Children Act 1989

20 (1) If a child who is being looked after by a local authority dies, the authority—

(a) shall notify the Secretary of State [F1 and (in the case of a local authority in England) Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills] ;

(b) shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, notify the child’s parents and every person who is not a parent of his but who has parental responsibility for him;

(c) may, with the consent (so far as it is reasonably practicable to obtain it) of every person who has parental responsibility for the child, arrange for the child’s body to be buried or cremated; and

(d) may, if the conditions mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) are satisfied, make payments to any person who has parental responsibility for the child, or any relative, friend or other person connected with the child, in respect of travelling, subsistence or other expenses incurred by that person in attending the child’s funeral.

(2) The conditions are that—

(a) it appears to the authority that the person concerned could not otherwise attend the child’s funeral without undue financial hardship; and

(b) that the circumstances warrant the making of the payments.

(3) Sub-paragraph (1) does not authorise cremation where it does not accord with the practice of the child’s religious persuasion.

(4) Where a local authority have exercised their power under sub-paragraph (1)(c) with respect to a child who was under sixteen when he died, they may recover from any parent of the child any expenses incurred by them.

(5) Any sums so recoverable shall, without prejudice to any other method of recovery, be recoverable summarily as a civil debt.

(6) Nothing in this paragraph affects any enactment regulating or authorising the burial, cremation or anatomical examination of the body of a deceased person.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Sch. 2 para. 20(1)(a) substituted (1.4.2007) by Education and Inspections Act 2006 (c. 40), ss. 175, 188, Sch. 14 para. 17; S.I. 2007/935; art. 5(gg)

Commencement Information

I1 Sch. 2 Pt. II para. 20 wholly in force at 14.10.1991 see s. 108(2)(3) and S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)