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Parents who break contact orders could be forced to carry out unpaid work in children’s homes, according to Margaret Hodge today, writes Simeon Brody.

Margaret Hodge

The children’s minister told the joint select committee on the Children (Contact) and Adoption Bill that the measure could teach parents what life for children was like without contact with their parents.

She also raised the possibility of Cafcass being given the role of monitoring curfew orders handed down to parents who breach contact orders.

But she told the committee she was not in favour of tagging parents who breach orders. Instead, curfews would facilitate contact between children and their parents rather than act as a punishment.

The committee is likely to meet later this month.