These Regulations provide for amendments to the Children’s Homes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005.

Regulation 2(1) amends regulation 2(1)(a) and (b) of the Children’s Homes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 with regard to the interpretation of “placing authority” in the case of a child accommodated in a children’s home. The amendments provide that where the arrangements for providing accommodation have been made by an HSC trust or a body exercising equivalent functions outside Northern Ireland, the placing authority is that trust or body. Where the arrangements for providing accommodation are made by a voluntary organisation, the placing authority is that voluntary organisation. In any other case, the placing authority is the child’s parent.

Regulation 2(2) amends regulation 33(2) of the Children’s Homes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 so as to remove the requirement placed on the registered person to supply, on request, a copy of a report relating to any review conducted by him for the purposes of regulation 33(1) to the children accommodated in the home and their parents. The registered person will continue to be required to supply any such report to the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority and the placing authority and to make a copy of the report available on request to the Commissioner for Children and Young People for Northern Ireland.