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Children and Young Persons Bill [HL]

As I said at Second Reading, it is vital for children and young people to know their social worker and to have a real relationship that develops over time. If this new model of social work practices can go some way to providing that, we welcome it, although we think that the pilot should run for a sufficient length of time and in a diverse range of local authorities. Like many Members of the Committee, I received a pamphlet from Chris Waterman, director of the Institute for Research in Integrated Strategies, entitled ““Motivation in agency and social work practices: Of halos and horns, paupers and princes””. It was a labour of love, as it was, I understand, written over the Christmas holidays. Like the noble Earl, Lord Listowel, and the noble Baroness, Lady Walmsley, it raises genuine concerns. For those of us who would like to see these social work practices work, it is important that the Government address those concerns.