The Children’s Homes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

1. Introductory Text

2. Part I Introductory

   1. 1. Citation, commencement and interpretation

   2. 2. Application of Regulations to different classes of children’s homes

   3. 3. Exemptions from registration and regulation as voluntary home or registered children’s home

3. Part II Conduct of Children’s Homes

   1. 4. Statement of purpose and function of children’s homes

   2. 5. Staffing of children’s homes

   3. 6. Accommodation for individual children

   4. 7. Accommodation — general provisions

   5. 8. Control and discipline

   6. 9. Storage of medicinal products

   7. 10. Employment and education of older children

   8. 11. Religious observance

   9. 12. Food provided for children and cooking facilities

   10. 13. Purchase of clothes

   11. 14. Fire precautions

4. Part III Administration of Children’s Homes

   1. 15. Confidential records with respect to children in children’s homes

   2. 16. Access by guardians ad litem to records and register

   3. 17. Other records with respect to children in children’s homes

   4. 18. Regulations and guidance

   5. 19. Notification of significant events

   6. 20. Absence of a child without permission

   7. 21. Absence of person in charge of voluntary home or registered children’s home

   8. 22. Accountability and visiting on behalf of responsible authority

5. Part IV Voluntary Homes

   1. 23. Application for registration of voluntary home

   2. 24. Limits on number of children accommodated

   3. 25. Annual review of registration

   4. 26. Inspection of voluntary homes

   5. 27. Cancellation of registration

   6. 28. Change of person in charge

6. Part V Registered Children’s Homes

   1. 29. Application for registration of children’s home

   2. 30. Limits on number of children accommodated

   3. 31. Annual review of registration

   4. 32. Inspection of registered children’s homes

   5. 33. Cancellation of registration

   6. 34. Change of person in charge

7. Part VI Authority visits to Children in Voluntary Homes or Registered Children’s Homes

   1. 35. Circumstances necessitating visits by authorities

   2. 36. Further visits

   3. 37. Requirements for visits

8. Part VII Revocation

   1. 38. Revocation

9. Signature

10. 1. SCHEDULE 1

       Statement to be kept relating to children’s homes

       1. Part I Particulars to be included in statement

          1. 1. The purpose for which the children’s home is established, and...

          2. 2. The name and address of the responsible body, and of...

          3. 3. The following details about the children for whom it is...

          4. 4. The organisational structure of the children’s home.

          5. 5. The experience of the person in charge of the children’s...

          6. 6. The facilities and services to be provided within the children’s...

          7. 7. The arrangements made to protect and promote the health of...

          8. 8. The fire precautions and associated emergency procedures.

          9. 9. The arrangements made for religious observance by any child accommodated...

          10. 10. The arrangements made for contact between a child accommodated there...

          11. 11. The methods of control and discipline and the disciplinary measures...

          12. 12. The procedure for dealing with any unauthorised absence of a...

          13. 13. The arrangements for dealing with any representation (including any complaint)....

          14. 14. The arrangements for the education of any child accommodated there....

          15. 15. The arrangements for dealing with reviews under Article 45 of...

          16. 16. The arrangements for consultation with a child regarding his future...

          17. 17. The arrangements for involving a child in group care decisions,...

       2. Part II Persons to whom statement is to be made available for inspection

          1. 18. The person in charge of the children’s home.

          2. 19. The staff of the children’s home and any other person...

          3. 20. The children accommodated in the children’s home.

          4. 21. The parent of any child accommodated in the children’s home....

          5. 22. Any person who is not a parent of a child...

          6. 23. Any authority looking after a child accommodated in the children’s...

          7. 24. Any voluntary organisation providing accommodation for a child accommodated in...

          8. 25. The independent visitor (if one has been appointed), of any...

          9. 26. The guardian ad litem (if one has been appointed), of...

          10. 27. Any registration authority.

    2. SCHEDULE 2

       Information to be included in confidential records concerning children in children’s homes

       1. 1. The child’s name and any name by which the child...

       2. 2. The child’s sex and date of birth.

       3. 3. The child’s religious persuasion, if any.

       4. 4. A description of the child’s racial origin, cultural and linguistic...

       5. 5. Where the child came from before he was accommodated in...

       6. 6. The person by whose authority the child is provided with...

       7. 7. The name, address and telephone number and the religious persuasion,...

       8. 8. The name, address and telephone number of any social worker...

       9. 9. The date and circumstances of any absence of the child...

       10. 10. The date and circumstances of any visit to the child...

       11. 11. A copy of any statement of special educational needs under...

       12. 12. The name and address of any school or college attended...

       13. 13. Every school report received by the child while accommodated in...

       14. 14. The date and circumstances of any disciplinary measures imposed on...

       15. 15. Any special dietary or health needs of the child.

       16. 16. Arrangements for, including any restrictions on, contact between the child...

       17. 17. The date and result of any review of the child’s...

       18. 18. The name and address of the medical practitioner with whom...

       19. 19. Details of any accident involving the child.

       20. 20. Details of any immunisation, illness, allergy, or medical examination of...

       21. 21. Details of any health examination or developmental test conducted with...

       22. 22. Details of all medicinal products taken by the child while...

       23. 23. The date on which any money or valuables are deposited...

       24. 24. Where the child goes to when he ceases to be...

    3. SCHEDULE 3

       Other records with respect to children in children’s homes

       1. 1. A record showing— (a) the date on which each child...

       2. 2. A record showing— (a) the full names;

       3. 3. A record of all those persons resident at the children’s...

       4. 4. A record of accidents occurring in the children’s home.

       5. 5. A record of any medicinal product administered to any child...

       6. 6. A record of every fire drill or fire alarm test...

       7. 7. A record of all money deposited by a child for...

       8. 8. A record of all valuables deposited by a child and...

       9. 9. Records of all accounts kept in the children’s home.

       10. 10. A record of menus.

       11. 11. A record of every disciplinary measure imposed, giving the information...

       12. 12. Records of duty rosters.

       13. 13. A daily log of events occurring in the children’s home,...

    4. SCHEDULE 4

       Particulars to accompany an application for registration of a voluntary home

       1. 1. The name of the voluntary organisation making the application.

       2. 2. The address and telephone number of the registered office or...

       3. 3. The names and addresses of the chairman and secretary of,...

       4. 4. The name, address and telephone number of the premises in...

       5. 5. The name and address of any other home within the...

       6. 6. A description of the premises and the area in which...

       7. 7. Particulars of the accommodation provided for residents in the voluntary...

       8. 8. The date on which the voluntary home was established or...

       9. 9. Particulars of any other business which is, or will be,...

       10. 10. The name, sex and date of birth of the person...

       11. 11. The name, sex and date of birth of every person...

       12. 12. Particulars of the equipment, facilities and services provided or to...

       13. 13. The arrangements for the storage and administration of medicinal products....

       14. 14. The arrangements for medical and dental examinations and treatment.

       15. 15. The scale of charges payable in respect of residents in...

       16. 16. The arrangements for the education of the children and what...

       17. 17. Particulars of any children in residence, including their name, sex...

       18. 18. Particulars of any prospectus or advertisement relating to the voluntary...

       19. 19. The particulars set out in Part I of Schedule 1....

    5. SCHEDULE 5

       Particulars to accompany an application for registration as a registered children’s home

       1. Part I Particulars where applicant is an Individual

          1. 1. The name, date of birth, address and telephone number of...

          2. 2. The qualifications and experience (if any) held by the applicant...

          3. 3. The names and addresses of any person by whom the...

          4. 4. The names and addresses of two persons, in addition to...

          5. 5. A report (where the registration authority considers it necessary) by...

       2. Part II Particulars where applicant is a corporate or unincorporate body

          1. 6. The address of the registered office or principal place of...

          2. 7. The names, dates of birth and addresses of the chairman...

          3. 8. The qualifications and experience (if any) held by the person...

          4. 9. The names and addresses of two persons who are willing...

       3. Part III Particulars required in all cases

          1. 10. The name, address and telephone number of the premises in...

          2. 11. A description of the premises and the area in which...

          3. 12. The name and address of any other home within the...

          4. 13. The date on which the home was established or is...

          5. 14. Particulars of any children in residence, including their name, sex...

          6. 15. The name, sex and date of birth of the person...

          7. 16. The name, sex and date of birth of every person...

          8. 17. The scale of charges payable in respect of residents in...

          9. 18. Particulars of the equipment, facilities and services provided or to...

          10. 19. The arrangements made or proposed for the education of the...

          11. 20. Particulars of the accommodation provided for resident children and for...

          12. 21. The arrangements for the storage and administration of medical products....

          13. 22. The arrangements for medical and dental examinations and treatment.

          14. 23. The particulars set out in Part I of Schedule 1....

          15. 24. Particulars of any prospectus or advertisements relating to the home....

          16. 25. Particulars of any other business which is, or will be,...

          17. 26. Where the person carrying on, or intending to carry on,...

    6. SCHEDULE 6

       Particulars of change of identity of proposed person in charge of voluntary home or registered children’s home

       1. 1. The name, date of birth, address and telephone number of...

       2. 2. The qualifications and experience (if any) held by the proposed...

       3. 3. The names and addresses of any person by whom the...

       4. 4. The names and addresses of two persons, in addition to...

       5. 5. A report (where the registration authority considers it necessary) by...

11. Explanatory Note