Children and Young Persons Bill [HL]

I had not intended to speak on these amendments, but the mention of washing machines on two occasions by my noble friends reminds me that many years ago, in the 1980s and onwards, I was part of a charity called ““The Knights’ SUN Fund””, the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor Special Unmet Needs Fund. I remember literally hundreds of letters coming to us—and I imagine that that continues to this day—from social workers saying that urine-soaked blankets, sheets and so on were incapable of being washed because of the lack of a washing machine. I suspect that, in practical terms, for many struggling parents—particularly single parents; young mothers, in the case of quite a number of children— the inadequacy of the practical support they can get from local social services means that it is still extremely difficult to obtain that support. I am sure we will accept the spirit of the amendments, but something should be put in saying that the family should receive support early on for the more practical problems that arise in enabling the family to stay together.