Children Act 1975
Part I
1—32. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Part II Custody
Custodianship orders
33 Custodianship orders.
34 Access and maintenance.
34A Matters to which court is required to have regard in exercising powers as to maintenance.
34B Duration of orders for maintenance.
35 Revocation and variation of orders.
35A Care etc. of child on revocation of custodianship order.
36 Provisions relating to lump sums.
37 Custodianship order on application for adoption or guardianship.
38 Disputes between joint custodians.
39 Reports by local authorities and probation officers.
40 Notice of application to be given to local authority.
41 Restriction on removal of child where applicant has provided home for three years.
42 Return of child taken away in breach of section 41.
43 Enforcement of orders made by magistrates’ courts.
43A Restriction on removal of child from England and Wales.
44 Effect of custodianship order on existing custody.
45 Affiliation order on application by custodian.
46 Procedure in magistrates’ courts.
Custody in Scotland
47 Granting of Custody.
48 Miscellaneous provisions relative to custody.
49 Notice to local authority of certain custody applications.
50 Payments towards maintenance of children.
51 Restriction on removal of child where applicant has provided home for three years.
52 Return of child taken away in breach of section 51.
53 Custody order on application for adoption in Scotland.
54. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
55 Interpretation and extent of sections 50 to 53.
Part III Care
56 Restriction on removal of child from care.
57 Substitution of s. 2 of Chidren Act 1948.
58 Supplementary provisions relating to care proceedings.
59 General duty of local authority in care cases.
Children in care of voluntary organisations in England and Wales
60 Transfer of parental rights and duties to voluntary organisations.
61 Duty of local authority to assume parental rights and duties.
62 Effect of resolutions under sections 60 and 61.
63 Appeals by parents etc.
Conflict of interest between parent and child
64 Addition of new sections to Children and Young Persons Act 1969.
65. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
66 Safeguarding of interests of children before children’s hearings etc. in Scotland.
Absence from care and children in need of secure accommodation
67 Recovery of children in care of local authorities.
68 Extension of powers under section 32 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969.
69 Certificates of unruly character.
70 Children of unruly character in Scotland.
71. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
72 Grants in respect of secure accomodation for children in Scotland.
Further amendments of Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968
73 Amendment of s. 15 of Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.
74 Substitution of s. 16 of Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.
75 Duty of local authority in Scotland to assume parental rights and powers vested in a voluntary organisation.
76 Return of Children taken away in breach of section 17(8) or (9) of Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.
77 Making of adoption orders where local authority or voluntary organisations have parental rights.
78 Safeguarding of interests of children in proceedings in Scotland relating to the assumption of parental rights.
79 Amendment of section 20 of Social Work (Scotland) Act.
80 Review of case of child in care in Scotland.
81 Restriction on removal of child from care of voluntary organisation.
82 Power of reporters to conduct proceedings under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.
83 Amendment of section 37 of Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.
84 Amendment of section 40 of Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.
Part IV Further Amendments of Law of England and Wales
Explanation of concepts
85 Parental rights and duties.
86 Legal custody.
87 Actual custody.
88 Child in care of voluntary organisation.
89. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reports in guardianship and matrimonial proceedings
90 Procedure in guardianship proceedings.
91. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Registration of births
92 Registration of births of abandoned children.
93 Registration of father of illegitimate child.
Extent of Part IV
94 Extent of Part IV.
Part V Miscellaneous and Supplemental
95—97. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
98. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Inquiries
99 Inquiries in Scotland.
Supplemental
100 Courts.
101 Appeals etc.
102 Evidence of agreement and consent.
103 Panel for guardians ad litem and reporting officers.
104 Savings for powers of High Court.
105 Periodic review of Act.
106 Regulations and orders.
107 Interpretation.
108 Amendments, repeals, commencement and transitory provisions.
109 Short title and extent.
SCHEDULES
SCHEDULE 1 Status conferred by adoption or legitimation in England and Wales
Part I Interpretation
1(1) This Part applies for the construction of this Schedule,...
Dispositions of property
2(1) In this Schedule— “ disposition ” includes the conferring...
Part II Adoption Orders
Status conferred by adaption
3(1) An adopted child shall be treated in law—
Vocabulary
4A relationship existing by virtue of paragraph 3 may be...
Instruments and enactments concerning property
5(1) Paragraph 3— (a) does not apply to an existing...
6(1) Subject to any contrary indication, the rules of construction...
Other enactments and instruments
7(1) Paragraph 3 does not apply for the purposes of...
Pensions
8Paragraph 3(2) does not affect entitlement to a pension which...
Adoption of child by natural parents
9In the case of a child adopted by one of...
Peerages, etc.
10An adoption does not affect the descent of any peerage...
Insurance
11Where a child is adopted whose natural parent has effected...
Part III
12, 13. . . . . . . . . ....
Part IV Supplemental
Dispositions depending on date of birth
14(1) Where a disposition depends on the date of birth...
Protection of trustees and personal representatives
15(1) A trustee or personal representative is not under a...
Property devolving with peerages, etc.
16(1) This Schedule shall not affect the devolution of any...
Entails
17It is hereby declared that references in this Schedule to...
Part V Extent
18This Schedule does not apply to Scotland.
SCHEDULE 2 Status conferred in Scotland by adoption
General
1. . . . . . . . . ....
Pensions
2. . . . . . . . . ....
Insurance
3. . . . . . . . . ....
Social Security
4. . . . . . . . . ....
Succession of Property
5(1) . . . . . . . . ....
Adoption and Legitimation
6(1) . . . . . . . . ....
Interpretation
7. . . . . . . . . ....
SCHEDULE 3 Minor and Consequential Amendments.
Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (23 and 24 Geo. 5 c. 12)
1In section 1(1)(b), for the words “one hundred pounds” there...
Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937 (c. 37)
2In section 12(1)(b) for the words “twenty-five pounds” there is...
3. . . . . . . . . ....
4—6. . . . . . . . . ....
Marriage Act 1949 (c. 76)
7In section 3(1), after the words “shall be required” there...
8In Part I of Schedule 1— (a) after “Mother” there...
9In Schedule 2 in paragraph 2(b) after the words “deceased...
Maintenance Orders Act 1950 (c. 37)
10In section 15, after the words “Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement)...
11In section 16(2)(a), after sub-paragraph (v) there are inserted the...
12. . . . . . . . . ....
Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 (c. 20)
13(1) For “living new-born child” in each place where it...
Affiliation Proceedings Act 1957 (c. 55)
14In section 5(2) there is inserted at the end the...
15. . . . . . . . . ....
Children Act 1958 (6 & 7 Eliz. 2 c. 65)
16In section 2, as it applies in England and Wales,—...
17. . . . . . . . . ....
18—20. . . . . . . . . ....
21—40. . . . . . . . . ....
County Courts Act 1959 (c. 22)
41In section 109(2) the following paragraph is inserted after paragraph...
Children and Young Persons Act 1963 (c. 37)
42In section 49(1), for the words “twenty pounds” there are...
Perpetuities and Accumulations Act 1964 (c. 55)
43In section 4, the following subsection is inserted at the...
44, 45. . . . . . . . . ....
Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 (c. 46)
46For section 64(3)(a) there is substituted— (a) “the relevant enactments”...
47For section 65(3)(b) there is substituted— (b) “the relevant enactments”...
Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 (c. 49)
48In section 2(2) (functions of the social work committee), the...
49For section 5(2) there is substituted— (2) The Secretary of...
50In section 6(1)(b), after sub-paragraph (ii) there is inserted the...
51In section 10— (a) in subsection (1), for the words...
52. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
53. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
54. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
55. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
56. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
57. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
58In section 69— (a) in subsection (1), at the end...
59In section 70, at the end there are added the...
60In section 7, for the words “one hundred pounds” there...
61, 62. . . . . . . . . ....
63. . . . . . . . . ....
64, 65. . . . . . . . . ....
66. . . . . . . . . ....
Children and Young Persons Act 1969 (c. 54)
67In section 1(2) the following paragraph is inserted after paragraph...
68The following section is inserted after section 11— Local authority...
69In section 21— (a) the following subsection is inserted after...
70The following section is inserted after section 21— Termination of...
71In section 27— (a) in subsection (3), for the words...
72In section 58(1), the following paragraph is inserted after paragraph...
Administration of justice Act 1970 (c. 31)
73(1) In Schedule 1— (a) after “Appellate Business” there is...
Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 (c. 42)
74In Schedule 1— (a) . . . . . ....
Guardianship of Minors Act 1971 (c. 3)
75(1) In section 9— (a) in subsection (2) for “any...
Attachment of Earnings Act 1971 (c. 32)
76In Schedule 1— (a) in paragraph 6, after the words...
77. . . . . . . . . ....
Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (c. 18)
78In section 44(1), for the words “custody of any person”...
79In section 50(1), at the end of paragraph (e) there...
Guardianship Act 1973 (c. 29)
80(1) In section 4(3) for the words from “the following...
81In section 6(1), for “section 9 of the Guardianship of...
82. . . . . . . . . ....
83. . . . . . . . . ....
SCHEDULE 4 Further Repeals
Part I Status of Adopted Child
Part II Legitimation
Part III Miscellaneous
Part IV Adoption Orders
Part V Children in care of Local Authorities
Part VI Registration of Births
Part VII Adoption Agencies
Part VIII Adoption: Evidence of Agreement & Guardians Ad Litem
Part IX Inquiries etc. by Adoption Agencies
PART X Grants etc. for Voluntary Organisations
Part Xl Protected Children
Part Xll Custodianship

Children Act 1975

1975 c. 72

An Act to make further provision for children.

Annotations:
Commencement Information
I1

Act in force at Royal Assent

Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1

Act repealed (E.W.)(N.I.) (14.10.1991) by Children Act 1989 (c. 41, SIF 20), s. 108, Sch. 15 (with Sch. 14 para. 1(1), 27(4) and a saving for s. 68(4)(5) and (7) in Sch. 14 para. 38(a)); S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)