- Latest available (Revised)
- Point in Time (04/04/2011)
- Original (As enacted)
Point in time view as at 04/04/2011.
Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009, Section 198 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 16 August 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.
Changes and effects yet to be applied by the editorial team are only applicable when viewing the latest version or prospective version of legislation. They are therefore not accessible when viewing legislation as at a specific point in time. To view the ‘Changes to Legislation’ information for this provision return to the latest version view using the options provided in the ‘What Version’ box above.
In Part 1 of the Childcare Act 2006 (c. 21) (functions of local authorities in England in relation to children) after section 5 insert— “Children's centres
(1)Arrangements made by an English local authority under section 3(2) must, so far as is reasonably practicable, include arrangements for sufficient provision of children's centres to meet local need.
(2)“Local need” is the need of parents, prospective parents and young children in the authority's area.
(3)In determining what provision of children's centres is sufficient to meet local need, an authority may have regard to any children's centres—
(a)that are provided outside the authority's area, or
(b)that the authority expect to be provided outside their area.
(4)For the purposes of this Part and Part 3A a “children's centre” is a place, or a group of places—
(a)which is managed by or on behalf of, or under arrangements made with, an English local authority, with a view to securing that early childhood services in their area are made available in an integrated manner,
(b)through which each of the early childhood services is made available, and
(c)at which activities for young children are provided, whether by way of early years provision or otherwise.
(5)For the purposes of this section, a service is made available—
(a)by providing the service, or
(b)by providing advice and assistance to parents and prospective parents on gaining access to the service.
(6)Guidance given under section 3(6) in respect of arrangements made under section 3(2) by virtue of subsection (1) of this section may, in particular, relate to—
(a)circumstances in which any early childhood services should be made available through children's centres as mentioned in subsection (5)(a);
(b)circumstances in which any early childhood services should be made available through children's centres as mentioned in subsection (5)(b).
(7)A children's centre provided by virtue of arrangements made by an English local authority under section 3(2) is to be known as a Sure Start Children's Centre.
(1)Regulations may make provision about the staffing, organisation and operation of children's centres.
(2)The regulations may in particular—
(a)require English local authorities to secure that children's centres have governing bodies;
(b)impose obligations and confer powers on any such governing bodies.
(1)This section applies where arrangements made by an English local authority under section 3(2) include arrangements for the provision of one or more children's centres.
(2)The authority must make arrangements to secure that each of the children's centres is within the remit of an advisory board.
(3)A children's centre is within the remit of an advisory board if it is specified in relation to the board by the responsible authority.
(4)An advisory board must provide advice and assistance for the purpose of ensuring the effective operation of the children's centres within its remit.
(5)An advisory board must include persons representing the interests of—
(a)each children's centre within its remit;
(b)the responsible authority;
(c)parents or prospective parents in the responsible authority's area.
(6)An advisory board may also include persons representing the interests of any other persons or bodies that the responsible authority think appropriate.
(7)In exercising their functions under this section, an English local authority must have regard to any guidance given from time to time by the Secretary of State.
(8)The guidance may in particular relate to—
(a)the membership of advisory boards;
(b)the organisation and operation of advisory boards.
(9)The “responsible authority”, in relation to an advisory board in respect of which arrangements have been made under subsection (2), is the authority that made the arrangements.
(1)An English local authority must secure that such consultation as they think appropriate is carried out—
(a)before making arrangements under section 3(2) for the provision of a children's centre;
(b)before any significant change is made in the services provided through a relevant children's centre;
(c)before anything is done that would result in a relevant children's centre ceasing to be a children's centre.
(2)In discharging their duty under this section, an English local authority must have regard to any guidance given from time to time by the Secretary of State.
(3)For the purposes of this section a change in the manner in which, or the location at which, services are provided is to be treated as a change in the services.
(4)A “relevant children's centre”, in relation to an authority, is a children's centre provided by virtue of arrangements made by the authority under section 3(2).
(1)This section applies where arrangements made by an English local authority under section 3(2) include arrangements for the provision of one or more children's centres.
(2)The authority must consider whether each of the early childhood services to be provided by them should be provided through any of those children's centres.
(3)Each relevant partner of the authority must consider whether each of the early childhood services to be provided by it in the authority's area should be provided through any of those children's centres.
(4)In discharging their duties under this section, the authority and each relevant partner must take into account whether providing a service through any of the children's centres in question would—
(a)facilitate access to it, or
(b)maximise its benefit to parents, prospective parents and young children.
(5)In discharging their duties under this section, an English local authority and each of their relevant partners must have regard to any guidance given from time to time by the Secretary of State.
(6)For the purposes of this section, early childhood services are provided by a person or body if they are provided on behalf of, or under arrangements made with, that person or body.
(7)For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this section is to be taken as preventing an English local authority or any of their relevant partners from providing early childhood services otherwise than through a children's centre.
(1)This section applies if immediately before the commencement date an English local authority has made arrangements for the provision of a children's centre.
(2)To the extent that this would not otherwise be the case, the arrangements are to be treated for the purposes of this Part and Part 3A as made under section 3(2).
(3)“The commencement date” is the day on which section 198 of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 comes into force.
In sections 5A to 5F—
“children's centre” has the meaning given by section 5A(4);
“early childhood services” has the same meaning as in section 3;
“parent” and “prospective parent” have the same meaning as in section 2;
“relevant partner” has the same meaning as in section 4.”
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.
Would you like to continue?
The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.
Would you like to continue?
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
The Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.
Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.
Point in Time: This becomes available after navigating to view revised legislation as it stood at a certain point in time via Advanced Features > Show Timeline of Changes or via a point in time advanced search.
Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.
Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.
Text created by the government department responsible for the subject matter of the Act to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Public Acts except Appropriation, Consolidated Fund, Finance and Consolidation Acts.
Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.
Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including: