Ms Freda McKittrick:

I want to make a point about enhanced rights. As guardians, we do not have any say in it and children do not have any say in initiating the process. Their views will be taken into account when the foster carers make the application and social workers will make a report. We think the children's views and interests should have stronger representation in the process. I take on board a lot of the points that have been made. For us, when we are working for children and that is happening in the background, the children tell us that it normalises life more. They do not have to keep going to a social worker to ask consent for this, that or the other. This is particularly where there are children with extensive disabilities, and where there are a lot of medical interventions. It normalises life for those children in a way that does not happen otherwise. I want to make those points. We also think there should be a threshold and a mechanism for the child to have an independent view and an independent say.