The Children (1995 Order) (Amendment) (Children’s Services Planning) Order (Northern Ireland) 1998

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the Children (1995 Order) (Amendment) (Children’s Services Planning) Order (Northern Ireland) 1998 and shall come into operation on 14th September 1998.

Amendment of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

2.  After paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 to the Children (Northern Ireland)Order 1995 (provision of services for families: specific powers and duties)there shall be inserted the following paragraph—

“Children’s services plans

2A.— (1) Every Board shall, on or before 3 1 st March 1999—

(a) review the services provided within its area under Articles 18, 2 1,23, 27, 35 and 36; and

(b) having regard to that review and the most recent reviews under Article 20, prepare and publish a plan for the provision of services under Part IV.

(2) Every Board—

(a) shall review at least once on or before 3 1 st March 2000 and then at least once in each financial year thereafter, the plan prepared by it under sub-paragraph (1)(b) (as modified or last substituted under this sub-paragraph); and

(b) may, having regard to that review and to the most recent reviews under Article 20, prepare and publish—

(i) modifications (or, as the case may be, further modifications)to the plan reviewed; or

(ii) a plan in substitution for that plan.

(3) In carrying out any review under this paragraph and in preparing any plan or modification to a plan, a Board shall consult—

(a) every Health and Social Services trust the whole or any part of whose area lies within the Board’s area;

(b) every education and library board the whole or any part of whose area lies within the Board’s area;

(c) every district council the whole or any part of whose district lies within the Board’s area;

(d) such voluntary organisations as appear to the Board—

(i) to represent the interests of persons who use or are likely to use services provided by the Board under Part IV; or

(ii) to provide services in the Board’s area which, were they to be provided by the Board, might be categorised as services provided under that Part;

(e) the Northern Ireland Housing Executive;

(f) the Chief Constable;

(g) the Probation Board for Northern Ireland;

(h) such other persons as appear to the Board to be appropriate; and

(i) such other persons as the Department may direct.

(4) Every Board shall, within 28 days of receiving a written request from the Department, submit to it a copy of—

(a) the plan prepared by the Board under sub-paragraph (1); or

(b) where that plan has been modified or substituted, the plan as modified or last substituted.”.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health and Social Services on

L.S.

P A. Conliffe

Assistant Secretary

23rd July 1998.