Source: http://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/1991/act/17/front/revised/en/html
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 11:59:00+00:00

Document:
This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the Child Care Act 1991. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under the Law Reform Commission Act 1975 (3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation of statute law.
All Acts up to and including Hallmarking (Amendment) Act 2019 (2/2019), enacted 14 February 2019, and all statutory instruments up to and including Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration Of School Age Services) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.I. No. 58 of 2019), made 12 February 2019, were considered in the preparation of this Revised Act.
All Acts up to and including Hallmarking (Amendment) Act 2019 (2/2019), enacted 14 February 2019, were considered in the preparation of this revision.
All statutory instruments up to and including Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration Of School Age Services) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.I. No. 58 of 2019), made 12 February 2019, were considered in the preparation of this revision.
Functions of Child and Family Agency.
Provision of services by voluntary bodies and other persons.
Assistance for voluntary bodies and other persons.
Power of Garda Síochána to take a child to safety.
Notification to be given by Child and Family Agency.
Provision of accommodation for purposes of Part III .
Duty of Child and Family Agency to institute proceedings.
Proceedings under Guardianship of Infants Act, 1964, Judicial Separation and Family Law Reform Act, 1989, etc.
Effect of appeal from orders.
Variation or discharge of orders etc.
Powers of court in case of invalidity of orders.
Functions of Child and Family Agency when providing special care.
Return of child to Child and Family Agency in certain circumstances.
Notice of private foster care arrangement.
Information to be submitted to Child and Family Agency.
Duty in respect of children in private foster care.
Institution of proceedings by Child and Family Agency.
Restrictions on private foster care arrangements in certain cases.
Welfare of child to be paramount.
Power of court to join child as a party and costs of child as a party.
Appointment of guardian ad litem for a child.
Power to procure reports on children.
Power to proceed in absence of child.
Prohibition on publication or broadcast of certain matters.
Presumption and determination of age.
Failure or refusal to deliver up a child.
Warrant to search for and deliver up a child.
Accommodation and maintenance of children in care.
Access to children in care.
Provision of residential care by Child and Family Agency.
Regulations as to foster care.
Regulations as to residential care.
Regulations as to placement with relatives.
Review of cases of children in care.
Orders relating to children in care of same foster parent or relative for five years or more.
Variation, discharge or cessation of order under section 43A.
Aftercare plan - eligible child.
Aftercare plan - eligible adult.
Review and update of aftercare plan.
Recovery of children removed from care etc.
Definitions for Part VII .
Regulations as to pre-school services.
Notice to Health Service Executive.
Duty of person carrying on pre-school service.
Provision by health boards of pre-school services and information.
Offences under Part VII .
Exemptions from provisions of this Part.
Duty of person providing early years service.
Supervision of early years services.
Definitions for Part VIII .
Prohibition of unregistered children’s residential centres.
Registration of children’s residential centres.
Regulations in relation to children’s residential centres.
Offences under Part VIII .
Functions of chief executive officer.
Amendment of section 17 of the School Attendance Act, 1926.
Amendment of section 15 of the Guardianship of Infants Act, 1964.
Amendment of section 16 of the Guardianship of Infants Act, 1964.
Maintenance — saver in relation to members of Defence Forces.
Certain functions of Health Service Executive in relation to Act transferred to Child and Family Agency (1.01.2014) by Child and Family Agency Act 2013 (40/2013), s. 82(2), S.I. No. 502 of 2013.
Transfer of certain functions of Health Service Executive.
(2) The functions vested in the Health Service Executive by or under the enactments specified in Schedule 1 shall, on the establishment day, stand transferred to the Agency.
Functions transferred and “Department of Health” and “Minister for Health” construed (1.10.2011) by Child Care (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 488 of 2011), arts. 2, 3, 7, commenced as per. art. 1(2).
2.— (1) The administration and business in connection with the exercise, performance or execution of any functions transferred by Article 3 are transferred to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
(2) References to the Department of Health contained in any Act or any instrument made thereunder and relating to any administration and business transferred by paragraph (1) shall, from the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
3.— (1) The functions vested in the Minister for Health by or under the Child Care Acts 1991 to 2011 are transferred to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.
(2) References to the Minister for Health contained in any Act or instrument made thereunder and relating to any functions transferred by this Article shall, from the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.
7.—References to the Minister for Health contained in the memorandum and articles of association of any company and relating to any function transferred by this Order shall, from the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.
Power of Court to make orders under Act provided (23.07.2007) by Children Act 2001 (24/2001), s. 77, S.I. No. 524 of 2007.
Referral of case to [Health Service Executive].
Power of court to make orders under Act provided (27.03.1996) by Domestic Violence Act 1996 (1/1996), ss. 7 and 9, commenced as per s. 25(1).
Power to make orders, etc., under Child Care Act, 1991.
7.— (1) Where in proceedings for any order under this Act, other than proceedings to which section 6 relates, it appears to the court that it may be appropriate for a care order or a supervision order to be made under the Child Care Act, 1991, with respect to a dependent person concerned in the proceedings, the court may, of its own motion or on the application of any person concerned, adjourn the proceedings and direct the [Child and Family Agency ] for the area in which such dependent person resides or is for the time being to undertake an investigation or, as the case may be, further investigations of such dependent person’s circumstances.
Hearing of applications under various Acts together.
9.— (1) Where an application is made to the court for an order under this Act, the court may, on application to it in the same proceedings and without the institution of proceedings under the Act concerned, if it appears to the court to be proper to do so, make one or more of the orders referred to in subsection (2).
(d) an order under the Child Care Act, 1991 .
Construction of references to “psychiatric examination, treatment or assessment” under Act restricted (1.11.2006) by Mental Health Act 2001 (25/2001), s. 25(15), S.I. No. 411 of 2006.
(15) References in sections 13(7), 18(3) and 19(4) of the Child Care Act, 1991, to psychiatric examination, treatment or assessment do not include references to treatment under this Act.
In relation to certain proceedings under Domestic Violence Act 2018 (6/2018), a court may on its own motion or on the application of a person concerned make certain directions and care or supervision orders under Act as provided (1.01.2019) by Domestic Violence Act 2018 (6/2018), s. 12, S.I. No. 532 of 2018.
In relation to certain proceedings under Domestic Violence Act 2018 (6/2018), a court may on the application to it in the same proceedings make orders under Act as provided (1.01.2019) by Domestic Violence Act 2018 (6/2018), s. 15, S.I. No. 532 of 2018.
Application of Act to unaccompanied minors confirmed (30.06.2018) by European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 230 of 2018), reg. 10(3), in effect as per reg. 1(2).
Proceedings brought by Health Service Executive (now Child and Family Agency) under collectively cited Child Care Acts 1991 to 2013 exempted from fees (3.12.2013) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) (No. 2) Order 2013 (S.I. No. 466 of 2013), art. 5(1)(d)(iii).
Setting of standards on safety and quality in relation to services provided by Health Service Executive, Child and Family Agency or a service provider in accordance with collectively cited Child Care Acts 1991 and 2001 assigned to Health Information and Quality Authority (15.07.2007) by Health Act 2007, s. 8(1)(b)(i)(II), S.I. No. 226 of 2007; as substituted (1.01.2014) by Child and Family Agency Act 2013 (40/2013), s. 97 and sch. 2, part 20 item 2.
District Court confirmed as “Children Court” when exercising jurisdiction under pts. III, IV, IVA and V of Act (1.05.2002) by Children Act 2001 (24/2001), s. 71(1)(a), S.I. No. 151 of 2002.
Application of Act extended to separated children by Refugee Act 1996 (17/1996), s. 8(5)(a) as substituted (7.07.1999) by Immigration Act 1999 (22/1999), s. 11(1)(c)(v), commenced on enactment; as amended (1.01.2005) by Health Act 2004 (42/2004), s. 75 and sch. 6, part 15 item 1(a), S.I. No. 887 of 2004; and as amended (1.01.2014) by Child and Family Agency Act 2013 (40/2013), s. 97 and sch. 2, part 8, S.I. No. 502 of 2013.
Previous affecting provision: proceedings brought by the Health Service Executive under collectively cited Child Care Acts 1991 to 2013 exempted from fees (10.07.2013) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) Order 2013 (S.I. No. 239 of 2013), art. 6(1)(d)(iii); revoked (3.12.2013) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) (No. 2) Order 2013 (S.I. No. 466 of 2013), art. 10.
Previous affecting provision: proceedings brought by Health Service Executive under collectively cited Child Care Acts 1991 to 2011 exempted from fees (10.04.2012) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) Order 2012 (S.I. No. 110 of 2012), art. 6(1)(d)(iii); revoked (10.07.2013) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) Order 2013 (S.I. No. 239 of 2013), art. 13.
Previous affecting provision: proceedings brought by Health Service Executive under collectively cited Child Care Acts 1991 to 2007 exempted from fees(22.08.2011) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 406 of 2011), art. 6(c)(iii); revoked (10.04.2012) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) Order 2012 (S.I. No. 110 of 2012), art. 11.
Previous affecting provision: proceedings brought by Health Service Executive under collectively cited Child Care Acts 1991 to 2007 exempted from fees (7.07.2008) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 200 of 2008); revoked (22.08. 2011) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 406 of 2011), art. 10.
Previous affecting provision: proceedings brought by Health Service Executive under collectively cited Child Care Acts 1991 and 2001 exempted from fees (15.01.2005) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) Order 2005 (S.I. No. 70 of 2005), art. 7(1)(c)(iii); revoked (7.07.2008) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 200 of 2008), art. 10.
Previous affecting provision: proceedings brought by Health Service Executive under collectively cited Child Care Acts 1991 and 2001 exempted from fees (1.01.2004) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) Order 2005 (S.I. No. 444 of 2004), art. 7(1)(c)(iii); revoked (15.01.2005) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) Order 2005 (S.I. No. 70 of 2005), art. 11.
Previous affecting provision: proceedings brought by health board under Child Care Act 1991 exempted from fees (5.03.2003) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) Order 2005 (S.I. No. 89 of 2003), art. 7(1); revoked (12.07.2004) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) Order 2004 (S.I. No.444 of 2004), art. 11.
Previous affecting provision: proceedings brought by health board under Child Care Act 1991 exempted from fees (25.10.2001) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) (No. 2) Order 2001 (S.I. No. 488 of 2001), art. 7(1); revoked (5.03.2003) by Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) Order 2003 (S.I. No. 89 of 2003), art. 11.

References: art. 1
 art. 5
 art. 6
 art. 10
 art. 6
 art. 13
 art. 6
 art. 11
 art. 10
 art. 7
 art. 10
 art. 7
 art. 11
 art. 7
 art. 11
 art. 7
 art. 11