Child Poverty Bill

Perhaps I may add my thanks and congratulations to the Minister, first on allowing me to join in this important discussion, which has been brought to such a fruitful conclusion. There are two main points from this group of amendments. The first is to include parents in consultation, rather than just children and organisations. That is an important move forward and it is hugely to the credit of the Government and those in the Box that they recognised this and put it right. The second, which is infinitely more important, is the widening of the definition of "parents", not only for consultation—they also play a part in that—but in every other way. People in this country sometimes completely unexpectedly find themselves caring for a child. It may be a grandmother, aunt, uncle or godmother. Godmothers in particular suddenly find that there is no one else to care for the child. They take over the care, sometimes having to lose their jobs or to take less well paid work, as well as incurring the considerable added expense of growing children. One example to which I have referred in the past is the woman—at the age when most people would expect to be a grandparent taking children out for pleasant Sunday events—who found herself caring for a child who was not her own. At that stage the child, now aged 11, was nine. She will care for that child out of love for her goddaughter and because of the tremendous needs of the mother, who cannot cope. The grandmother is thrilled, as she could not do it herself. The godmother will not, in fact, be in this group but she is an example of people who are in the group under this Bill, who have been in real difficulties and whom I hope the strategy will pick up and help in every way. This is a huge step forward, as the noble Baroness, Lady Massey, says. The Government have done a wonderful job, putting us much further along the line of helping these children. Wonderful people take over their care and deserve to be looked after in exactly the same way as the natural parents. Thank you very much indeed.