Children and Families Bill

Public Reading is an initiative to give members of the public the opportunity to provide their views on Bills before they are made into law.

Your comments on the Children and Families Bill will be made available to the Committee of MPs responsible for examining the Bill in detail so that they can take them into account when deciding whether to make changes to the Bill. The Public Reading for this Bill will close on 26 February to allow time for your comments to be collated and made available to MPs on the Bill Committee.

Adoption and Looked After Children

The Children and Families Bill would change the law relating to adoption and children looked after by local authorities

Family Justice

The Bill would make changes to family law, including the law relating to care proceedings, and arrangements for children after divorce or separation

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The Bill would make changes to the way in which support is provided to children and young people in England with Special Educational Needs

Childminder Agencies etc.

The Bill would make changes to legislation relating to childminder agencies and childcare providers

Children's Commissioner

The Bill would amend the Commissioner’s functions and powers and is intended to increase the Commissioner’s independence from Government

Statutory Rights to Leave and Pay

The Bill would provide statutory rights for employees relating to parental leave and pay

Time Off Work

The Bill would provide new entitlements for employees relating to time off work for ante-natal care etc.

Flexible Working

The Bill would provide new entitlements for employees relating to the right to request flexible working

Related information

What is Public Reading?


Public Reading is an initiative to give members of the public the opportunity to provide their views on Bills before they are made into law. This is the first Public Reading to be run by the House of Commons and is a pilot of the process. Comments on the Bill will be made available to the Committee of MPs responsible for examining the Bill in detail so that they can take them into account when deciding whether to make changes to the Bill.

About the Children and Families Bill


The Children and Families Bill contains provisions to change the law in several areas relating to children and families.

Explanatory Notes


The Government publishes explanatory notes alongside a Bill to assist readers in understanding the proposed legislation

Additional Comments?


Comments on areas not covered by the listed Bill topics, or broader comments on the Bill as a whole (including anything that you think should have been included in the Bill but is not) should be posted as an additional comment. As this Public Reading is a pilot, we are also keen to hear your views on the public reading process itself.

Public Bill Committees


A Bill Committee is appointed for each Bill that goes through Parliament and is named after the Bill it considers. Public Bill Committees have the power to take written and oral evidence. The Committee examines the Bill line by line and reports its conclusions and any amendments to the Commons, where MPs debate the Bill further.

Pre-legislative Scrutiny


Some provisions in the Children and Families Bill were published in draft form last year so that MPs could scrutinise them and recommend changes to be made before the Bill itself was introduced to Parliament. Four different Committees from the House of Commons and the House of Lords examined draft clauses.