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Children and Young Persons Bill [HL]

I shall detain the Committee for literally half a minute. The point has been made many times over, both today and on the previous occasion last week, that there must be cohesion and comprehensiveness in the services provided by a local authority for all children. Indeed, that is true also of agencies outside the local authority. It is the very failure of that cohesion in this field that amply justifies the amendment. The Minister may say that this is catered for in A, B, C, D and other different ways, but if no such amendment is passed there is a very real danger that the present highly unsatisfactory situation will meander on in the same way. The psychological impact of the amendment would be very considerable. In the vast majority of cases one would be dealing with a care order situation, and before you can make a care order under Section 31 it is necessary to show that the child is suffering harm or is likely to suffer harm. Harm includes health, and health under Section 31 includes mental as well as physical health. So it is utterly specific, utterly central and very near to the heart, core and kernel of a high percentage of the cases with which we are dealing.