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Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

My Lords, I rise to move Amendment 278A, and I can be brief. Clause 188 inserts a new Section 9A into the Children Act 2004 in relation to setting targets for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. My intention is to make the first determination of these targets a matter for the affirmative resolution of Parliament to allow them to be properly debated, not just nodded through. This is a vitally serious matter in which many Members of Parliament take an interest since we still have far too many neglected and abused children in this country, as well as far too many needless child deaths. The Children Act 2004 contains a provision for a first set of regulations to be subject to affirmative resolution: the sunset provision on private fostering. My amendment is very simple; it refers to that provision and relates it to the first determination of the safeguarding targets. I beg to move.