The rights of children in care are in lockdown

When the plans for the ending of the temporary curtailment of everyday life are announced, children in care will still feel the effects through the continuing loss of their rights. Using the powers of the Coronavirus Act the government has removed rights of children in care.

A Statutory Instrument sounds innocuous but under SI445 78000 young people and children in care, have had rights removed - 100 changes to the laws about children in care have been imposed without any public or Parliamentary consultation.

Government says that there was no time for the normal 21-day Parliamentary scrutiny because it "has consulted informally with the sector who have asked for these changes to be in force as a matter of urgency". Since the publication, those identified by the government as having made these requests have stated publicly that they did not. They say they were informed not consulted. The Children’s Commissioner for England, one of those named, has issued a strong statement emphatically calling for the revocation. In her statement she says that she is minded there should be more protections at this time not less.