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Children and Young Persons Bill [HL]

My noble friend Lady Sharp and I have added our names to the amendment, which was proposed to us by not one children’s organisation but six, ranging from organisations of young people themselves through to campaigning organisations working on their behalf—the British Youth Council, the Children’s Rights Alliance for England, the National Children’s Bureau, the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services, Save the Children and the National Youth Agency. We listened to them because, between them, they have enormous expertise in helping children and, especially in the case of the British Youth Council, of knowing exactly what young people want. In the amendment, we are trying to enshrine best practice in legislation. To me, it would seem to be best practice to note the child’s wishes and feelings when having significant conferences with them. It is quite clear that case notes of that sort might have helped to avoid the missed signs and the drift that happened in the cases of Maria Colwell and Victoria Climbié, which the noble Baroness, Lady Howe, mentioned. It really is best practice to note these things. You cannot misinterpret or misremember something if it is written down clearly at the time. That is the important thing; it has to be done at the time.