HC Deb 07 July 1981 vol 8 c79W
Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to make it a statutory right for parents and foster parents to be present or represented at any probation case conference at which their child's future is to be discussed.

Mr. Mayhew

Children are generally supervised by the probation service in pursuance of the decision of a court in criminal or domestic proceedings. I consider it right for the probation officer responsible for supervision to have discretion to decide whether parents or foster parents should be invited to take part in any discussion he may have with colleagues about the child; any further decision about the child's future would be taken during court proceedings, which parents may attend.