Section 23A — Children Act 1989: The responsible authority and relevant children.

The responsible authority and relevant children. 23A 1 The responsible local authority shall have the functions set out in section 23B in respect of a relevant child.

2 In subsection (1) “ relevant child ” means (subject to subsection (3)) a child who—

a is not being looked after by any local authority in England or by any local authority in Wales ;

b was, before last ceasing to be looked after, an eligible child for the purposes of paragraph 19B of Schedule 2;

and c is aged sixteen or seventeen.

3 The Secretary of State may prescribe—

a additional categories of relevant children;

and b categories of children who are not to be relevant children despite falling within subsection (2).

4 In subsection (1) the “ responsible local authority ” is the one which last looked after the child.

5 If under subsection (3)(a) the Secretary of State prescribes a category of relevant children which includes children who do not fall within subsection (2)(b) (for example, because they were being looked after by a local authority in Scotland), the Secretary of State may in the regulations also provide for which local authority is to be the responsible local authority for those children.