Adoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

Provision of services to children in need, etc.

121.—(1) In Article 18 of the Children Order (general duty of authority to provide social care for children in need, their families and others), for paragraph (6) substitute—

“(6) The services provided by an authority in the exercise of functions conferred on it by this Article may include—

(a) giving assistance in kind;

(b) subject to paragraph (6A), giving assistance in cash;

(c) in the case of an eligible child and subject to paragraph (6B), providing accommodation.

(6A) In deciding whether to give assistance in cash, the authority must have regard to any guidance provided by the Department.

(6B) In providing accommodation, the authority must have regard to any guidance provided by the Department.

(6C) In paragraph (6) “eligible child” means a child who is not being looked after by an authority and—

(a) is disabled; or

(b) falls within a prescribed category.”.

(2) In Article 25 of the Children Order (interpretation), in paragraph (2) (accommodation), before “34C” insert “18,”.