Children and Young Persons Bill [HL]

I support the amendment and thank my noble friend for the inspirational reports from the joint chief inspectors on safeguarding children. I was particularly grateful for the attention that their last report drew to the situation for children in Yarl’s Wood detention centre, which was extremely helpful. When the Commission for Social Care Inspection had responsibility for children’s homes, what I heard when visiting several children’s homes at the time was how helpful the inspectorate was to those homes. It was giving advice, for instance, about the key worker role in homes and how key workers should seek to spend one evening or some regular time each week with the child, perhaps doing the washing up together or playing ping pong; doing some sort of informal activity that would help the child to bond with their key worker. That is so important, and is the sort of thing that a good inspectorate could help to expand. I highlight the continuing lack of capacity in many children’s homes. The Government set a target that 80 per cent of staff in children’s homes should have NVQ level 3 in childcare. Level 3 is very basic indeed. Unfortunately, some time ago that target had not been reached. How much progress has been made towards achieving that target? Perhaps it no longer exists; I know that it was a difficult target to reach. That sort of capacity needs to be built. I have been informed by people in this area that they are concerned that the new inspection regime is not permitted to concentrate on giving recommendations rather than saying whether there is a pass or fail.