The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

Effect of care order

52.—(1) Where a care order is made with respect to a child the authority designated by the order shall receive him into its care and keep him in its care while the order remains in force.

(2) Where—

(a) a care order has been made with respect to a child on the application of an authorised person; but

(b) the authority designated by the order was not informed that that person proposed to make the application,

the child may be kept in the care of that person until received into the care of the authority.

(3) While a care order is in force with respect to a child, the authority designated by the order shall—

(a) have parental responsibility for the child; and

(b) have the power (subject to paragraphs (4) to (9)) to determine the extent to which a parent or guardian of the child may meet his parental responsibility for the child.

(4) The authority shall not exercise the power in paragraph (3)(b) unless it is satisfied that it is necessary to do so in order to safeguard or promote the child’s welfare.

(5) Nothing in paragraph (3)(b) shall prevent a parent or guardian of the child who has care of him from doing what is reasonable in all the circumstances of the case for the purpose of safeguarding or promoting his welfare.

(6) While a care order is in force with respect to a child, the authority designated by the order shall not—

(a) cause the child to be brought up in any religious persuasion other than that in which he would have been brought up if the order had not been made; or

(b) have the right—

(i) to consent or refuse to consent to the making of an application with respect to the child under Article 17 of the Adoption Order;

(ii) to agree or refuse to agree to the making of an adoption order, or an order under Article 57 of that Order, with respect to the child; or

(iii) to appoint a guardian for the child.

(7) While a care order is in force with respect to a child, no person may—

(a) cause the child to be known by a new surname; or

(b) remove him from the United Kingdom,

without either the written consent of every person who has parental responsibility for the child or the leave of the court.

(8) Paragraph (7)(b) does not—

(a) prevent the removal of such a child, for a period of less than one month, by, or with the written consent of, the authority in whose care he is; or

(b) apply to arrangements for such a child to live outside Northern Ireland (which are governed by Article 33).

(9) The power in paragraph (3)(b) is subject (in addition to being subject to the provisions of this Article) to any right, duty, power, responsibility or authority which a parent or guardian of the child has in relation to the child and his property by virtue of any other statutory provision.