Children Act 1989
Sections and provisions with full text and the judgments that cite each one.
Section 17ZC — Consideration of young carers' needs assessments
Consideration of young carers' needs assessments 17ZC A local authority that carry out a young carer's needs assessment must consider the assessment and decide— a whether the young carer has needs…
Section 17ZD — Parent carers' needs assessments ...
Parent carers' needs assessments ... 17ZD 1 A local authority ... must, if the conditions in subsections (3) and (4) are met, assess whether a parent carer within their area has needs for support…
Section 17ZE — Parent carers' needs assessments: supplementary
Parent carers' needs assessments: supplementary 17ZE 1 This section applies for the purposes of section 17ZD. 2 The references in section 17ZD to providing care include a reference to providing…
Section 17ZF — Consideration of parent carers' needs assessments
Consideration of parent carers' needs assessments 17ZF A local authority that carry out a parent carer's needs assessment must consider the assessment and decide— a whether the parent carer has needs…
Section 17ZG — Section 17 services: continued provision where EHC plan maintained
Section 17 services: continued provision where EHC plan maintained 17ZG 1 This section applies where, immediately before a child in need reaches the age of 18— a a local authority ... is providing…
Section 17ZH — Section 17 services: transition for children to adult care and support
Section 17 services: transition for children to adult care and support 17ZH 1 Subsections (2) to (4) apply where a local authority ... providing services for a child in need in the exercise of…
Section 17ZI — Section 17 services: provision after EHC plan no longer maintained
Section 17 services: provision after EHC plan no longer maintained 17ZI 1 This section applies where a local authority ... providing services for a person in the exercise, by virtue of section 17ZG,…
Section 18 — Day care for pre-school and other children.
Day care for pre-school and other children. 18 1 Every local authority shall provide such day care for children in need within their area who are— a aged five or under; and b not yet attending…
Section 19 — Review of provision for day care, child minding etc.
Review of provision for day care, child minding etc. 19 1 Every local authority in England and Wales shall review— a the provision which they make under section 18; b the extent to which the services…
Section 20 — Provision of accommodation for children: general.
Provision of accommodation for children: general. 20 1 Every local authority shall provide accommodation for any child in need within their area who appears to them to require accommodation as a…
Section 20A — Revival of orders for periodical payments.
Revival of orders for periodical payments. 20A 1 Where an order made by a magistrates’ court under this Part of this Act for the making of periodical payments to or in respect of a child (other than…
Section 21 — Provision of accommodation for children in police protection or detention or on remand, etc.
Provision of accommodation for children in police protection or detention or on remand, etc. 21 1 Every local authority shall make provision for the reception and accommodation of children who are…
Section 22 — General duty of local authority in relation to children looked after by them.
General duty of local authority in relation to children looked after by them. 22 1 In this section , any reference to a child who is looked after by a local authority is a reference to a child who…
Section 22A — Provision of accommodation for children in care
Provision of accommodation for children in care 22A When a child is in the care of a local authority, it is their duty to provide the child with accommodation.
Section 22B — Maintenance of looked after children
Maintenance of looked after children 22B It is the duty of a local authority to maintain a child they are looking after in other respects apart from the provision of accommodation.
Section 22C — Ways in which looked after children are to be accommodated and maintained
Ways in which looked after children are to be accommodated and maintained 22C 1 This section applies where a local authority are looking after a child (“C”). 2 The local authority must make…
Section 22D — Review of child's case before making alternative arrangements for accommodation
Review of child's case before making alternative arrangements for accommodation 22D 1 Where a local authority are providing accommodation for a child (“C”) other than by arrangements under section…
Section 22E — Children’s homes provided by Secretary of State or Welsh Ministers
Children’s homes provided by Secretary of State or Welsh Ministers 22E Where a local authority place a child they are looking after in a children’s home provided, equipped and maintained by the…
Section 22F — Regulations as to children looked after by local authorities
Regulations as to children looked after by local authorities 22F Part 2 of Schedule 2 has effect for the purposes of making further provision as to children looked after by local authorities and in…
Section 22G — General duty of local authority to secure sufficient accommodation for looked after children
General duty of local authority to secure sufficient accommodation for looked after children 22G 1 It is the general duty of a local authority to take steps that secure, so far as reasonably…
Section 22H — Kinship care: information
Kinship care: information 22H 1 A local authority must publish— a information about the authority’s general approach to supporting— i children living in the authority’s area who live in kinship care,…
Section 22I — Section 22H: interpretation
Section 22H: interpretation 22I 1 For the purposes of section 22H, a child lives in kinship care if— a the child lives with a relative, friend or other person connected with the child for all or part…
Section 22J — 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…
Section 23 — Provision of accommodation and maintenance by local authority for children whom they are looking after.
Provision of accommodation and maintenance by local authority for children whom they are looking after. 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 23A — 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…
Section 23CA — Further assistance to pursue education or training
Further assistance to pursue education or training 23CA 1 This section applies to a person if— a he is under the age of twenty-five or of such lesser age as may be prescribed by the Secretary of…
Section 23CZA — Arrangements for certain former relevant children to continue to live with former foster parents
Arrangements for certain former relevant children to continue to live with former foster parents 23CZA 1 Each local authority ... have the duties provided for in subsection (3) in relation to a…
Section 23ZA — Duty of local authority to ensure visits to, and contact with, looked after children and others
Duty of local authority to ensure visits to, and contact with, looked after children and others 23ZA 1 This section applies to— a a child looked after by a local authority; b a child who was looked…
Section 23ZZA — Information and advice for promoting educational achievement
Information and advice for promoting educational achievement 23ZZA 1 A local authority in England must make advice and information available in accordance with this section for the purpose of…
Section 23B — Additional functions of the responsible authority in respect of relevant children.
Additional functions of the responsible authority in respect of relevant children. 23B 1 It is the duty of each local authority to take reasonable steps to keep in touch with a relevant child for…
Section 23CZB — England: further advice and support
England: further advice and support 23CZB 1 This section applies to a former relevant child if— a he or she has reached the age of 21 but not the age of 25, and b a local authority in England had…
Section 23ZB — Independent visitors for children looked after by a local authority
Independent visitors for children looked after by a local authority 23ZB 1 A local authority looking after a child must appoint an independent person to be the child's visitor if— a the child falls…
Section 23C — Continuing functions in respect of former relevant children.
Continuing functions in respect of former relevant children. 23C 1 Each local authority shall have the duties provided for in this section towards— a a person who has been a relevant child for the…
Section 23D — Personal advisers.
Personal advisers. 23D 1 The Secretary of State may by regulations require local authorities to appoint a personal adviser for children or young persons of a prescribed description who have reached…
Section 23E — Pathway plans.
Pathway plans. 23E 1 In this Part, a reference to a “ pathway plan ” is to a plan setting out— a in the case of a plan prepared under paragraph 19B of Schedule 2— i the advice, assistance and support…
Section 24 — Persons qualifying for advice and assistance.
Persons qualifying for advice and assistance. 24 1 In this Part “ a person qualifying for advice and assistance ” means a person to whom subsection (1A) or (1B) applies. 1A This subsection applies to…
Section 24A — Advice and assistance.
Advice and assistance. 24A 1 The relevant authority shall consider whether the conditions in subsection (2) are satisfied in relation to a person qualifying for advice and assistance. 2 The…
Section 24B — Employment, education and training.
Employment, education and training. 24B 1 The relevant local authority may give assistance to any person who qualifies for advice and assistance by virtue of section 24(1A) or section 24(2)(a) by…
Section 24C — Information.
Information. 24C 1 Where it appears to a local authority that a person— a with whom they are under a duty to keep in touch under section 23B, 23C or 24; or b whom they have been advising and…
Section 24D — Representations: sections 23A to 24B.
Representations: sections 23A to 24B. 24D 1 Every local authority shall establish a procedure for considering representations (including complaints) made to them by— a a relevant child for the…
Section 25 — Use of accommodation for restricting liberty.
Use of accommodation for restricting liberty. 25 1 Subject to the following provisions of this section, a child who is being looked after by a local authority in England or Wales may not be placed,…
Section 25A — Appointment of independent reviewing officer
Appointment of independent reviewing officer 25A 1 If a local authority are looking after a child, they must appoint an individual as the independent reviewing officer for that child's case. 2 The…
Section 25B — Functions of the independent reviewing officer
Functions of the independent reviewing officer 25B 1 The independent reviewing officer must— a monitor the performance by the local authority of their functions in relation to the child's case; b…
Section 25C — Referred cases
Referred cases 25C 1 In relation to children whose cases are referred to officers under section 25B(3), the Lord Chancellor may by regulations— a extend any functions of the officers in respect of…
Section 26 — Review of cases and inquiries into representations.
Review of cases and inquiries into representations. 26 1 The Secretary of State may make regulations requiring the case of each child who is being looked after by a local authority to be reviewed in…
Section 26A — Advocacy services
Advocacy services 26A 1 Every local authority shall make arrangements for the provision of assistance to— a persons who make or intend to make representations under section 24D; and b children who…
Section 26ZA — Representations: further consideration
Representations: further consideration 26ZA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 26ZB — Representations: further consideration (Wales)
Representations: further consideration (Wales) 26ZB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section 27 — Co-operation between authorities.
Co-operation between authorities. 27 1 Where it appears to a local authority that any authority ... mentioned in subsection (3) could, by taking any specified action, help in the exercise of any of…
Section 28 — Consultation with local education authorities.
Consultation with local education authorities. 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .