Offender Management Bill

My Lords, I support the amendment. My noble friend Lord Listowel is absolutely right that these are the most vulnerable children. They may have committed some pretty heinous offences. Equally, however, we know that their backgrounds were almost certainly a major contributory factor. Care Matters was a brilliant White Paper, and we very much hope that it will deal with most of these children’s needs. If my interpretation of it is right, it will apply at least as much to children who have ended up in prison, even though they were originally in care. The important thing is that the local authorities do not forget them—indeed, are not allowed to forget them—and see them as a continuing responsibility. Brilliant voluntary organisations such as Home-Start, and certainly the churches, which are involved in many activities such as mentoring and really befriending a child in this situation who has probably never really had a loving, caring parent, are absolutely essential. It is absolutely crucial that extra special attention is paid to seeing that there are proper arrangements for accommodation, training and jobs. May we be reassured that the children who have ended up in prison will be at the top of the list? For goodness’ sake, let us use the resources that we hope will be saved as the cycle of deprivation continues unless stopped, with children ending up yet again in prison, to prevent them going into care and entering prison in the first place. That is where it should all begin. I know that the Government have quite a strong intention in this regard.