Children Act 2004

  1. Introductory Text

  2. Part 1 Children’s Commissioner

    1. 1.Establishment

    2. 2.General function

    3. 3.Inquiries initiated by Commissioner

    4. 4.Other inquiries held by Commissioner

    5. 5.Functions of Commissioner in Wales

    6. 6.Functions of Commissioner in Scotland

    7. 7.Functions of Commissioner in Northern Ireland

    8. 8.Annual reports

    9. 9.Care leavers and young persons with learning disabilities

  3. Part 2 Children’s services in England

    1. General

      1. 10.Co-operation to improve well-being

      2. 11.Arrangements to safeguard and promote welfare

      3. 12.Information databases

    2. Local Safeguarding Children Boards

      1. 13.Establishment of LSCBs

      2. 14.Functions and procedure of LSCBs

      3. 15.Funding of LSCBs

      4. 16.LSCBs: supplementary

    3. Local authority administration

      1. 17.Children and young people’s plans

      2. 18.Director of children’s services

      3. 19.Lead member for children’s services

    4. Inspections of children’s services

      1. 20.Joint area reviews

      2. 21.Framework

      3. 22.Co-operation and delegation

      4. 23.Sections 20 to 22: interpretation

      5. 24.Performance rating of social services

  4. Part 3 Children’s services in Wales

    1. General

      1. 25.Co-operation to improve well-being: Wales

      2. 26.Children and young people’s plans: Wales

      3. 27.Responsibility for functions under sections 25 and 26

      4. 28.Arrangements to safeguard and promote welfare: Wales

      5. 29.Information databases: Wales

      6. 30.Inspection of functions under this Part

    2. Local Safeguarding Children Boards

      1. 31.Establishment of LSCBs in Wales

      2. 32.Functions and procedure of LSCBs in Wales

      3. 33.Funding of LSCBs in Wales

      4. 34.LSCBs in Wales: supplementary

  5. Part 4 Advisory and support services for family proceedings

    1. CAFCASS functions in Wales

      1. 35.Functions of the Assembly relating to family proceedings

      2. 36.Ancillary powers of the Assembly

      3. 37.Welsh family proceedings officers

      4. 38.Inspections

      5. 39.Protection of children

      6. 40.Advisory and support services for family proceedings: supplementary

      7. 41.Sharing of information

    2. Transfers

      1. 42.Transfer of property from CAFCASS to Assembly

      2. 43.Transfer of staff from CAFCASS to Assembly

  6. Part 5 Miscellaneous

    1. Private fostering

      1. 44.Amendments to notification scheme

      2. 45.Power to establish registration scheme in England

      3. 46.Power to establish registration scheme in Wales

      4. 47.Expiry of powers in sections 45 and 46

    2. Child minding and day care

      1. 48.Child minding and day care

    3. Local authority services

      1. 49.Payments to foster parents

      2. 50.Intervention

      3. 51.Inspection of local education authorities

      4. 52.Duty of local authorities to promote educational achievement

      5. 53.Ascertaining children’s wishes

      6. 54.Information about individual children

      7. 55.Social services committees

      8. 56.Social services functions

    4. Other provisions

      1. 57.Fees payable to adoption review panel members

      2. 58.Reasonable punishment

      3. 59.Power to give financial assistance

      4. 60.Child safety orders

      5. 61.Children’s Commissioner for Wales: powers of entry

      6. 62.Publication of material relating to legal proceedings

      7. 63.Disclosure of information by Inland Revenue

  7. Part 6 General

    1. 64.Repeals

    2. 65.Interpretation

    3. 66.Regulations and orders

    4. 67.Commencement

    5. 68.Extent

    6. 69.Short title

  8. SCHEDULES

    1. SCHEDULE 1

      Children’s Commissioner

      1. 1.Status

      2. 2.General powers

      3. 3.Appointment and tenure of office

      4. 4.Remuneration

      5. 5.Staff

      6. 6.Pensions

      7. 7.Funding

      8. 8.Accounts

      9. 9.Evidence

      10. 10.Protection from defamation actions

      11. 11.Regulated position

      12. 12.Disqualifications

      13. 13.In the Northern Ireland Assembly Disqualification Act 1975 (c. 25),...

    2. SCHEDULE 2

      Director of children’s services: consequential amendments

      1. 1.Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (c. 12)

      2. 2.Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 (c. 42)

      3. 3.Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (c. 42)

      4. 4.Education Act 1996 (c. 56)

      5. 5.Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (c. 37)

      6. 6.Protection of Children Act 1999 (c. 14)

      7. 7.Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 (c. 43)

      8. 8.Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44)

    3. SCHEDULE 3

      Advisory and support services for family proceedings

      1. 1.Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates' Courts Act 1978 (c. 22)

      2. 2.Child Abduction and Custody Act 1985 (c. 60)

      3. 3.In sections 6(a) and 21(a) (reports), after “an officer of...

      4. 4.In section 27 (interpretation), after subsection (5) insert—

      5. 5.Children Act 1989 (c. 41)

      6. 6.In section 7 (welfare reports), in subsections (1)(a) and (b)...

      7. 7.In section 16 (family assistance orders), in subsection (1), after...

      8. 8.(1) Section 26 (review of cases etc) is amended as...

      9. 9.(1) Section 41 (representation of child) is amended as follows....

      10. 10.In section 42 (rights of officers of the Service), in...

      11. 11.In section 105(1) (interpretation), at the end insert— “Welsh family...

      12. 12.Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 (c. 43)

      13. 13.In section 12 (principal functions of CAFCASS), in subsection (1),...

      14. 14.In paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 (members of CAFCASS), for...

      15. 15.Adoption and Children Act 2002 (c. 38)

      16. 16.(1) Section 102 (officers of the Service) is amended as...

      17. 17.In section 103 (rights of officers of the Service), in...

      18. 18.Sexual Offences Act 2003 (c. 42)

    4. SCHEDULE 4

      Child minding and day care

      1. 1.Part 10A of the Children Act 1989 (c. 41) is...

      2. Amendments relating to child minding and day care

        1. 2.Conditions imposed by justice of the peace or tribunal

        2. 3.Application fees

        3. 4.Fees payable by registered persons

        4. 5.Waiver of disqualification

      3. Amendments relating to day care only

        1. 6.Qualification for registration

        2. 7.Hotels etc

        3. 8.Prohibition in respect of disqualified persons

        4. 9.Unincorporated associations

    5. SCHEDULE 5

      Repeals

      1. Part 1 Plans

      2. Part 2 Child minding and day care

      3. Part 3 Inspection of local education authorities

      4. Part 4 Social services committees and departments

      5. Part 5 Reasonable punishment

      6. Part 6 Child safety orders