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Children and Young Persons Bill [HL]

My Lords, I support these amendments. We have heard all the facts and figures and they are all horrendous. As my noble friend Lord Ramsbotham has just said, they are far worse for those who end up in prison than for those in care. I am impressed by the range of bodies—the Local Government Association, the NSPCC, a whole range of children’s bodies and the associate directors of children’s services—that are all coming to the same conclusion. As the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp, has just said, the physical, mental and emotional needs of these children are not just not identified, they are not being met. It is clearly time that rather more attention was paid to this side of things. I congratulate my noble friend Lady Meacher on her amendments, and wholly support them.