Care Standards Act 2000 Explanatory Notes

Other Relevant Legislation

18.Other services covered by this Act are provided for either in these Acts or other legislation. Local authorities provide fostering and adoption services under the Children Act 1989 and the Adoption Act 1976 respectively. Nurses agencies are subject to the Nurses Agencies Act 1957. Matters relating to the regulation of training for social workers are dealt with under the HASSASSA Act.

19.Legislation relating to child minding and day care provision in England and Wales is set out in Part X of the Children Act 1989, which places a duty on local authorities to keep a register of childminders and day care providers, and to require providers to meet reasonable standards. The legislation governing nursery education inspections is in the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, and applies to both England and Wales.

20.The Protection of Children Act 1999 provides for the Secretary of State to maintain a list of persons unsuitable to work with children. Childcare organisations are required in certain circumstances to refer individuals for inclusion on the list, and to check whether an individual is included on the list before offering them work in a child care position. They are prohibited from taking the person on if he is listed. An independent tribunal is established by section 9 to hear appeals against inclusion on the list. The Act amends Part V of the Police Act 1997 to allow information about inclusion on the list to be available where appropriate from the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) as part of a criminal record certificate or an enhanced criminal record certificate. Until such time as the CRB takes on its functions under Part V of the Police Act 1997, those who must make inquiries under the Act about the inclusion or otherwise of an individual in the list will be entitled to the information from the Secretary of State.

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