Children and Social Work Bill returns to the Lords

The Children and Social Work Bill returned to the House of Lords on Tuesday 4 April for consideration of Commons amendments in 'ping pong'.

Members of the Lords considered Commons amendments on several subjects including placing children in secure accommodation elsewhere in Great Britain, relationship and sex education and ensuring adequate provision of social work training.

Both Houses have agreed on the text of the bill, which now waits for Royal Assent when it will become an Act of Parliament (law).

Lords third reading: Wednesday 23 November

Members of the Lords discussed subjects including assessment and promotion of physical and mental health and emotional well-being.

Lords report stage day two: Tuesday 8 November

Members discussed counselling for parents and guardians, safeguarding for unaccompanied refugee children and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

There were two divisions (votes) in the chamber.

The first division was on an amendment to leave out a section giving local authorities exemptions or modifications to children’s social care legislation enabling them to test new ways of working. 245 voted for, and 213 against, so the change was made.

The second vote was on an amendment to insert a new section of the bill on safeguarding unaccompanied refugee children. 68 voted for and 203 against, so this change was not made.

Lords report stage day one: Tuesday 18 October

Members of the Lords discussed the promotion of physical and mental health, the responsibility of care staff for a child's well-being and universal credit for care leavers.

There was one division (vote) on a proposed change to the bill.

Peers discussed proposals for a ‘national offer’ of assistance to care leavers. The amendment went to a vote, where 179 members voted for and 187 voted against. The change was not made. (The tellers for the against side reported 188 votes, while the clerks recorded 187 names).

Lords committee stage day five: Wednesday 13 July

Lords committee stage day four: Monday 11 July

Lords committee stage day three: Wednesday 6 July

Lords committee stage day two: Monday 4 July

Lords committee stage day one: Wednesday 29 June

Lords second reading: Tuesday 14 June

Children and Social Work Bill summary

The bill aims to:

improve support for looked after children in England and Wales.
enable better learning about effective approaches to child protection and care in England.
establish a new regulatory regime for the social work profession in England.