That this House recognises the valuable role that social workers and all staff employed in the children's social care profession play in protecting and safeguarding vulnerable children; notes with concern that the Children and Social Work Bill contains a provision that would give Government Ministers the power to exempt local authorities from their statutory duties to children in social care; fears that exempting local authorities from these legal statutory duties would have a damaging effect on the wellbeing of children who are under the supervision of social workers and those children who are living in care homes or foster homes; further notes with concern that such proposals could result in the outsourcing of children's social care services to private companies; and strongly opposes any move that could lead to any exemption from legal statutory duties to children in social care or see the delivery of any aspect of children's social care, including the running of care homes, be passed into the hands of a private, profit-seeking entity.

That this House recognises the valuable role that social workers and all staff employed in the children's social care profession play in protecting and safeguarding vulnerable children; notes with concern that the Children and Social Work Bill contains a provision that would give Government Ministers the power to exempt local...