The Act
21.The Act is in nine Parts:
Part I provides for the establishment of the National Care Standards Commission in England and establishes the National Assembly for Wales as the equivalent registration authority in Wales. Part I also contains definitions for the purposes of the Act;
Part II makes provision for the regulatory procedures to be followed by the National Care Standards Commission in England and the National Assembly for Wales. The Secretary of State and National Assembly for Wales are given powers to make regulations in relation to the care services regulated under this Part of the Act and to issue national minimum standards applicable to all the services to which the registration authorities and providers must have regard;
Part III provides for the inspection of local authority fostering and adoption services by the National Care Standards Commission and the National Assembly for Wales;
Part IV concerns the functions of, and procedures to be followed by the General Social Care Council and the Care Council for Wales;
Part V provides for the establishment of an independent Children’s Commissioner in Wales;
Part VI provides for the regulation of child minding and day care services for young children and provides for checks on the suitability of persons working with older children;
Part VII imposes a duty on the Secretary of State to maintain a list of individuals who are considered unsuitable to work with vulnerable adults, and makes amendments to the Protection of Children Act 1999;
Part VIII makes provision about children in boarding schools and further education colleges and makes new arrangements for the regulation of nurses agencies; and for statutory guidance on local authority charges for home care services; and
Part IX contains supplementary provisions.