Children and Young Persons Bill [HL]

It would be difficult to add anything to what my noble friend Lady Massey has just said. She has so much knowledge and experience that her argument has to be taken seriously. Perhaps in the absence of my noble friend Lady Thornton I might add a few words on Amendments Nos. 35 and 36, which are grouped with this amendment. When a child or young person leaves care and is reunited with their family, that can obviously be a difficult time of transition with regard to their mental health and emotional well-being. Amendment No. 35 is intended to ensure that an assessment of need is made to make certain that access to the necessary support is provided and that the health and well-being of the child is thereby better safeguarded. Amendment No. 36 would simply introduce measures to provide the necessary assessment of need and the associated support for children and young people who are at risk of entering care. These are preventive measures, which we hope would assist in addressing the causes of the challenge that confronts us.