(1)In section 1 of the Children Act 1948, the following subsections are inserted after subsection (3)—
“(3A)Except in relation to an act done—
(a)with the consent of the local authority, or
(b)by a parent or guardian of the child who has given the local authority not less than 28 days’ notice of his intention to do it,
subsection (8) (penalty for taking away a child in care) of section 3 of this Act shall apply to a child in the care of a local authority under this section (notwithstanding that no resolution is in force under section 2 of this Act with respect to the child) if he has been in the care of that local authority throughout the preceding six months; and for the purposes of the application of paragraph (b) of that subsection in such a case a parent or guardian of the child shall not be taken to have lawful authority to take him away.
(3B)The Secretary of State may by order a draft of which has been approved by each House of Parliament amend subsection (3A) of this section by substituting a different period for the period of 28 days or of six months mentioned in that subsection (or the period which, by a previous order under this subsection, was substituted for that period).”
(2)The following section is inserted after section 33 of the Children Act 1948—
(1)Section 3(8) of this Act shall apply in relation to children who are not in the care of local authorities under section 1 of this Act but who are in voluntary homes or are boarded out, as it applies by virtue of subsection (3A) of the said section 1 to children in the care of the local authority, except that in the case of a child who is not in the care of a local authority the references in subsection (3A) to a local authority shall be construed as references to the voluntary organisation in whose care the child is.
(2)For the purposes of this section—
(a)a child is boarded out if he is boarded out, by the voluntary organisation in whose care he is, with foster parents to live in their home as a member of their family;
(b)“voluntary home” includes a controlled community home and an assisted community home.”.]
Textual Amendments
F1Ss. 56–59 repealed (E.W.) by Child Care Act 1980 (c. 5, SIF 20), s. 89, Sch. 6
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1The text of ss. 56–59, 72 and 93 is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and, except as specified, does not reflect any amendments or repeals which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991.