These Regulations may be cited as the Foster Placement (Children) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 and shall come into operation on 4th November 1996.

In these Regulations—

• “the Order” means the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995;

• “approving authority”, in relation to a foster parent, means the authority or voluntary organisation responsible under regulation 3 for approving (or not approving) the foster parent;

• “area authority”, in relation to a child (and foster parent), means the authority in whose area the child is placed where that authority is not also the responsible authority;

• “foster parent” means the person with whom a child is, or is proposed to be, placed under these Regulations;

• “foster placement agreement” means an agreement referred to in regulation 5(6);

• “guardian ad litem” means a guardian ad litem appointed pursuant to Article 60 of the Order or under rules made under Article 66 of the Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 19872;

• “responsible authority”, in relation to a child, means the authority or voluntary organisation responsible for the placement of the child under (as the case may be) Article 27(2)(a) or 75(1)(a) of the Order.

Any notice or consent required under these Regulations is to be given in writing and any such notice may be set by ordinary post.