Children and Young Persons Bill [Lords]

The hon. Gentleman's point is similar to the one raised by the hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mr. Timpson), who is no longer in the Chamber. His perception was that there was not a joined-up service and that there was a breakdown between the youth justice system and children's services. We are determined to have effective co-ordination of services, with shared support, and we want to make sure that really happens. I shall come to how we shall do it a little later on. The question we are addressing at the moment is the extent to which the local authority can contribute meaningfully while the child is serving their sentence and, more important, the best means of engaging children's social services in effective planning with the youth offending team to ensure that the child's needs are met on release, particularly where there are doubts about whether it will be possible or appropriate for the child to return to their family. I have already referred to the visiting duty in clause 16. We shall use the powers to prescribe the functions of the person making the visit, which will include assessing the child's needs and liaising with the responsible youth offending team and youth custody services. The process will ensure that the local authority is aware of the resettlement services that the child will need, and of plans to ensure that the services are in place when the child is released from custody. We will make it clear through statutory guidance that the local authority must consider in particular the child's needs for appropriate and suitable accommodation, and whether the child will need to be looked after again when they leave custody. The approach we propose to the issues raised by the provision is proportionate and flexible. The local authority's role in visiting former looked-after children in custody will be in addition to the role of the separate YOT worker responsible for planning how the child will serve the rest of their sentence in the community. The introduction of the visiting requirement puts in place an essential safeguard, so that former looked-after children in custody are not forgotten by the authority previously responsible for their care. During the period when they are in custody, even though they are not formally looked after, the authority will have to keep them in mind, maintain a relationship with them and contribute to planning for their future. We are firmly determined to offer former looked-after children in custody the right kind of support to remove the cliff-edge approach to planning for their accommodation and support faced by some young people on release. I give the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham that assurance. I know he has already signalled his intention to push the provision to a vote, but I hope I may have—