Network submission to the Children, Schools and Families select committee

The Fostering Network has prepared a paper on the Children and Young Persons Bill for submission for the Children, Schools and Families select committee as part of the ongoing campaign.

See also the uncorrected oral evidence given by Robert Tapsfield, Ian Sinclair and Kevin Williams to the Select Committee on 21 April 2008.

Members can also write to their MPs to sign our early day motion that calls for more support for young people in care making the move to adult life including the ability to stay with their former foster carers till 21.