Children Act 1989

F1 79B Other definitions, etc. E+W

(1) The registration authority in relation to England is Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools in England (referred to in this Part as the Chief Inspector) and references to the Chief Inspector’s area are references to England.

(2) The registration authority in relation to Wales is the National Assembly for Wales (referred to in this Act as “the Assembly”).

(3) A person is qualified for registration for child minding if—

(a) he, and every other person looking after children on any premises on which he is or is likely to be child minding, is suitable to look after children under the age of eight;

(b) every person living or employed on the premises in question is suitable to be in regular contact with children under the age of eight;

(c) the premises in question are suitable to be used for looking after children under the age of eight, having regard to their condition and the condition and appropriateness of any equipment on the premises and to any other factor connected with the situation, construction or size of the premises; and

(d) he is complying with regulations under section 79C and with any conditions imposed [F2 under this Part] .

(4) A person is qualified for registration for providing day care on particular premises if—

(a) every person looking after children on the premises is suitable to look after children under the age of eight;

(b) every person living or working on the premises is suitable to be in regular contact with children under the age of eight;

(c) the premises are suitable to be used for looking after children under the age of eight, having regard to their condition and the condition and appropriateness of any equipment on the premises and to any other factor connected with the situation, construction or size of the premises; and

(d) he is complying with regulations under section 79C and with any conditions imposed [F2 under this Part] .

(5) For the purposes of subsection (4)(b) a person is not treated as working on the premises in question if—

(a) none of his work is done in the part of the premises in which children are looked after; or

(b) he does not work on the premises at times when children are looked after there.

[F3 (5A) Where, for the purposes of determining a person’s qualification for registration under this Part—

(a) the registration authority requests any person (“A”) to consent to the disclosure to the authority by another person (“B”) of any information relating to A which is held by B and is of a prescribed description, and

(b) A does not give his consent (or withdraws it after having given it),

the registration authority may, if regulations so provide and it thinks it appropriate to do so, regard A as not suitable to look after children under the age of eight, or not suitable to be in regular contact with such children.]

(6) “Domestic premises” means any premises which are wholly or mainly used as a private dwelling and “premises” includes any area and any vehicle.

(7) “Regulations” means—

(a) in relation to England, regulations made by the Secretary of State;

(b) in relation to Wales, regulations made by the Assembly.

(8) “Tribunal” means the Tribunal established by section 9 of the M1 Protection of Children Act 1999.

(9) Schedule 9A (which supplements the provisions of this Part) shall have effect.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 79B inserted ((W.) 1.7.2001 for certain purposes and 1.4.2002 otherwise and (E.) 2.7.2001 for certain purposes and 1.4.2002 otherwise) by 2000 c. 14, s. 79(1); S.I. 2001/2041, art. 2(1)(a)(3) (with transitional provisions and savings in Sch); S.I. 2001/2190, art. 2, Sch.; S.I. 2002/839, art. 2: S.I. 2002/920, art. 3(3)(b) (subject to transitional provisions in Schs. 1-3)

F2 Words in s. 79B(3)(d)(4)(d) substituted (1.3.2005 for E. and 1.4.2006 for W.) by Children Act 2004 (c. 31), s. 48, Sch. 4 para. 2(1); S.I. 2005/394, art. 2(1)(k)

F3 S. 79B(5A) inserted (1.10.2002 for E. and 19.12.2002 for W.) by 2002 c. 32, s. 152, Sch. 13 para. 1 (with ss. 210(8), 214(4)); S.I. 2002/2439, art. 3; S.I. 2002/3185, art. 4, Sch. Pt. 1

Marginal Citations

M1 1999 c. 14.