Children Act 1989

27 (1) In section 32 of that Act (detention of absentees), for subsection (1A) there shall be substituted the following subsections—

“(1A) If a child or young person is absent, without the consent of the responsible person—

(a) from a place of safety to which he has been taken under section 16(3) of this Act; or

(b) from local authority accommodation—

(i) in which he is required to live under section 12AA of this Act; or

(ii) to which he has been remanded under section 23(1) of this Act,

he may be arrested by a constable anywhere in the United Kingdom or Channel Islands without a warrant.

(1B) A person so arrested shall be conducted to—

(a) the place of safety;

(b) the local authority accommodation; or

(c) such other place as the responsible person may direct,

at the responsible person’s expense.

(1C) In this section “the responsible person” means the person who made the arrangements under section 16(3) of this Act or, as the case may be, the authority designated under section 12AA or 23 of this Act.”

(2) In subsection (2B) of that section for the words “person referred to in subsection (1A)(a) or (b) (as the case may be) of this section” there shall be substituted “responsible person”.