The Residential Family Centres Regulations 2002

PART I E+W GENERAL

Citation, commencement and application E+W

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Residential Family Centres Regulations 2002 and shall come into force on 1st April 2003.

(2) These Regulations apply to residential family centres in England only.

Interpretation E+W

2.—(1) In these Regulations—

• “the 2000 Act” means the Care Standards Act 2000;

• “the 1989 Act” means the Children Act 1989 F1 ;

• “child protection enquiry” has the meaning given to it by regulation 12(3)(a);

• “family” means a child and his parent accommodated or to be accommodated together in a residential family centre, and the expression “member of the family” shall be construed accordingly;

• “general practitioner” means a registered medical practitioner who—

  (a)

  provides general medical services under Part II of the National Health Service Act 1977 F2 ;

  (b)

  performs personal medical services in connection with a pilot scheme under the National Health Service (Primary Care) Act 1997 F3 ; or

  (c)

  provides services which correspond to services provided under Part II of the National Health Service Act 1977 otherwise than in pursuance of that Act;

• “organisation” means a body corporate or any unincorporated association other than a partnership;

• “parent” has the meaning given to it by section 4(2) of the 2000 Act F4 ;

• “placement plan” means the plan prepared in accordance with regulation 13;

• “placing authority” means, in relation to a family, the local authority or other body that has arranged for the family to be accommodated in a residential family centre;

• “registered manager”, in relation to a residential family centre, means a person who is registered under Part II of the Act as the manager of the residential family centre;

• “registered person”, in relation to a residential family centre, means any person who is the registered provider or the registered manager of the residential family centre;

• “registered provider”, in relation to a residential family centre, means a person who is registered under Part II of the Act as the person carrying on the residential family centre;

• “resident” means any person who is for the time being accommodated in a residential family centre;

• “responsible individual” shall be construed in accordance with regulation 5; and

• “statement of purpose” means the written statement compiled in accordance with regulation 4.

(2) In these Regulations, save where otherwise provided, references to a child do not include a parent accommodated in a residential family centre who is under the age of 18.

(3) In these Regulations, references to employing a person include employing a person whether or not for payment, and whether under a contract of service or a contract for services, and allowing a person to work as a volunteer, and references to an employee or to a person being employed shall be construed accordingly.

Textual Amendments

F1 1989 c. 41.

F2 1977 c. 49.

F3 1997 c. 46.

F4 Section 4(2) of the 2000 Act provides that “parent” in relation to a child, includes any person who is looking after that child.

Excepted establishments E+W

3.  For the purposes of the 2000 Act, an establishment is excepted from being a residential family centre if—

(a) it is a health service hospital, an independent hospital, an independent clinic or a care home;

(b) it is a hostel or a domestic violence refuge; or

(c) the main purpose of the establishment is to provide accommodation together with other services or facilities to adults, and the fact that those adults may be parents, or may be accompanied by their children, is incidental to the main purpose of the establishment.

Statement of purpose and resident’s guide E+W

4.—(1) The registered person shall compile in relation to the residential family centre a written statement (in these Regulations referred to as “the statement of purpose”) which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1.

(2) The registered person shall provide a copy of the statement of purpose to the Commission F5 and shall make a copy of it available, upon request, for inspection by—

(a) any person who works at the residential family centre;

(b) any resident;

(c) any local authority exercising any functions under the 1989 Act in relation to any resident.

(3) The registered person shall produce a written guide to the residential family centre (the “resident’s guide”) which shall include a summary of the statement of purpose, and shall supply a copy of it to the Commission and to each parent accommodated in the residential family centre.

(4) The registered person shall—

(a) keep under review and where appropriate revise the statement of purpose and resident’s guide; and

(b) notify the Commission within 28 days of any such revision.

(5) Subject to paragraph (6) the registered person shall ensure that the residential family centre is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose.

(6) Nothing in paragraph (5) or in regulations 14(1) or 21(1) shall require or authorise the registered person to contravene or not comply with—

(a) any other provision of these Regulations; or

(b) the conditions for the time being in force in relation to the registration of the registered person under Part II of the 2000 Act.

Textual Amendments

F5 The National Care Standards Commission;see section 6(1) of the 2000 Act.