Children and Young Persons Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 89: 89: After Clause 25, insert the following new Clause— ““Scope of inspections by the Chief Inspector In section 147 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (c. 40) (inspection of premises in connection with adoption and fostering functions) after subsection (2) insert— ““(2A) The Chief Inspector must consider the promotion of the welfare and safety of a child when carrying out the inspections mentioned in this section.”””” The noble Baroness said: The purpose of our amendment is to broaden the scope of what is taken into account during the inspections of children’s homes. Our amendment changes the provisions of Section 147 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 that relate to adoption and fostering functions. This seemed like the most logical place to amend that Act, as I assumed that this section’s broad scope would include children’s homes. I ask your Lordships’ forgiveness if I have attempted to amend in error or in the wrong place, but I hope to have support for the spirit and intention of this proposed change. Essentially the amendment would place a duty on the inspectors to make inspections about more than just the number of beds a children’s home provides and the average cost of meals per child per day. I know that the Minister will say that that is not just what the inspectors do, but there is a fear out there that it is very much a tick-box exercise. Our amendment would obligate inspectors to take a more holistic approach and consider the promotion of the welfare and safety of the child when carrying out inspections. We recognise that inspectors will report on circumstances where children are being harmed or endangered. However, as we understand it, there is no statutory duty to consider the real aims of children’s homes—promoting a child’s well-being—when they are inspected. I point out that this refers only to the inspection already carried out in the provisions of this Bill. We have no intention of mandating inspections of foster parents’ homes or the like. We intend this amendment to apply to the institutional premises connected with these types of care provision—namely children’s homes. I beg to move.