Children and Young Persons Bill [HL]

Speaking as a complete layman in these matters, I support the anxieties that have been expressed about these first six clauses. I therefore invite the Minister to reflect on issues such as the following. First, to what extent is the turnover of social workers responsible for at least some of the breakdowns in foster placements, especially in London and other high-cost areas? When I talk about high-cost areas, I particularly mean areas which have high housing costs. Secondly, will the current turnover of social workers be improved by contracting out? Is there any evidence to show that it really will be? Thirdly, to what extent will the proposed pilots be representative of conditions across the whole of the country and, indeed, across Wales, so that sound conclusions are capable of being drawn from the experience of the pilots? Then, thinking about things from the point of view of voluntary organisations providing children’s services, will the proposed contracts be sufficiently long term so that voluntary organisations can plan their personnel, resources and finances? Those are rather important considerations.