The Bill we have been opposing since the summer is back in the House of Lords for report stage on Tuesday 8 November at 3pm. We need as many people as possible to email or call expressing their strong opposition to the Bill – not only to privatisation but to all its measures, particularly the push for adoption.
Community Care reported that the government has admitted “errors in its handling of [Isabelle Trowler] the chief social worker’s ‘conflict of interest’.
This bill is being debated just as the benefit cap comes in: 88,000 families may be left with not enough money for rent and food; 500,000 children impoverished. No one knows how many will then be taken into care or adopted as their parents are accused of “neglect” for no longer being able to keep a roof over their heads!
The Bill can be defeated but we need to mobilise now as it comes back to the Lords and when it goes to the Commons.
A model letter you can use to make your case is below. A number of mothers have written in from their own experience and are getting good responses! The emails and numbers of Peers to contact are also below.
You can also sign a petition against the Bill – Protect the rights of vulnerable children and care leavers.
If you have any questions email us back or call us on: 020 7482 2496.
MODEL LETTER
Dear Lord/Lady…
I am totally opposed to the Children and Social Work Bill. As a mother/grandmother/dad/teacher/concerned person… use your own experience and the points below to make your case.
- The government push for adoption is cruel and traumatic to children and families, especially mothers and grandmothers.
- It disregards children’s views, wishes and feelings about the people they love and want to live and/or have contact with.
- There is no support for mothers and kinship carers (family and friends) only for adoptive and foster parents.
- It discriminates against low income families, who are most likely to have their children taken into care, especially with the benefit cap and other cuts. Some are also families of colour and/or disabled, discriminated on that basis too.
- Children in care are four times more likely to experience mental health difficulties.
- Removing statutory protections and privatising children’s services is a charter for rape and social cleansing.
I urge you to support the following amendments to the Children & Social Work Bill, but also to speak out for children and their birth families and demand that financial support be available to keep families together rather than to tear us apart.
Your name, etc…
Children and Social Work Bill amendments
CLAUSE 9
After CL 9, AMDT 33, New Clause: Profit-making and children’s social services functions
After CL 9 AMDT 35, New Clause: Duty to report on outcomes
CLAUSE 28
After CL 28, AMDT 52, New Clause: Whistleblowing arrangement in relation to looked after children and children at risk
After CL 28, AMDT 53, New Clause: Public interest disclosure in relation to looked after children and children at risk
CLAUSE 29
AMDT 57, leave out CL 29
CLAUSE 30
AMDT 58, leave out CL 30
CLAUSE 31
AMDT 64, leave out CL 31
CLAUSE 32
AMDT 66, leave out CL 32
CLAUSE 33
AMDT 68, leave out CL 33
After CL 33: AMDT 69, New Clause: UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
After CL 33: AMDT 70, New Clause: Safeguarding Unaccompanied Refugee Children
CLAUSE 40
After CL 40: AMDT 72, New Clause: Whistleblowing arrangement in relation to social workers
After CL 40: AMDT 73, New Clause: Public interest disclosure by social workers
Lords names and emails
Leading on amendments are Lords Watson (Lab), Lord Hunt (Lab), Lord Ramsbotham (Crossbench) and Baroness Pinnock (Lib Dem).
| TITLE | NAME | PARTY | PHONE | |
| Lord | Watson | Labour | 020 7219 5353 | watsonm@parliament.uk |
| Lord | Hunt | Labour | 020 7219 2030 | huntp@parliament.uk |
| Lord | Ramsbotham | Crossbench | 020 7219 8752 | ramsbothamd@parliament.uk |
| Baroness | Pinnock | Lib Dem | 020 7219 5353 | pinnockk@parliament.uk |
| Baroness | Hodgson | Conservative | 020 7219 5353 | hodgsonf@parliament.uk |
| Baroness | Benjamin | Lib Dem | 020 7219 8901 | benjaminf@parliament.uk |
| Lord | Bichard | Crossbench | 020 7219 5353 | m.bichard@btinternet.com |
| Baroness | Dean | Labour | 020 7219 5353 | deanb@parliament.uk |
| Lord | Farmer | Conservative | 020 7219 6565 | callans@parliament.uk |
| Lord | Brown | sdbrown@blueyonder.co.uk | ||
| Baroness | Cavendish | Conservative | contactholmember@parliament.uk | |
| Baroness | Howarth | Crossbench | 020 7219 5353 | howarthv@parliament.uk |
| Baroness | Howe | Crossbench | 020 7219 5353 | howee@parliament.uk |
| Baroness | Bakewell | Labour | 020 7219 2921 | joanbakewell@googlemail.com |
| Baroness | Boothroyd | Crossbench | boothroyd@parliament.uk | |
| Baroness | Lister | Labour | 020 7219 8984 | listerr@parliament.uk |
| Lord | Listowel | Crossbench | 020 7219 5353 | listowelf@parliament.uk |
| Lord | Mackay | Conservative | 020 7219 6041 | mackayjp@parliament.uk |
| Baroness | Massey | Labour | 020 7219 8653 | masseyd@parliament.uk |
| Baroness | Meacher | Crossbench | 020 7219 4081 | meachermc@parliament.uk |
| Lord | O’Shaugh-
nessy |
Conservative | 020 7219 5353 | contactholmember@parliament.uk |
| Lord | Bishop of Durham | 013 8860 2576 | Bishop.of.durham@durham. anglican.org |
|
| Baroness | Shephard | Conservative | 020 7219 5353 | westm@parliament.uk |
| Baroness | Tonge | Lib Dem | 020 7219 4827 | tongej@parliament.uk |
| Baroness | Tyler | Lib Dem | 020 7219 3606 | tylerc@parliament.uk |
| Baroness | Walmsley | Lib Dem | 020 7219 6047 | walmsleyj@parliament.uk |
| Lord | Warner | None | 020 7219 4540 | warnern@parliament.uk |
| Lord | Wills | Labour | 020 7219 5353 | willisg@parliament.uk |