Children and Young Persons Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee at 11:45 am on 24 June 2008.
Kevin Brennan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Children, Schools and Families) (Children, Young People and Families)
Very briefly, clause 5 provides that the local authority power to contract with providers of social work services, under clause 1, is a social services function for the purposes of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970. That means that the Secretary of State can issue guidance and directions to the local authority about the use of the power. That is important, because the social work practice model is as yet untested, and we will need to put in place mechanisms to ensure effective operation. For example, we are likely to issue guidance on what must be done prior to a contract to verify the quality of the provider, what the contract must include and which children will benefit most from the social work practice approach.
