---

Childcare Bill

My Lords, perhaps inadvertently, I acted in a John the Baptist role to the amendment, because I asked the Minister about extra help that could be given to grandparents. Although I support the view in the amendment, I am especially concerned that those grandparents or other relatives who could be of tremendous help in keeping children within a family setting, which everyone wants, have access to other forms of help to enable them to do the job. For example, for someone who was getting lame, arrangements could be made for the children to be picked up, taken to school and brought back. I am not suggesting that that should necessarily be a huge charge on the local authority. That might be in combination with the activity of volunteers and so on. From all that I have heard from parents and others concerned, such practical help would enable many more relatives to take the active part that we all think would be better for the family unit than to have foster care, however good. I very much hope that that will be taken into account.