Children Act 1989

Provision of services for children and their families E+W+S

17 Provision of services for children in need, their families and others. E+W

(1) It shall be the general duty of every local authority (in addition to the other duties imposed on them by this Part)—

(a) to safeguard and promote the welfare of children within their area who are in need; and

(b) so far as is consistent with that duty, to promote the upbringing of such children by their families,

by providing a range and level of services appropriate to those children’s needs.

(2) For the purpose principally of facilitating the discharge of their general duty under this section, every local authority shall have the specific duties and powers set out in Part 1 of Schedule 2.

(3) Any service provided by an authority in the exercise of functions conferred on them by this section may be provided for the family of a particular child in need or for any member of his family, if it is provided with a view to safeguarding or promoting the child’s welfare.

(4) The Secretary of State may by order amend any provision of Part I of Schedule 2 or add any further duty or power to those for the time being mentioned there.

(5) Every local authority—

(a) shall facilitate the provision by others (including in particular voluntary organisations) of services which the authority have power to provide by virtue of this section, or section 18, 20, 23 or 24; and

(b) may make such arrangements as they see fit for any person to act on their behalf in the provision of any such service.

(6) The services provided by a local authority in the exercise of functions conferred on them by this section may include giving assistance in kind or, in exceptional circumstances, in cash.

(7) Assistance may be unconditional or subject to conditions as to the repayment of the assistance or of its value (in whole or in part).

(8) Before giving any assistance or imposing any conditions, a local authority shall have regard to the means of the child concerned and of each of his parents.

(9) No person shall be liable to make any repayment of assistance or of its value at any time when he is in receipt of income support, [F1 family credit or disability working allowance] under the [F2 Part VII of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992][F3 or of an income-based jobseeker’s allowance].

(10) For the purposes of this Part a child shall be taken to be in need if—

(a) he is unlikely to achieve or maintain, or to have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining, a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision for him of services by a local authority under this Part;

(b) his health or development is likely to be significantly impaired, or further impaired, without the provision for him of such services; or

(c) he is disabled,

and “family”, in relation to such a child, includes any person who has parental responsibility for the child and any other person with whom he has been living.

(11) For the purposes of this Part, a child is disabled if he is blind, deaf or dumb or suffers from mental disorder of any kind or is substantially and permanently handicapped by illness, injury or congenital deformity or such other disability as may be prescribed; and in this Part—

• “development” means physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural development; and

• “health” means physical or mental health.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 17(9) substituted (19.11.1991) by Disability Living Allowance and Disability Working Allowance Act 1991 (c. 21, SIF 113:1), s. 7, Sch. 3 Pt. II, para. 13; S.I. 1991/2617, art. 2(b), Sch.

F2 Words in s. 17(9) substituted (1.7.1992) by Social Security (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992 (c. 6), ss. 4, 7(2), Sch. 2 para. 108(a).

F3 Words in s. 17(9) added (7.10.1996) by 1995 c. 18, s. 41(4), Sch. 2 para. 19(2); S.I. 1996/2208, art. 2

Commencement Information

I1 S. 17 wholly in force at 14.10.1991 see s. 108(2)(3) and S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)

Valid from 01/04/2001

[F4 17A Direct payments. E+W

(1) Instead of providing services in the exercise of functions conferred on them by section 17, a local authority may make to a person falling within subsection (2) (if he consents) a payment of such amount as, subject to subsections (5) and (6), they think fit in respect of his securing the provision of any of the services which the local authority would otherwise have provided.

(2) The following fall within this subsection—

(a) a person with parental responsibility for a disabled child;

(b) a disabled child aged 16 or 17.

(3) A payment under subsection (1) shall be subject to the condition that the person to whom it is made shall not secure the provision of the service to which it relates by a person who is of a prescribed description.

(4) The Secretary of State may by regulations provide that the power conferred by subsection (1) is not to be exercisable in relation to the provision of residential accommodation for any person for a period exceeding a prescribed period.

(5) Except as mentioned in subsection (6) of this section, subsections (2) and (6) of section 1, and subsections (1) and (2) of section 2, of the M1 Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996 apply in relation to payments under subsection (1) as they apply in relation to payments under section 1(1) of that Act, but as if—

(a) the reference to “subsection (4)" in section 1(6)(b) of that Act were a reference to subsection (3) of this section; and

(b) the references to “the relevant community care enactment" in section 2 of that Act were to Part III of the M2 Children Act 1989.

(6) Section 1(2) of the Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996 does not apply in relation to payments under subsection (1) to—

(a) a person with parental responsibility for a disabled child, other than a parent of such a child under the age of sixteen, in respect of a service which would otherwise have been provided for the child; or

(b) any person who is in receipt of income support, working families’ tax credit or disabled person’s tax credit under Part VII of the M3 Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 or of an income-based jobseeker’s allowance,

and in those cases the amount of any payment under subsection (1) is to be at a rate equal to the local authority’s estimate of the reasonable cost of securing the provision of the service concerned.]

Textual Amendments

F4 S. 17A inserted (1.4.2001 (E.) and 1.7.2001 (W.)) by 2000 c. 16, s. 7(1); S.I. 2001/510, art. 2, Sch; S.I. 2001/2196, art. 2, Sch.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 17A(1) restricted (W.) (1.7.2001) by S.I. 2001/2192, reg. 3

Marginal Citations

M1 1996 c. 30.

M2 1989 c.41.

M3 1992 c. 4.

Prospective

[F5 17B Vouchers for persons with parental responsibility for disabled children. E+W

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for the issue by a local authority of vouchers to a person with parental responsibility for a disabled child.

(2) “Voucher” means a document whereby, if the local authority agrees with the person with parental responsibility that it would help him care for the child if the person with parental responsibility had a break from caring, that person may secure the temporary provision of services for the child under section 17.

(3) The regulations may, in particular, provide—

(a) for the value of a voucher to be expressed in terms of money, or of the delivery of a service for a period of time, or both;

(b) for the person who supplies a service against a voucher, or for the arrangement under which it is supplied, to be approved by the local authority;

(c) for a maximum period during which a service (or a service of a prescribed description) can be provided against a voucher.]

Textual Amendments

F5 S. 17B inserted (30.4.2003 for E. and otherwise prosp.) by 2000 c. 16, ss. 7(1), 12(2); S.I. 2003/1183, art. 2

18 Day care for pre-school and other children. E+W

(1) Every local authority shall provide such day care for children in need within their area who are—

(a) aged five or under; and

(b) not yet attending schools,

as is appropriate.

(2) A local authority may provide day care for children within their area who satisfy the conditions mentioned in subsection (1)(a) and (b) even though they are not in need.

(3) A local authority may provide facilities (including training, advice, guidance and counselling) for those—

(a) caring for children in day care; or

(b) who at any time accompany such children while they are in day care.

(4) In this section “day care” means any form of care or supervised activity provided for children during the day (whether or not it is provided on a regular basis).

(5) Every local authority shall provide for children in need within their area who are attending any school such care or supervised activities as is appropriate—

(a) outside school hours; or

(b) during school holidays.

(6) A local authority may provide such care or supervised activities for children within their area who are attending any school even though those children are not in need.

(7) In this section “supervised activity” means an activity supervised by a responsible person.

Commencement Information

I2 S. 18 wholly in force at 14.10.1991 see s. 108(2)(3) and S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)

19 Review of provision for day care, child minding etc. E+W+S

(1) Every local authority in England and Wales shall review—

(a) the provision which they make under section 18;

(b) the extent to which the services of child minders are available within their area with respect to children under the age of eight; and

(c) the provision for day care within their area made for children under the age of eight by persons other, than the authority, required to register under section 71(1)(b).

(2) A review under subsection (1) shall be conducted—

(a) together with the appropriate local education authority; and

(b) at least once in every review period.

(3) Every local authority in Scotland shall, at least once in every review period, review—

(a) the provision for day care within their area made for children under the age of eight by the local authority and by persons required to register under section 71(1)(b); and

(b) the extent to which the services of child minders are available within their area with respect to children under the age of eight.

(4) In conducting any such review, the two authorities or, in Scotland, the authority shall have regard to the provision made with respect to children under the age of eight in relevant establishments within their area.

(5) In this section—

• “relevant establishment” means any establishment which is mentioned in paragraphs 3 and 4 of Schedule 9 (hospitals, schools and other establishments exempt from the registration requirements which apply in relation to the provision of day care); and

• “review period” means the period of one year beginning with the commencement of this section and each subsequent period of three years beginning with an anniversary of that commencement.

(6) Where a local authority have conducted a review under this section they shall publish the result of the review—

(a) as soon as is reasonably practicable;

(b) in such form as they consider appropriate; and

(c) together with any proposals they may have with respect to the matters reviewed.

(7) The authorities conducting any review under this section shall have regard to—

(a) any representations made to any one of them by any relevant [F6 Health Authority, Special Health Authority] or health board; and

(b) any other representations which they consider to be relevant.

(8) In the application of this section to Scotland, “day care” has the same meaning as in section 79 and “health board” has the same meaning as in the M4 National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978.

Textual Amendments

F6 Words in s. 19(7)(a) substituted(1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 17, ss. 1(2), 2(1)(3), Sch. 1, Pt. III, para. 118(2)(with Sch. 2 para. 6)

Commencement Information

I3 S. 19 wholly in force at 14.10.1991 see s. 108(2)(3) and S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)

Marginal Citations

M4 1978 c. 29.