PART IVSUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES
Children looked after by an authority
Accommodation and maintenance for children27
1
Every authority looking after a child shall—
a
when he is in the care of the authority, provide accommodation for him; and
b
maintain him in other respects apart from providing accommodation for him.
2
An authority shall provide accommodation and maintenance for any child whom it is looking after by—
a
placing him (subject to paragraph (5) and any regulations made by the Department) with—
i
a family;
ii
a relative of his; or
iii
any other suitable person,
on such terms as to payment by the authority and otherwise as the authority may determine;
F1aa
maintaining him in an appropriate children's home;
f
making such other arrangements as—
i
seem appropriate to the authority; and
ii
comply with any regulations made by the Department.
3
Any person with whom a child has been placed under paragraph (2)(a) is referred to in this Order as an authority foster parent unless he falls within paragraph (4).
4
A person falls within this paragraph if he is—
a
a parent of the child;
b
a person who is not a parent of the child but who has parental responsibility for him; or
c
where the child is in care and there was a residence order in force with respect to him immediately before the care order was made, a person in whose favour the residence order was made.
5
Where a child is in the care of an authority, it may only allow him to live with a person who falls within paragraph (4) in accordance with regulations made by the Department.
6
For the purposes of paragraph (5) a child shall be regarded as living with a person if he stays with that person for a continuous period of more than 24 hours.
7
Subject to any regulations made by the Department for the purposes of this paragraph, any authority looking after a child shall make arrangements to enable him to live with—
a
a person falling within paragraph (4); or
b
a relative, friend or other person connected with him,
unless that would not be reasonably practicable or consistent with his welfare.
8
Where an authority provides accommodation for a child whom it is looking after, the authority shall, subject to the provisions of this Part and so far as is reasonably practicable and consistent with his welfare, secure that—
a
the accommodation is near his home; and
b
where the authority is also providing accommodation for a sibling of his, they are accommodated together.
9
Where an authority provides accommodation for a child whom it is looking after and who is disabled, the authority shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, secure that the accommodation is not unsuitable to his particular needs.
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In this Order "appropriate children's home" means a children's home in respect of which a person is registered under Part III of the Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003.