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Children and Young Persons Bill [HL]

I supported the amendment in Grand Committee, although I can understand why the Minister was reluctant to have one solution to cover all children. The last thing that any of us would want is the state intervening where it is not needed and probably not wanted, especially in family life. The amendment allows for this. As I said in Grand Committee, it does not impose a prescriptive shackle, because where a child has contact with their family the local authority is under no obligation to consider the young person as looked after. As we are talking about the welfare of some of our most defenceless children and young people, who are often hundreds of miles from their families, as the noble Lord, Lord Rix, said, and given the strength of feeling in the Committee, I hope that the Minister will have another look at the amendment, which simply seeks to give such children the appropriate support and protection.