We now have confirmation from Kevin Brennan, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families, that he will be able to address the meeting in the afternoon (see below for details) and we would obviously like as many people there as possible. We would therefore like everyone to arrive by 1pm and make their way to Committee Room 9 on the Committee corridor. If you are only able to come in the morning, come and see us at St Stephen’s Tavern and we will see if we can help you locate your MP. It would be helpful if you could let us know whether you will in fact be doing this. Email tricia.sefa-attakora@fostering.net and let her know as soon as possible.
Venue
- 10am - 12 noon: We will be based upstairs at St Stephen’s Tavern, 10 Bridge Street, Whitehall SW1A 2JR (beside Westminster Underground Station)
- 1pm - 5pm: We will be based in Committee Room 9, first floor Committee Corridor, House of Commons.
Contact telephone numbers on the day
- Alex Hilton: 07985 384859
- Fiona Healey: 07918 684977
Practical arrangements
Firstly, it is important that you realise that you don’t have to be around for the whole day. You should come when it suits you and stay for as long or as short a period of time as you like. The most important thing is that you get to speak to your MP. So throughout the day, we will do what we can to facilitate this, by making appointments for you and helping you get to wherever they are in the House.
However, in order to make this easier, we would strongly recommend that you contact your MP now and let them know that you will be at the House of Commons on Monday 16 and will want to meet them.
You can contact your MP by telephoning the parliamentary switchboard on 020 7219 3000. If you’re not sure who your MP is, you can put your postcode into the website www.theyworkforyou.com - and it will tell you your MP’s name. You can also email your MP through this site. Explain simply why you want to see them, for example:
"I will be attending the Fostering Network's lobby of Parliament that coincides with the second reading of the Children and Young Persons Bill on Monday 16 June. As a foster carer in your constituency I would like the opportunity for a short meeting with you on this day to discuss my concerns about fostering and how this bill can be improved to provide better support for children and young people in care and the foster carers like me who look after them." Alternatively you can use the Fostering Network's template letter. Put your postal address on the letter or email so that they can see you are their constituent.
We will have briefing papers available that you will be able to use when talking with your MP, and there will be a meeting for those of you who are around from 2.30-3.30pm in Committee Room 9, with leading figures from the sector, MPs and - we hope - the Minister.
We will have a photographer available throughout the day to take photos of you with your MP for the Fostering Network’s press office and for other communications.
We will not be providing lunch, but there is no shortage of places to eat in the vicinity.
Entering the House of Commons
For those of you that are coming in the afternoon, you need to go to the main entrance of the House of Commons and tell security that you are coming for a lobby to see your MP. You will have your bags checked, and then should make your way to the Central Lobby. Fostering Network staff will be around and able to guide you to Committee Room 9. If you can’t see anyone in the Central Lobby who looks like they belong to the Fostering Network, or no-one approaches you, please do call one of the two contact numbers above. Security staff will be able to direct you to Committee Room 9 if you don’t see anyone from the Fostering Network.
Speakers
We are hoping that Kevin Brennan, Children’s Minister, will be coming to the Committee Room in the afternoon to meet with foster carers and to talk briefly about the Bill.
Visitors Gallery
The debate starts at 3.30, and the vote will probably be at 10.30pm. If you wish to go to the Visitors Gallery, you need to let us know so that we can arrange tickets for you.
Tell us if you're coming
To make this lobby a success we need to get as many attendees as possible, showing MPs that the needs of foster carers and children in care are to be taken seriously. Please contact Raina Sheridan on raina.sheridan@fostering.net or 0207 6206438.
We very much look forward to seeing you on the 16th!