Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Lord Bishop of Manchester Excerpts

Thursday 1st May 2025 Lords Chamber

[The Lord Bishop of Manchester]

My Lords, I begin by expressing my thanks to all noble Lords who have reached out to me following the announcement that I will be taking up the role of Convenor of the Lords Spiritual next month. I look forward to working with all noble Lords. I also look forward to hearing today the maiden speeches from the noble Lords, Lord Mohammed of Tinsley and Lord Biggar, the latter a fellow clergyman and a theological mind of some high repute.

Debate during the recent passage of my own Private Member’s Bill through this House highlighted the severe disadvantages faced by many care leavers. Research by Barnardo’s showed that 39% of care leavers aged 19 to 21 are not in education, employment or training, compared with 13% of young people in general. We are failing almost two in five of those who have care experience. Moreover, care leavers I met through the charity Become highlighted how much depends on the whim of their particular local authority. Young people who move away for work or further education are especially prone to losing support. We need a universal offer for young people leaving care that local authorities are obliged to meet.

At a later stage, I will be seeking to explore the shape of such an offer, potentially including free prescriptions, bus travel, help with rent deposits and guarantees, eligibility for the over-25 rates of universal credit and greater support for those who go on to apprenticeships or university. Moreover, as care-experienced people are disproportionately represented in almost every area of disadvantage, from homelessness, unemployment and poverty to poor health, low educational attainment and involvement in the justice system, I have been looking at amendments to embed care experience in equality assessments so that public bodies put care leavers at the heart of decision-making. I am grateful for the comments from the noble Earl, Lord Effingham, regarding foster parents, who provide such a vital service in helping children flourish and thrive. I would hope to join him in testing how the Bill can be strengthened to better support them.

Moving briefly to other areas, I have received some very concerning representations regarding the impact of the Bill on the yeshivas that supplement home schooling for many of my Jewish neighbours in Salford, especially in the Haredi communities. The Government’s own human rights memorandum notes that

“institutions which are likely to be predominantly affected are yeshivas”.

If this goes ahead unamended, yeshivas will be forced to close. They cannot, and indeed will not, register as educational institutions—that is not what they are. I hope that the Minister in responding will be able to assure us that there will be some comprehensive consultation with faith communities regarding the regulatory framework that is to be applied under Clause 36.

Finally, children who have a parent in prison are at particular risk of going into the care system. The Bill could represent a step forward for the provision of support for such families. Church of England schools, along with colleagues at the Catholic Education Service, are passionate about how we improve the lives of children with incarcerated parents. I know that my right reverend friend the Bishop of Gloucester, who cannot be in her place today, will be looking at how the Bill can be strengthened in this regard. We on these Benches take very seriously our ministry with and among children in our churches, our many church schools—I have almost 200 in my own diocese—and wider society. We welcome the Bill, and we look forward to engaging positively with it as it progresses.