xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"

Part 20General

Interpretation

199Meaning of “child”

(1)In this Act, “child” means a person who is under 16 years of age (but subject to subsections (2) to (9)).

(2)In paragraph (o) of section 67(2) and the other provisions of this Act in their application in relation to that paragraph, “child” means a person who is of school age.

(3)Subsection (4) applies where a person becomes 16 years of age—

(a)after section 66 applies in relation to the person, but

(b)before a relevant event.

(4)For the purposes of the application of this Act to the person, references in this Act to a child include references to the person until a relevant event occurs.

(5)A relevant event is—

(a)the making of a compulsory supervision order in relation to the person,

(b)the notification of the person under section 68(3) that the question of whether a compulsory supervision order should be made in respect of the person will not be referred to a children’s hearing, or

(c)the discharge of the referral.

(6)Subsection (7) applies if—

(a)a compulsory supervision order is in force in respect of a person on the person’s becoming 16 years of age, or

(b)a compulsory supervision order is made in respect of a person on or after the person becomes 16 years of age.

(7)For the purposes of the application of the provisions of this Act relating to that order, references in this Act to a child include references to the person until whichever of the following first occurs—

(a)the order is terminated, or

(b)the person becomes 18 years of age.

(8)Subsection (9) applies where a case is remitted to the Principal Reporter under section 49(7)(b) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995.

(9)For the purposes of the application of this Act to the person whose case is remitted, references in this Act to a child include references to the person until whichever of the following first occurs—

(a)a children’s hearing or the sheriff discharges the referral,

(b)a compulsory supervision order made in respect of the person is terminated, or

(c)the person becomes 18 years of age.

200Meaning of “relevant person”

(1)In this Act, “relevant person”, in relation to a child, means—

(a)a parent or guardian having parental responsibilities or parental rights in relation to the child under Part 1 of the 1995 Act,

(b)a person in whom parental responsibilities or parental rights are vested by virtue of section 11(2)(b) of the 1995 Act,

(c)a person having parental responsibilities or parental rights by virtue of section 11(12) of the 1995 Act,

(d)a parent having parental responsibility for the child under Part 1 of the Children Act 1989 (c.41) (“the 1989 Act”),

(e) a person having parental responsibility for the child by virtue of—

(i)section 12(2) of the 1989 Act,

(ii)section 14C of the 1989 Act, or

(iii)section 25(3) of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (c.38),

(f)a person in whom parental responsibilities or parental rights are vested by virtue of a permanence order (as defined in section 80(2) of the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 4)),

(g)any other person specified by order made by the Scottish Ministers.

(2)For the purposes of subsection (1)(a), a parent does not have parental responsibilities or rights merely by virtue of an order under section 11(2)(d) or (e) of the 1995 Act.

(3)An order made under subsection (1)(g) is subject to the affirmative procedure.

201Meaning of “relevant local authority”

(1)In this Act, “relevant local authority”, in relation to a child, means—

(a)the local authority in whose area the child predominantly resides, or

(b)where the child does not predominantly reside in the area of a particular local authority, the local authority with whose area the child has the closest connection.

(2)For the purposes of subsection (1)(a), no account is to be taken of—

(a)any period of residence in a residential establishment,

(b)any other period of residence, or residence in any other place, prescribed by the Scottish Ministers by regulations.

(3)For the purposes of subsection (1)(b), no account is to be taken of—

(a)any connection with an area that relates to a period of residence in a residential establishment,

(b)any other connection prescribed by the Scottish Ministers by regulations.

202Interpretation

(1)In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

(2)References in this Act to a decision of a children’s hearing are references to a decision of a majority of the members of a children’s hearing.

(3)References in this Act to varying a compulsory supervision order, an interim compulsory supervision order or a medical examination order include varying the order by adding or removing measures.