Children and Young Persons Bill [HL]

I support very strongly these two amendments put down by my noble friend Lady Meacher and the amendments put down by the noble Baronesses, Lady Walmsley and Lady Massey. We have been very slow to recognise the importance of mental health in these difficult cases of prisoners, disturbed children, children in care and looked-after children. It is most important that we should now be specific in the Bill about the need for a proper assessment of mental health needs and have a method to ensure that those needs can be met, and make clear that there should be priority access to child and adolescent mental health services. I am absolutely convinced that the problems that have been drawn to our attention are sufficiently serious to make it necessary to respond specifically. It is not good enough to talk about it; it is necessary to put provision in the Bill. I very much hope that the Government will agree to that. If they cannot agree it now, I hope that it will be agreed on Report.