Care Standards Act 2000

4 Other basic definitions

(1) This section has effect for the purposes of this Act.

(2) “Residential family centre” means, subject to subsection (6), any establishment at which—

(a) accommodation is provided for children and their parents;

(b) the parents' capacity to respond to the children’s needs and to safeguard their welfare is monitored or assessed; and

(c) the parents are given such advice, guidance or counselling as is considered necessary.

• In this subsection “parent”, in relation to a child, includes any person who is looking after him.

(3) “Domiciliary care agency” means, subject to subsection (6), an undertaking which consists of or includes arranging the provision of personal care in their own homes for persons who by reason of illness, infirmity or disability are unable to provide it for themselves without assistance.

(4) “Fostering agency” means, subject to subsection (6)—

(a) an undertaking which consists of or includes discharging functions of local authorities in connection with the placing of children with foster parents; or

(b) a voluntary organisation which places children with foster parents under section 59(1) of the 1989 Act.

(5) “Nurses agency” means, subject to subsection (6), an employment agency or employment business, being (in either case) a business which consists of or includes supplying, or providing services for the purpose of supplying, registered nurses, registered midwives or registered health visitors.

(6) The definitions in subsections (2) to (5) do not include any description of establishment, undertaking or organisation excepted from those definitions by regulations.

(7) “Voluntary adoption agency” means an adoption society within the meaning of the [1976 c. 36.] Adoption Act 1976 which is a voluntary organisation within the meaning of that Act.

(8) Below in this Act—

(a) any reference to a description of establishment is a reference to a children’s home, an independent hospital, an independent hospital in which treatment or nursing (or both) are provided for persons liable to be detained under the [1983 c. 20.] Mental Health Act 1983, an independent clinic, a care home or a residential family centre;

(b) a reference to any establishment is a reference to an establishment of any of those descriptions.

(9) Below in this Act—

(a) any reference to a description of agency is a reference to an independent medical agency, a domiciliary care agency, a nurses agency, a fostering agency or a voluntary adoption agency;

(b) a reference to any agency is a reference to an agency of any of those descriptions.