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The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995
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Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Order associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Order (including any effects on those provisions):
- art. 45(2(e) words repealed by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 5
- art. 7(2A)(ba) substituted for word by 2009 c. 24 Sch. 6 para. 26(2)
- art. 7(2B)(ba) substituted for word by 2009 c. 24 Sch. 6 para. 26(3)
- art. 8(4)(ha) applied by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 116
- art. 10(5A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 26(b)
- art. 10(7A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 26(c)
- art. 14A?-14F and cross-heading inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 119(1)
- art. 14A(7) applied (with modifications) for specified purposes by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 26(6)
- art. 14C(1)(b) applied (with modifications) for specified purposes by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 26(7)(a)
- art. 14C(3)(4) excluded by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 26(7)(b)
- art. 18(4A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 120(1)
- art. 18(6)-(6C) substituted for art. 18(6) by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 121(1)
- art. 22(3)(aa) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 29
- art. 26(1A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 122(1)
- art. 26A inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 123
- art. 27(7A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 125(3)
- art. 27(8)(c) and word added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 122(2)(b)
- art. 27(9A)-(9D) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 124
- art. 28(4) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 125(4)
- art. 28A inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 126
- art. 28B inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 127
- art. 33(9) added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 31(c)
- art. 34E(1)(d) and word inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 32(a)(iii)
- art. 34E(3)(4) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 32(b)
- art. 34F(1)(aa) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 33(a)(i)
- art. 34F(1A)-(1D) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 33(b)
- art. 34G inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 129
- art. 34AA inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 128(1)
- art. 34DA inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 128(2)
- art. 34DB 34DC inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 128(3)
- art. 35(1)-(1B) substituted for art. 35(1) by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 34(a)
- art. 35(5)(za) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 34(c)
- art. 35D(1)(aa)(ab) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 128(4)
- art. 35D(1A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 130(1)
- art. 45(2)(e)(i)(ii) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 131(a)
- art. 45(2)(f)(i)-(iii) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 131(b)
- art. 45(3A)-(3C) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 130(4)
- art. 45(4A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 130(6)
- art. 45(5A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 130(7)
- art. 45A?? inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 132
- art. 50A?? inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 134(1)
- art. 53(1)(ba) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 38(b)
- art. 53(6A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 135(3)
- art. 53(8)(za) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 135(4)
- art. 57(3A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 119(3)
- art. 60(6)(ha) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 138
- art. 66(5A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 120(3)
- art. 107(7)(c) added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 139(4)
- art. 108(2A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 140(3)
- art. 108(3)(c) and word added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 140(4)(c)
- art. 112A inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 141
- art. 159(1)(c) and word added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 119(4)(b)
- art. 165(2)(k) inserted by 2011 c. 24 (N.I.) s. 95(3)
- art. 170(2)-(9A) modified by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 105(3)
- art. 170(9A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 142
- art. 179(5A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 42
- art. 181(1) art. 181 renumbered as art. 181 (1) by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s, 143(3)
- art. 181(1) words substituted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 143(4)
- art. 181(2) added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 143(5)
- art. 183(2A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 130(8)
Investigation into child's circumstancesN.I.
56.—(1) Where, in any family proceedings in which a question arises with respect to the welfare of any child, it appears to the court that it may be appropriate for a care or a supervision order to be made with respect to him, the court may direct the appropriate authority to undertake an investigation of the child's circumstances.
(2) Where the court gives a direction under this Article the authority concerned shall, when undertaking the investigation, consider whether it should—
(a)apply for a care or a supervision order with respect to the child;
(b)provide services or assistance for the child or his family; or
(c)take any other action with respect to the child.
(3) Where an authority undertakes an investigation under this Article, and decides not to apply for a care or a supervision order with respect to the child concerned, the authority shall inform the court of—
(a)its reasons for so deciding;
(b)any service or assistance which the authority has provided, or intends to provide, for the child and his family; and
(c)any other action which the authority has taken, or proposes to take, with respect to the child.
(4) The information shall be given to the court before the end of the period of eight weeks beginning with the date of the direction, unless the court otherwise directs.
(5) The authority named in a direction under paragraph (1) must be—
(a)the authority in whose area the child is ordinarily resident; or
(b)where the child is not ordinarily resident in the area of an authority, the authority within whose area any circumstances arose in consequence of which the direction is being given.
(6) If, on the conclusion of any investigation or review under this Article, the authority decides not to apply for a care or a supervision order with respect to the child—
(a)the authority shall consider whether it would be appropriate to review the case at a later date; and
(b)if the authority decides that it would be, the authority shall determine the date on which that review is to begin.
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