My Rt Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities (Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP) has made the following statement:

Victoria Marten’s death was tragic and the direct result of the actions of her parents, who are now serving sentences for her negligent manslaughter. Victoria’s...

My Rt Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities (Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP) has made the following statement:

Victoria Marten’s death was tragic and the direct result of the actions of her parents, who are now serving sentences for her negligent manslaughter. Victoria’s...

My Rt Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities (Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP) has made the following statement:

The government has today published its formal response to the consultation on proposals to establish a Child Protection Authority (CPA) in England. This marks an...

My Rt Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities (Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP) has made the following statement:

The government has today published its formal response to the consultation on proposals to establish a Child Protection Authority (CPA) in England. This marks an...

My Lords, we welcome the evidence in this report, in particular the inclusion of the voices of children and young people. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act is a key step towards delivering the Government’s mission to break the link between young people’s background and their future success, and will deliver new measures to support children’s behaviour, well-being and protection. This sits alongside earlier support for children and families through our £2.4 billion families first partnership programme and our Best Start Family Hubs.

My Lords, we welcome the evidence in this report, in particular the inclusion of the voices of children and young people. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act is a key step towards delivering the Government’s mission to break the link between young people’s background and their future success, and will deliver new measures to support children’s behaviour, well-being and protection. This sits alongside earlier support for children and families through our £2.4 billion families first partnership programme and our Best Start Family Hubs.

The UCL research is interesting. I note that UCL itself says that the analysis does not necessarily prove causality, although it does demonstrate correlation. The action that this Government are taking is not a small step, including as it does the reform of the children’s social care system and considerable investment in the Best Start Family Hubs programme to support children and parents with some of the difficult decisions and issues that any of us who have parented know that we will face. That strikes me as being a quite important development, very well invested in, in this country.

The UCL research is interesting. I note that UCL itself says that the analysis does not necessarily prove causality, although it does demonstrate correlation. The action that this Government are taking is not a small step, including as it does the reform of the children’s social care system and considerable investment in the Best Start Family Hubs programme to support children and parents with some of the difficult decisions and issues that any of us who have parented know that we will face. That strikes me as being a quite important development, very well invested in, in this country.

The point I am trying to make is that, even if you look at the evidence in Scotland and Wales, I am not sure that changes to the specifics of the law around reasonable punishment are the most important and effective way to protect children and to support parents in not resorting to physical punishment of their children. The steps that this Government are taking are more profound and more effective than a change in the law would be.

The point I am trying to make is that, even if you look at the evidence in Scotland and Wales, I am not sure that changes to the specifics of the law around reasonable punishment are the most important and effective way to protect children and to support parents in not resorting to physical punishment of their children. The steps that this Government are taking are more profound and more effective than a change in the law would be.

The law in this country gives the strong message that it is wrong to assault a child. The clear advice from government is that it is wrong to use physical punishment against a child. What is more, we are providing the support necessary to help parents to address that. We are investing in the capacity of social care to be able to identify where neglect and abuse has happened in families. We are investing in earlier intervention through the families first partnership programme. The question is whether the appropriate thing to do at this moment is to focus on changing the law. That is not our priority.

The law in this country gives the strong message that it is wrong to assault a child. The clear advice from government is that it is wrong to use physical punishment against a child. What is more, we are providing the support necessary to help parents to address that. We are investing in the capacity of social care to be able to identify where neglect and abuse has happened in families. We are investing in earlier intervention through the families first partnership programme. The question is whether the appropriate thing to do at this moment is to focus on changing the law. That is not our priority.

We have looked, for example, at the Welsh report on the implementation of the abolition of the defence of reasonable punishment in Wales. As I said, the report is on the implementation of the law rather than the outcomes achieved by it. It highlights the importance of professional confidence, inter-agency collaboration and widely available parenting support. As I have already identified, those are all things in which we are investing considerable amounts of money in England and where we have taken action through legislation to transform the social care system so as to prioritise them.

We have looked, for example, at the Welsh report on the implementation of the abolition of the defence of reasonable punishment in Wales. As I said, the report is on the implementation of the law rather than the outcomes achieved by it. It highlights the importance of professional confidence, inter-agency collaboration and widely available parenting support. As I have already identified, those are all things in which we are investing considerable amounts of money in England and where we have taken action through legislation to transform the social care system so as to prioritise them.

The noble Baroness is right to draw attention to that terrible case, and to the requirement, whenever we are faced with tragedies such as that, to learn the right lessons about how we need to reform the system. On her particular point about workers, one of the ways that we improve the way in which social workers and others, whether agency or otherwise, work is to increase their capacity, to focus them, as we are doing, on neglect and abuse, and to improve their training. We will continue to do that while, of course, learning the lessons from tragedies such as the one that she has identified today.

The noble Baroness is right to draw attention to that terrible case, and to the requirement, whenever we are faced with tragedies such as that, to learn the right lessons about how we need to reform the system. On her particular point about workers, one of the ways that we improve the way in which social workers and others, whether agency or otherwise, work is to increase their capacity, to focus them, as we are doing, on neglect and abuse, and to improve their training. We will continue to do that while, of course, learning the lessons from tragedies such as the one that she has identified today.

My noble friend is right that it is, as I have emphasised, already illegal to assault a child. He is also right to identify what we can most effectively do to prevent parents feeling that they need to resort to smacking in order to discipline or control their children. The £900 million that we are investing in the Best Start in Life centres, for example, is being used to develop parenting education on behaviour management. How do you set appropriate boundaries? What type of methods should you and could you use to discipline your children? That feels like a more constructive and wide-ranging response than a change in the law at this point.

My noble friend is right that it is, as I have emphasised, already illegal to assault a child. He is also right to identify what we can most effectively do to prevent parents feeling that they need to resort to smacking in order to discipline or control their children. The £900 million that we are investing in the Best Start in Life centres, for example, is being used to develop parenting education on behaviour management. How do you set appropriate boundaries? What type of methods should you and could you use to discipline your children? That feels like a more constructive and wide-ranging response than a change in the law at this point.

One of the important points about the legislation that we have just taken through this House is a stronger duty to report abuse and to share information. We must continue to support and train all professional staff who work with children to understand their responsibilities to both recognise and report abuse when they see it.

One of the important points about the legislation that we have just taken through this House is a stronger duty to report abuse and to share information. We must continue to support and train all professional staff who work with children to understand their responsibilities to both recognise and report abuse when they see it.

As I have already said, we have looked carefully at the first report into the implementation of the changes in Wales. I think

I said that we looked at the conclusions, particularly around the need for professional confidence, inter-agency collaboration and a wider availability of parenting support. Those are exactly the provisions that we are putting in place, through investment and through the legislation that has just gone through this House.

As I have already said, we have looked carefully at the first report into the implementation of the changes in Wales. I think

I said that we looked at the conclusions, particularly around the need for professional confidence, inter-agency collaboration and a wider availability of parenting support. Those are exactly the provisions that we are putting in place, through investment and through the legislation that has just gone through this House.

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the University College London report Physical punishment and child outcomes in the UK, published on 10 June, particularly its findings about the effect that hitting children has on their behaviour and wellbeing.

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the University College London report Physical punishment and child outcomes in the UK, published on 10 June, particularly its findings about the effect that hitting children has on their behaviour and wellbeing.

My Hon Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Children and Families) (Josh MacAlister) has made the following statement:

Transforming children’s social care is central to this government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity for all children. It is fundamental to ensuring that every child grows up safe, supported...

My Hon Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Children and Families) (Josh MacAlister) has made the following statement:

Transforming children’s social care is central to this government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity for all children. It is fundamental to ensuring that every child grows up safe, supported...

My Lords, in moving Motion A, I will also speak to Motion A1. On this group, we will debate amendments made in this House and in the other place relating to restrictions on social media use for children. Once again, before getting into the detail of these Motions and amendments,...

My Lords, in moving Motion A, I will also speak to Motion A1. On this group, we will debate amendments made in this House and in the other place relating to restrictions on social media use for children. Once again, before getting into the detail of these Motions and amendments,...

Lords consideration of Commons amendments. Lords amendments 38V to 38X to Commons amendment 38J not insisted on, Commons amendments 38Z12 to 38Z21 in lieu agreed to and Lords amendment 38Z22 to Commons amendment 38Z17, Lords amendment 38Z23 to Commons amendment 38Z18, Lords amendment 38Z24 to Commons amendment 38Z20, and Lords amendment 38Z25 to Commons amendment 38Z21 disagreed to on division (91 to 181).

Lords consideration of Commons amendments. Lords amendments 38V to 38X to Commons amendment 38J not insisted on, Commons amendments 38Z12 to 38Z21 in lieu agreed to and Lords amendment 38Z22 to Commons amendment 38Z17, Lords amendment 38Z23 to Commons amendment 38Z18, Lords amendment 38Z24 to Commons amendment 38Z20, and Lords...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern

My Lords, I am grateful to all noble Lords who have contributed to this debate today and during the whole of the Bill’s passage. First, on the specifics, as I set out earlier, the Government hope that today we are able to reach an agreement on the Government’s Motion; it...

My Lords, I am grateful to all noble Lords who have contributed to this debate today and during the whole of the Bill’s passage. First, on the specifics, as I set out earlier, the Government hope that today we are able to reach an agreement on the Government’s Motion; it...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern

My Lords, in moving Motion A, I will also speak to Motions A1, A2, B, C and C1. With this group, we are debating amendments made in this House and the other place relating to a social media ban for under-16s, mobile phones in schools, and school admissions. Before getting...

My Lords, in moving Motion A, I will also speak to Motions A1, A2, B, C and C1. With this group, we are debating amendments made in this House and the other place relating to a social media ban for under-16s, mobile phones in schools, and school admissions. Before getting...

Lords consideration of Commons reasons and amendments. Lords amendments 38V to 38X to Commons amendment 38J insisted on on division (316 to 165). Lords amendment 102 not insisted on and Commons amendments 102J to 102M in lieu agreed to. Lords amendment 106 not insisted on and Commons amendments 106G to 106J in lieu agreed to. Bill returned to the Commons with a reason.

Lords consideration of Commons reasons and amendments. Lords amendments 38V to 38X to Commons amendment 38J insisted on on division (316 to 165). Lords amendment 102 not insisted on and Commons amendments 102J to 102M in lieu agreed to. Lords amendment 106 not insisted on and Commons amendments 106G to...