Children Act 1989

Notification of children accommodated in certain establishments E+W

85 Children accommodated by health authorities and local education authorities. E+W

(1) Where a child is provided with accommodation by any [F1 Health Authority, Special Health Authority,][F2 National Health Service trust]or local education authority (“the accommodating authority")—

(a) for a consecutive period of at least three months; or

(b) with the intention, on the part of that authority, of accommodating him for such a period,

the accommodating authority shall notify the responsible authority.

(2) Where subsection (1) applies with respect to a child, the accommodating authority shall also notify the responsible authority when they cease to accommodate the child.

(3) In this section “the responsible authority” means—

(a) the local authority appearing to the accommodating authority to be the authority within whose area the child was ordinarily resident immediately before being accommodated; or

(b) where it appears to the accommodating authority that a child was not ordinarily resident within the area of any local authority, the local authority within whose area the accommodation is situated.

(4) Where a local authority have been notified under this section, they shall—

(a) take such steps as are reasonably practicable to enable them to determine whether the child’s welfare is adequately safeguarded and promoted while he is accommodated by the accommodating authority; and

(b) consider the extent to which (if at all) they should exercise any of their functions under this Act with respect to the child.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 85(1) substituted(1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 17, s. 2(1)(3), Sch. 1 Pt. III, para. 118(9)(with Sch. 2 para. 6)

F2 Words inserted by National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19, SIF 113:2), s. 66(1), Sch. 9 para. 36(5)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 85 wholly in force at 14.10.1991 see s. 108(2)(3) and S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)

86 Children accommodated in residential care, nursing or mental nursing homes. E+W

(1) Where a child is provided with accommodation in any residential care home, nursing home or mental nursing home—

(a) for a consecutive period of at least three months; or

(b) with the intention, on the part of the person taking the decision to accommodate him, of accommodating him for such period,

the person carrying on the home shall notify the local authority within whose area the home is carried on.

(2) Where subsection (1) applies with respect to a child, the person carrying on the home shall also notify that authority when he ceases to accommodate the child in the home.

(3) Where a local authority have been notified under this section, they shall—

(a) take such steps as are reasonably practicable to enable them to determine whether the child’s welfare is adequately safeguarded and promoted while he is accommodated in the home; and

(b) consider the extent to which (if at all) they should exercise any of their functions under this Act with respect to the child.

(4) If the person carrying on any home fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with this section he shall be guilty of an offence.

(5) A person authorised by a local authority may enter any residential care home, nursing home or mental nursing home within the authority’s area for the purpose of establishing whether the requirements of this section have been complied with.

(6) Any person who intentionally obstructs another in the exercise of the power of entry shall be guilty of an offence.

(7) Any person exercising the power of entry shall, if so required, produce some duly authenticated document showing his authority to do so.

(8) Any person committing an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

Commencement Information

I2 S. 86 wholly in force at 14.10.1991 see s. 108(2)(3) and S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)

Valid from 01/01/2010

[F3 86A Visitors for children notified to local authority under section 85 or 86 E+W

(1) This section applies if the appropriate officer of a local authority—

(a) has been notified with respect to a child under section 85(1) or 86(1); and

(b) has not been notified with respect to that child under section 85(2) or, as the case may be, 86(2).

(2) The local authority must, in accordance with regulations made under this section, make arrangements for the child to be visited by a representative of the authority (“a representative”).

(3) It is the function of a representative to provide advice and assistance to the local authority on the performance of their duties under section 85(4) or, as the case may be, 86(3).

(4) Regulations under this section may make provision about—

(a) the frequency of visits under visiting arrangements;

(b) circumstances in which visiting arrangements must require a child to be visited; and

(c) additional functions of a representative.

(5) Regulations under this section are to be made by the Secretary of State and the Welsh Ministers acting jointly.

(6) In choosing a representative a local authority must satisfy themselves that the person chosen has the necessary skills and experience to perform the functions of a representative.

(7) In this section “visiting arrangements” means arrangements made under subsection (2).]

Textual Amendments

F3 S. 86A inserted (1.1.2010 for certain purposes and 1.4.2011 otherwise) by Children and Young Persons Act 2008 (c. 23), ss. 18, 44; S.I. 2009/3354, art. 2; S.I. 2010/2981, art. 2(b)

87 Welfare of children accommodated in independent schools. E+W

(1) It shall be the duty of—

(a) the proprietor of any independent school which provides accommodation for any child; and

(b) any person who is not the proprietor of such a school but who is responsible for conducting it,

to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in relation to a school which is a children’s home or a residential care home [F4 (other than a small home)].

(3) Where accommodation is provided for a child by an independent school within the area of a local authority, the authority shall take such steps as are reasonably practicable to enable them to determine whether the child’s welfare is adequately safeguarded and promoted while he is accommodated by the school.

(4) Where a local authority are of the opinion that there has been a failure to comply with subsection (1) in relation to a child provided with accommodation by a school within their area, they shall notify the Secretary of State.

(5) Any person authorised by a local authority may, for the purpose of enabling the authority to discharge their duty under this section, enter at any reasonable time any independent school within their area which provides accommodation for any child.

(6) Any person entering an independent school in exercise of the power conferred by subsection (5) may carry out such inspection of premises, children and records as is prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this section.

(7) Any person exercising that power shall, if asked to do so, produce some duly authenticated document showing his authority to do so.

(8) Any person authorised by the regulations to inspect records—

(a) shall be entitled at any reasonable time to have access to, and inspect and check the operation of, any computer and any associated apparatus or material which is or has been in use in connection with the records in question; and

(b) may require—

(i) the person by whom or on whose behalf the computer is or has been so used; or

(ii) any person having charge of, or otherwise concerned with the operation of, the computer, apparatus or material,

to afford him such assistance as he may reasonably require.

(9) Any person who intentionally obstructs another in the exercise of any power conferred by this section or the regulations shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

(10) In this section “proprietor” has the same meaning as in the M1 Education Act 1944.

Textual Amendments

F4 Words in s. 87(2) inserted (1.4.1993) by Registered Homes (Amendment) Act 1991 (c. 20, SIF 113:3), s. 2(6); S.I. 1992/2240, art. 2.

Commencement Information

I3 S. 87 wholly in force at 14.10.1991 see s. 108(2)(3) and S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)

Marginal Citations

M1 1944 c. 31.

[F5 87A Suspension of duty under section 87(3). E+W

(1) The Secretary of State may appoint a person to be an inspector for the purposes of this section if—

(a) that person already acts as an inspector for other purposes in relation to independent schools to which section 87(1) applies, and

(b) the Secretary of State is satisfied that the person is an appropriate person to determine whether the welfare of children provided with accommodation by such schools is adequately safeguarded and promoted while they are accommodated by them.

(2) Where—

(a) the proprietor of an independent school to which section 87(1) applies enters into an agreement in writing with a person appointed under subsection (1),

(b) the agreement provides for the person so appointed to have in relation to the school the function of determining whether section 87(1) is being complied with, and

(c) the local authority in whose area the school is situated receive from the person with whom the proprietor of the school has entered into the agreement notice in writing that the agreement has come into effect,

the authority’s duty under section 87(3) in relation to the school shall be suspended.

(3) Where a local authority’s duty under section 87(3) in relation to any school is suspended under this section, it shall cease to be so suspended if the authority receive—

(a) a notice under subsection (4) relating to the person with whom the proprietor of the school entered into the relevant agreement, or

(b) a notice under subsection (5) relating to that agreement.

(4) The Secretary of State shall terminate a person’s appointment under subsection (1) if—

(a) that person so requests, or

(b) the Secretary of State ceases, in relation to that person, to be satisfied that he is such a person as is mentioned in paragraph (b) of that subsection,

and shall give notice of the termination of that person’s appointment to every local authority.

(5) Where—

(a) a local authority’s duty under section 87(3) in relation to any school is suspended under this section, and

(b) the relevant agreement ceases to have effect,

the person with whom the proprietor of the school entered into that agreement shall give to the authority notice in writing of the fact that it has ceased to have effect.

(6) In this section—

(a) “proprietor” has the same meaning as in the M2 Education Act 1944, and

(b) references to the relevant agreement, in relation to the suspension of a local authority’s duty under section 87(3) as regards any school, are to the agreement by virtue of which the authority’s duty under that provision as regards that school is suspended.]

Textual Amendments

F5 Ss. 87A and 87B inserted (1.1.1996) by 1994 c. 40, s. 38; S.I. 1995/2835, art.2

Marginal Citations

M2 1944 c. 31.

[F6 87B Duties of inspectors under section 87A. E+W

(1) The Secretary of State may impose on a person appointed under section 87A(1) (“an authorised inspector") such requirements relating to, or in connection with, the carrying out under substitution agreements of the function mentioned in section 87A(2)(b) as the Secretary of State thinks fit.

(2) Where, in the course of carrying out under a substitution agreement the function mentioned in section 87A(2)(b), it appears to an authorised inspector that there has been a failure to comply with section 87(1) in the case of a child provided with accommodation by the school to which the agreement relates, the inspector shall give notice of that fact to the Secretary of State.

(3) Where, in the course of carrying out under a substitution agreement the function mentioned in section 87A(2)(b), it appears to an authorised inspector that a child provided with accommodation by the school to which the agreement relates is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm, the inspector shall—

(a) give notice of that fact to the local authority in whose area the school is situated, and

(b) where the inspector is required to make inspection reports to the Secretary of State, supply that local authority with a copy of the latest inspection report to have been made by the inspector to the Secretary of State in relation to the school.

(4) In this section—

(a) “proprietor” has the same meaning as in the Education M3 Act 1944, and

(b) references to substitution agreement are to an agreement between an authorised inspector and the proprietor of an independent school by virtue of which the local authority’s duty in relation to the school under section 87(3) is suspended.]

Textual Amendments

F6 Ss. 87A, 87B inserted (1.1.1996) by 1995 c. 40, s.38: S.I. 1995/2835, art.2

Marginal Citations

M3 1944 c. 31.

Valid from 01/07/2001

[F7 87C Boarding schools: national minimum standards. E+W

(1) The Secretary of State may prepare and publish statements of national minimum standards for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children for whom accommodation is provided in a school or college.

(2) The Secretary of State shall keep the standards set out in the statements under review and may publish amended statements whenever he considers it appropriate to do so.

(3) Before issuing a statement, or an amended statement which in the opinion of the Secretary of State effects a substantial change in the standards, the Secretary of State shall consult any persons he considers appropriate.

(4) The standards shall be taken into account—

(a) in the making by the appropriate authority of any determination under section 87(4) or (4A);

(b) in the making by a person appointed under section 87A(1) of any determination under section 87B(2); and

(c) in any proceedings under any other enactment in which it is alleged that the person has failed to comply with section 87(1).]

Textual Amendments

F7 S. 87C inserted (1.7.2001 (W.) and 20.11.2001 (E.) for specified purposes and 1.4.2002 (E.) in so far as not already in force) by 2000 c. 14, s. 107; S.I. 2001/2190, art. 2, Sch.; S.I. 2001/3852, art. 3(3)(d)(ii)(7)(h)(subject to transitional provision in Sch. 1 of the commencing S.I. (as amended by S.I. 2001/4150, art. 5; S.I. 2002/1493, art. 5; S.I. 2002/1790, art. 2; S.I. 2002/2001, arts. 2, 3; S.I. 2002/3210, art. 2 (with art. 4); S.I. 2005/3397, art. 2))

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 87C: transfer of functions (1.4.2007) by Education and Inspections Act 2006 (c. 40), ss. 148(3), 188; S.I. 2007/935, art. 5(u)

Valid from 01/07/2001

[F8 87D Annual fee for boarding school inspections. E+W

(1) Regulations under subsection (2) may be made in relation to any school or college in respect of which the appropriate authority is required to take steps under section 87(3).

(2) The Secretary of State may by regulations require the relevant person to pay the appropriate authority an annual fee of such amount, and within such time, as the regulations may specify.

(3) A fee payable by virtue of this section may, without prejudice to any other method of recovery, be recovered summarily as a civil debt.]

Textual Amendments

F8 S. 87D inserted (1.7.2001 (W.) and 20.11.2001 for specified purposes otherwise 1.4.2002 (E.)) by 2000 c. 14, s. 108; S.I. 2001/2090, art. 2(1), Sch.; S.I. 2001/3852, art. 3(3)(a)(iii)(7)(h) (subject to transitional provision in Sch. 1 of the commencing S.I. (as amended by S.I. 2001/4150, art. 5; S.I. 2002/1493, art. 5; S.I. 2002/1790, art. 2; S.I. 2002/2001, arts. 2, 3; S.I. 2002/3210, art. 2 (with art. 4); S.I. 2005/3397, art. 2))

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2 S. 87D: transfer of functions (1.4.2007) by Education and Inspections Act 2006 (c. 40), ss. 148(3), 188; S.I. 2007/935, art. 5(u)