Clause 9
Children and Young Persons Bill [Lords]
5:15 pm
Beverley Hughes (Minister of State (Children, Young People and Families; Minister for the North West), Department for Children, Schools and Families; Stretford and Urmston, Labour)
We are all aware of the importance that looked-after children place on their relationships with their brothers and sisters and the importance of those relationships for their well-being and progress, and in that regard we are all coming from the same point of view. These are the relationships that, for most children, endure throughout childhood and beyond and can provide that much needed stability and emotional support that we are seeking in a child’s life, so I share the sentiments behind amendments Nos. 7 and 8, which relate to the placing of siblings together.
With regard to amendment No. 7, I have simply been advised that section 6 of the Interpretation Act 1978, which applies to all other legislation, makes it clear that in any piece of legislation,
“unless the contrary intention appeals,...words in the singular include the plural”,
and vice versa. I did not know that before today, but think that it deals with amendment No. 7, for absolute clarity.
Amendment No. 8 relates to the placement of siblings together. For looked-after children it can be all too easy for relationships with siblings to be lost by being placed separately, either because the different needs and circumstances of individual family members might lead them along different paths in care or because there are too many children to accommodate, at least initially, in one foster family. We are extremely concerned to ensure that children are placed with their siblings wherever possible and where consistent with the welfare of each child. We expect those placements to be maintained as long as they remain suitable, in accordance with the overarching responsibilities of the local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of children for whom they are providing that type of accommodation.
Furthermore, the Bill places an expectation on local authorities to ensure that there is sufficient accommodation of a suitable type across the range of accommodation needs. When we draw up the guidance on how local authorities should fulfil that sufficiency duty and develop their commissioning strategies, we will include references to the possible need to accommodate sibling groups.