Children Act 1989

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Point in time view as at 31/03/2020. This version of this provision has been superseded.

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Children Act 1989, Section 85 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 19 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.

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85 Children accommodated by health authorities and local education authorities.E+W

(1)Where a child is provided with accommodation [F1in England] by any F2[F3..., Special Health Authority,]F4... [F5National Health Service trust] [F6or NHS foundation trust or by a local authority [F7in England] in the exercise of education functions](“the accommodating authority”)—

(a)for a consecutive period of at least three months; or

(b)with the intention, on the part of that authority, of accommodating him for such a period,

the accommodating authority shall notify [F8the appropriate officer of] the responsible authority.

(2)Where subsection (1) applies with respect to a child, the accommodating authority shall also notify [F9the appropriate officer of] the responsible authority when they cease to accommodate the child.

[F10(2ZA)Where a child is provided with accommodation—

(a)by a body which is not mentioned in subsection (1), and

(b)pursuant to arrangements made by the Secretary of State, the National Health Service Commissioning Board or a clinical commissioning group under the National Health Service Act 2006,

subsections (1) and (2) apply in relation to the Secretary of State, the Board or (as the case may be) the clinical commissioning group as if it were the accommodating authority.]

[F11(2A)In a case where the child is [F12provided with accommodation in England by a local authority in England] in the exercise of education functions, subsections (1) and (2) apply only if the local authority providing the accommodation is different from the responsible authority.]

(3)In this section “the responsible authority” means—

(a)the local authority appearing to the accommodating authority to be the authority within whose area the child was ordinarily resident immediately before being accommodated; or

(b)where it appears to the accommodating authority that a child was not ordinarily resident within the area of any local authority, the local authority within whose area the accommodation is situated.

[F13(3A) In this section and sections 86 and 86A “ the appropriate officer ” means—

(a)in relation to a local authority in England, their director of children's services; and

(b)in relation to a local authority in Wales, their [F14director of social services].]

(4)Where [F15the appropriate officer of a] [F16local authority in England has been notified under this section, or under section 120 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (assessment of children accommodated by health authorities and education authorities)], [F17the local authority] shall—

(a)take such steps as are reasonably practicable to enable them to determine whether the child’s welfare is adequately safeguarded and promoted while he is accommodated by the accommodating authority; and

(b)consider the extent to which (if at all) they should exercise any of their functions under this Act with respect to the child.

[F18(5)For the purposes of subsection (4)(b), if the child is not in the area of the local authority, they must treat him as if he were in that area.]

Textual Amendments

F1Words in s. 85(1) inserted (6.4.2016) by The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/413), regs. 2(1), 102(a)(i)

F2Words in s. 85(1) omitted (6.4.2016) by virtue of The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/413), regs. 2(1), 102(a)(ii)

F3Words in s. 85(1) substituted(1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 17, s. 2(1)(3), Sch. 1 Pt. III, para. 118(9)(with Sch. 2 para. 6)

F4Words in s. 85(1) omitted (1.4.2013) by virtue of Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), s. 306(4), Sch. 5 para. 55(a); S.I. 2013/160, art. 2(2) (with arts. 7-10 Sch. Sch. para. 14)

F5Words inserted by National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19, SIF 113:2), s. 66(1), Sch. 9 para. 36(5)

F6Words in s. 85(1) substituted (5.5.2010) by The Local Education Authorities and Children's Services Authorities (Integration of Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1158), arts. 1, 5(1), Sch. 2 para. 37(10)(a)

F7Words in s. 85(1) inserted (6.4.2016) by The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/413), regs. 2(1), 102(a)(iii)

F8Words in s. 85(1) inserted (1.4.2011) by Children and Young Persons Act 2008 (c. 23), ss. 17(2), 44; S.I. 2010/2981, art. 2(a)

F9Words in s. 85(2) inserted (1.4.2011) by Children and Young Persons Act 2008 (c. 23), ss. 17(2), 44; S.I. 2010/2981, art. 2(a)

F10S. 85(2ZA) inserted (1.4.2013) by Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), s. 306(4), Sch. 5 para. 55(b); S.I. 2013/160, art. 2(2) (with arts. 7-10 Sch. Sch. para. 14)

F11S. 85(2A) inserted (5.5.2010) by The Local Education Authorities and Children's Services Authorities (Integration of Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1158), arts. 1, 5(1), Sch. 2 para. 37(10)(b)