2. In these Regulations—
(a)where the doing of anything is required to be in writing and authenticated by a signature, the use of electronic communication is not permitted; and
(b)“accredited” in relation to an organisation means accredited by the Secretary of State in accordance with the criteria set out in these Regulations;
“child care provider” means a person who looks after one or more children under the age of 15 (under the age of 16 if the child is disabled) outside the United Kingdom for reward;
“disabled” in relation to a child under the age of 16 means a child—
in respect of whom disability living allowance is payable, or has ceased to be payable solely because he is a patient within the meaning of regulation 10 of the Disability Working Allowance (General) Regulations 1991(1);
who is registered as blind in a register compiled by a local authority under section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948(2) (welfare services) or, in Scotland, has been certified as blind and in consequence he is registered as blind in a register maintained by or on behalf of a regional or islands council; or
who ceased to be registered as blind in such a register within the 28 weeks immediately preceding the date of claim;
“electronic communication” means electronic communication as defined in section 15 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000(3);
“scheme” means the scheme made by these Regulations for establishing a new category of persons whose charges for providing child care are to be taken into account for the purposes set out in section 15(1) of the Tax Credits Act 1999;
“system” means the system operated by an accredited organisation for approving child care providers and assessing the quality of child care provided by them.