Section 22J — Children Act 1989: Accommodation of looked after children: regional co-operation arrangements

Accommodation of looked after children: regional co-operation arrangements 22J 1 The Secretary of State may give directions requiring two or more local authorities to make regional co-operation arrangements. 2 “ Regional co-operation arrangements ” means arrangements—

a for the local authorities to carry out their strategic accommodation functions jointly, b for the local authorities’ strategic accommodation functions to be carried out by one of the local authorities on behalf of the others, or c for a body corporate to support the local authorities in carrying out their strategic accommodation functions.

3 A local authority’s “strategic accommodation functions” are—

a assessing current and future requirements for the accommodation of children being looked after by the local authority, b developing and publishing strategies for meeting those requirements, c commissioning the provision of accommodation for children being looked after by the local authority, d recruiting prospective local authority foster parents and supporting local authority foster parents, e developing, or facilitating the development of, new provision for the accommodation of children being looked after by the local authority, and f any other functions relating to a local authority’s duties under section 22A, 22C or 22G that are specified in regulations made by the Secretary of State.

4 Before making regulations under subsection (3)(f) the Secretary of State must consult—

a local authorities, and b such other persons (if any) as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

5 A direction under subsection (1) may—

a specify which of the three kinds of regional co-operation arrangements the local authorities must make, or b specify more than one kind of regional co-operation arrangement (“the permitted arrangements”) and require the local authorities to determine which of the permitted arrangements to make.

6 A direction which requires or permits the local authorities to make regional co-operation arrangements of the kind in subsection (2)(b) may—

a specify which local authority is to carry out the strategic accommodation functions, or b require the local authorities to determine which of them is to carry out the strategic accommodation functions.

7 A direction which requires or permits the local authorities to make regional co-operation arrangements of the kind in subsection (2)(c) may—

a specify the kind of body corporate with which the arrangements may be made;

b require a body corporate to be established for the purposes of the arrangements.

8 If a direction requires a body corporate to be established, it may—

a specify which of the local authorities is to establish the body corporate, or b require the local authorities to determine which of them is to establish it.

9 The Secretary of State may give a direction requiring a local authority to terminate arrangements made in accordance with a direction under subsection (1).

10 A direction under this section may make different provision for different purposes.