PRIVATE MEMBERS BILLS PARENTS AGAINST INJUSTICE PAIN

[Alison J Stevens]

Parents Against Injustice" (PAIN) was a group active in the UK primarily around the time of the

Children Act 1989. They campaigned against aspects of the child protection system that they felt were unjust to parents. Their work did not focus on a single private member's bill, but rather influenced the law through sustained campaigning and advocacy that led to specific amendments in legislation and shifts in practice. 

Parents Against Injustice (PAIN)

PAIN was a significant campaigning group during the late 1980s and 1990s. They emerged in response to the removal of children from their families by social services, particularly in cases involving accusations of child abuse that parents disputed. 

Their key focus was on challenging the procedures that allowed for children to be removed from their homes for extended periods without immediate legal recourse for the parents. Their campaigning efforts had a direct impact on the provisions of the Children Act 1989: 

• Emergency Protection Orders (EPOs): The group highlighted the injustice of "Place of Safety Orders," which allowed authorities to keep children for up to 28 days without parents being able to challenge the decision. The Children Act replaced these with EPOs, which could only last for 8 days and could be challenged by parents after just 72 hours.
• Parental Involvement: The Act introduced mandates for authorities to "seek the views" of parents during child protection case reviews and to establish formal complaints procedures that involved independent parties. 

Private Members' Bills

While PAIN's work led to changes in law, the mechanism was through government amendments and broader legislative change rather than a specific private member's bill (PMB). A PMB is a public bill introduced by an MP or Lord who is not a government minister and can be used to raise awareness of an issue, though only a minority become law. 

There are various recent or current private members' bills related to children and families, but none are directly titled "Parents Against Injustice": 

• The Protection of Children (Publicity) Bill, a 2009 PMB, aimed to prevent the exploitation of children by parents seeking publicity for financial gain.
• The current 2024-26 session includes bills such as the Home School Education Registration and Support Bill and the Regulated and Other Activities (Mandatory Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse) Bill, among others concerning child welfare. 

For more information on the legislative process and current bills, you can visit the UK Parliament websiteor the Hansard Society.