Part II Promotion of Children’s Welfare by Local Authorities and by Children’s Hearings etc.
Chapter 2 Children’s Hearings
Conduct of proceedings at and in connection with children’s hearing
47 Presumption and determination of age.
1
Where a children’s hearing has been arranged in respect of any person, the hearing—
a
shall, at the commencement of the proceedings, make inquiry as to his age and shall proceed with the hearing only if he declares that he is a child or they so determine; and
b
may, at any time before the conclusion of the proceedings, accept a declaration by the child, or make a fresh determination, as to his age.
2
The age declared to, or determined by, a children’s hearing to be the age of a person brought before them shall, for the purposes of this Part of this Act, be deemed to be the true age of that person.
3
No decision reached, order continued, warrant granted or requirement imposed by a children’s hearing shall be invalidated by any subsequent proof that the age of a person brought before them had not been correctly declared to the hearing or determined by them.