§ Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to prevent decisions to restrict or terminate parental rights in the case of children in care from being taken in private by the social services committees of local authorities.
§ Sir George YoungNo. The existing law gives a social services committee discretion to exclude the public from a meeting where publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted or for other special reasons.
When a social services committee resolves to assume parental rights and duties in relation to a child in care, this necessarily imputes parental unfitness or disability, and consequently the committee might well decide to exercise its power to exclude the public in the interests of both the child and his parents. If the parents object to the resolution, the local authority must either allow it to lapse or refer the matter to the juvenile court for determination.