Search Legislation

Children Act 2004

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Children Act 2004, Cross Heading: Local authority administration. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

Local authority administrationE+W

[F117Children and young people’s plansE+W

(1)The Secretary of State may by regulations require a Children's Trust Board established by virtue of arrangements under section 10 from time to time to prepare and publish a children and young people's plan.

(2)A children and young people's plan is a plan setting out the strategy of the persons or bodies represented on the Board for co-operating with each other with a view to improving the well-being of children and relevant young persons in the area of the authority that established the Board.

(3)In subsection (2) “well-being” means well-being so far as relating to the matters specified in section 10(2)(a) to (e).

(4)Regulations under this section may in particular make provision as to—

(a)the matters to be dealt with in a children and young people's plan;

(b)the period to which a children and young people's plan is to relate;

(c)when and how a children and young people's plan must be published;

(d)keeping a children and young people's plan under review;

(e)revising a children and young people's plan;

(f)consultation to be carried out during preparation or revision of a children and young people's plan;

(g)other steps required or permitted to be taken in connection with the preparation or revision of a children and young people's plan.

(5)In this section “relevant young persons” means persons, other than children, in relation to whom arrangements under section 10 may be made.]

Textual Amendments

F1Ss. 17, 17A substituted (26.2.2010 for certain purposes and 1.4.2010 otherwise) for s. 17 by Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (c. 22), ss. 194(3), 269; S.I. 2010/303, arts. 2, 3, Sch. 1, Sch. 2

Commencement Information

I1S. 17 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 67(2); s. 17 in force for E. at 1.3.2005 by S.I. 2005/394, art. 2(1)

[F217AChildren and young people's plans: implementationE+W

(1)This section applies where a Children's Trust Board prepares a children and young people's plan in accordance with regulations under section 17.

(2)The persons and bodies whose strategy for co-operation is set out in the plan must have regard to the plan in exercising their functions.

(3)The Board must—

(a)monitor the extent to which the persons and bodies whose strategy for co-operation is set out in the plan are acting in accordance with the plan;

(b)prepare and publish an annual report about the extent to which, during the year to which the report relates, those persons and bodies have acted in accordance with the plan.]

Textual Amendments

F2Ss. 17, 17A substituted (26.2.2010 for certain purposes and 1.4.2010 otherwise) for s. 17 by Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (c. 22), ss. 194(3), 269; S.I. 2010/303, arts. 2, 3, Sch. 1, Sch. 2

18Director of children’s servicesE+W

(1)A [F3local authority] in England may, and with effect from the appointed day must, appoint an officer for the purposes of—

(a)the functions conferred on or exercisable by the authority which are specified in subsection (2); and

(b)such other functions conferred on or exercisable by the authority as may be prescribed by the Secretary of State by regulations.

(2)The functions referred to in subsection (1)(a) are—

(a)[F4education] functions conferred on or exercisable by the authority F5. . . ;

(b)functions conferred on or exercisable by the authority which are social services functions (within the meaning of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 (c. 42)), so far as those functions relate to children;

(c)the functions conferred on the authority under sections 23C to 24D of the Children Act 1989 (c. 41) (so far as not falling within paragraph (b));

(d)the functions conferred on the authority under sections 10 to 12 [F6, 12C, 12D and 17A] of this Act; F7. . .

(e)any functions exercisable by the authority under [F8section 75 of the National Health Service Act 2006 or section 33 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006] on behalf of an NHS body (within the meaning of [F9those sections]), so far as those functions relate to children[F10; F11...

(f)the functions conferred on the authority under Part 1 of the Childcare Act 2006,] [F12 and

(g)any function conferred on the authority under section 2 of the Childcare Act 2016.]

(3)Subsection (2)(a) does not include—

(a)functions under section 120(3) of the Education Reform Act 1988 (c. 40) (functions of LEAs with respect to higher and further education);

(b)functions under section 85(2) and (3) of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 (c. 13) (finance and government of locally funded further and higher education);

(c)functions under section 15B of the Education Act 1996 (c. 56) F13. . . (education for persons who have attained the age of 19);

(d)functions under section 22 of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 (c. 30) (financial support to students);

(e)such other [F14education] functions conferred on or exercisable by a [F3local authority] in England F5. . . as the Secretary of State may by regulations prescribe.

(4)An officer appointed by a [F3local authority] in England under this section is to be known as their “director of children’s services”.

(5)The director of children’s services appointed by a [F3local authority] in England may also have responsibilities relating to such functions conferred on or exercisable by the authority, in addition to those specified in subsection (1), as the authority consider appropriate.

(6)The functions in relation to which a director of children’s services may have responsibilities by virtue of subsection (5) include those referred to in subsection (3)(a) to (e).

(7)A [F3local authority] in England must have regard to any guidance given to them by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this section.

(8)Two or more [F15local authorities] in England may for the purposes of this section, if they consider that the same person can efficiently discharge, for both or all of them, the responsibilities of director of children’s services, concur in the appointment of a person as director of children’s services for both or all of them.

(9)The amendments in Schedule 2—

(a)have effect, in relation to any authority which appoint a director of children’s services before the appointed day, from the day of his appointment; and

(b)on and after the appointed day have effect for all purposes.

[F16(10)In this section—

  • the appointed day” means such day as the Secretary of State may by order appoint;

  • education functions” has the meaning given by section 579(1) of the Education Act 1996.]

Subordinate Legislation Made

P1S. 18(10) power exercised: 1.1.2008 appointed by {S.I. 2007/1792}, art. 2

Textual Amendments

F10S. 18(2)(f) and preceding word inserted (1.4.2007) by Childcare Act 2006 (c. 21), ss. 16(2)(b), 109(2); S.I. 2007/1019, art. 3

Commencement Information

I2S. 18 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 67(2); s. 18 in force for E. at 1.4.2005 by S.I. 2005/394, art. 2(2)

19Lead member for children’s servicesE+W

(1)A [F17local authority] in England must, in making arrangements for the discharge of—

(a)the functions conferred on or exercisable by the authority specified in section 18(1)(a) and (b), and

(b)such other functions conferred on or exercisable by the authority as the authority consider appropriate,

designate one of their members as their “lead member for children’s services”.

(2)A [F17local authority] in England must have regard to any guidance given to them by the Secretary of State for the purposes of subsection (1).

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

Explanatory Notes

Text created by the government department responsible for the subject matter of the Act to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Public Acts except Appropriation, Consolidated Fund, Finance and Consolidation Acts.

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Impact Assessments

Impact Assessments generally accompany all UK Government interventions of a regulatory nature that affect the private sector, civil society organisations and public services. They apply regardless of whether the regulation originates from a domestic or international source and can accompany primary (Acts etc) and secondary legislation (SIs). An Impact Assessment allows those with an interest in the policy area to understand:

  • Why the government is proposing to intervene;
  • The main options the government is considering, and which one is preferred;
  • How and to what extent new policies may impact on them; and,
  • The estimated costs and benefits of proposed measures.
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources