We’ve spotted a couple of important child welfare debates coming up which we think will be of interest to families, charities and key stakeholders. Read on for more details…

Social Care – Opposition Debate in the House of Commons

This debate is set to take place on Wednesday 21 October, and is likely to include important discussions about the government’s decisions and policies on children’s social care.

Opposition debates, which start with a motion, usually criticise Government policies and decisions.

Twenty days a year are set aside for Opposition debates, on subjects which the Opposition chooses, with 17 of those days set aside for the Opposition Leader and the remaining three days allocated to the third largest party in the House.

No details about the debate have been released yet, but we will update you as soon as we have more information.

“Challenging sexism, racism & class bias in the family courts” – Legal Action For Women

Leading support group Legal Action for Women (LAW) have organised what they’re calling an online workshop to raise awareness about the work they do and to tell people how they can get involved.

Confirmed speakers for the event are Soul Sisters, Support Not Separation, Women Against Rape & Women of Colour, Global Women’s Strike. The discussion will be chaired by LAW.

The workshop will also include a showing of a new film, STOP the Family Courts aiding & abetting domestic abuse.

Their invitation says:

“Most mothers in the family courts are survivors of domestic abuse, the majority are single mothers on low incomes.  Together with women of colour, disabled women and young women, they are at greater risk of having children taken away by the state.  A recent review by the Ministry of Justice confirmed our experiences but nothing is being done to change systemic discrimination within family courts.  The Domestic Abuse Bill which is now in parliament must go further and recognise that victims are overwhelmingly women; extend protections to immigrant and disabled women and stop violent men using the family courts to terrorise children and their mothers.”

The online workshop is being broadcast from the Anarchist Bookfair, on Sunday 18 October, from 2 to 3pm. You can sign up to the event here.