The Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2007
S.I. 2007/723 · Made 6 March 2007
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS, ENGLAND
Made 6th March 2007
Laid before Parliament 15th March 2007
Coming into force 6th April 2007
The Secretary of State for Education and Skills makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 67, 74(2), 75 and 104(2) of the Childcare Act 2006f1:
Annotations to the whole text
Footnotes
- f1
Contents
- 1Citation and commencement
- 2Interpretation
- 3Care of children and offences against children or adults
- 4Overseas offences
- 5Protection of Children Act list
- 6Direction in relation to the employment of teachers etc.
- 7Persons living or working on premises where a disqualified person lives
- 8Waivers
- 9Appeals
- 10Duty of disclosure
- Signature
- Schedule 1: ORDERS ETC. RELATING TO THE CARE OF CHILDREN
- 1Paragraph 1
- 2Paragraph 2
- 3Paragraph 3
- 4Paragraph 4
- 5Paragraph 5
- 6Paragraph 6
- 7Paragraph 7
- 8Paragraph 8
- 9Paragraph 9
- 10Paragraph 10
- 11Paragraph 11
- 12Paragraph 12
- 13Paragraph 13
- 14Paragraph 14
- 15Paragraph 15
- 16Paragraph 16
- 17Paragraph 17
- 18Paragraph 18
- 19Paragraph 19
- 20Paragraph 20
- 21Paragraph 21
- 22Paragraph 22
- Schedule 2: REPEALED STATUTORY OFFENCES
- 1Paragraph 1
- 2Paragraph 2
- Schedule 3: SPECIFIED OFFENCES
- 1Offences in England and Wales
- 2Offences in Scotland
- 3Offences in Northern Ireland
- 4Offences in Jersey
- 5Offences in Guernsey
- 6Offences in the Isle of Man
- 7Other Offences
- Explanatory note
1Citation and commencement
These Regulations may be cited as the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2007 and come into force on 6th April 2007.
2Interpretation
In these Regulations—
-
“the Act” means the Childcare Act 2006;
-
“the 1989 Act” means the Children Act 1989f1;
-
“the 2000 Act” means the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000f2;
-
“direction” means a direction made, or which has effect as if made, under section 142 of the Education Act 2002f3 on the grounds set out in subsection (4)(a), (b) or (d) of that section;
-
“relevant order” and “senior court” have the same meanings as in section 30(1) of the 2000 Act.
In these Regulations a person has been “found to have committed” an offence if—
he has been convicted of an offence;
he has been found not guilty of an offence by reason of insanity;
he has been found to be under a disability and to have done the act charged against him in respect of such an offence; or
on or after 6th April 2007 he has been given a cautionf4 in respect of an offence by a police officer after he has admitted that offence.
In these Regulations a person has been found to have committed an offence that is “related to” an offence if he has been found to have committed an offence of—
attempting, conspiring or incitement to commit that offence; or
aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the commission of that offence.
3Care of children and offences against children or adults
Subject to paragraph (9) and regulation 8, a person is disqualified from registration if any of the following provisions of this regulation apply to him.
Any of the orders or other determinations specified in Schedule 1 has been made—
with respect to him;
which prevents him from being registered in relation to any facility in which children are looked after or from being involved in the management of or otherwise concerned with the provision of any such facility; or
with respect to a child who has been in his care.
An order has been made with respect to him under section 104 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003f1.
He has been found to have committed an offence against a child within the meaning of section 26(1) of the 2000 Act.
He—
has been found to have committed any offence specified in paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 or an offence that is related to such an offence; or
falls within paragraph 2 of that Schedule,
despite the fact that the statutory offences in that Schedule have been repealed.
He has been found to have committed any offence other than an offence referred to in paragraph (4) or (5) involving bodily injury to, or death of, a child.
He has been found to have committed any offence specified in Schedule 3 or an offence that is related to such an offence.
He has been—
found to have committed any offence, committed against a person aged 18 or over, mentioned in paragraph 2 of Schedule 4 to the 2000 Act or an offence that is related to such an offence; or
charged with any offence, committed against a person aged 18 or over, mentioned in paragraph 2 of Schedule 4 to the 2000 Act or an offence that is related to such an offence in respect of which a relevant order has been imposed by a senior court.
A person shall not be disqualified from registration under paragraphs (1) to (8) in respect of any order, determination or offence if—
he has successfully appealed against the order, determination or conviction;
a caution in respect of that offence has been withdrawn or set aside; or
a direction based wholly or in part on the offence has been revoked.
4Overseas offences
Subject to regulation 8, a person is disqualified from registration if he has been found to have done an act which—
constituted an offence under the law in force in a country outside the United Kingdom; and
would constitute an offence requiring disqualification from registration under these Regulations if it had been done in any part of the United Kingdom.
In paragraph (1) a person has been “found to have done an act which constituted an offence” if, under the law in force in a country outside the United Kingdom—
he has been convicted of an offence (whether or not he has been punished for it);
he has been cautioned in respect of an offence;
a court exercising jurisdiction under that law has made in respect of an offence a finding equivalent to a finding that he is not guilty by reason of insanity; or
such a court has made in respect of an offence a finding equivalent to a finding that he is under a disability and did the act charged against him.
A person shall not be disqualified from registration under paragraph (1) in respect of any finding if, under the law in force in the country concerned, such finding has been reversed.
An act punishable under the law in force in a country outside the United Kingdom constitutes an offence under that law for the purposes of this regulation however it is described in that law.
5Protection of Children Act list
A person who is included in the list kept under section 1 of the Protection of Children Act 1999f1 (list of those considered by the Secretary of State unsuitable to work with children) is disqualified from registration.
6Direction in relation to the employment of teachers etc.
Subject to regulation 8, a person is disqualified from registration if any of the following provisions of this regulation apply to him.
He is subject to a direction.
He is a person in respect of whom an order has been made under article 70(2)(e) of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 or article 8 of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1987f1.
7Persons living or working on premises where a disqualified person lives
Subject to regulation 8, a person who lives—
in the same household as another person who is disqualified from registration; or
in a household in which any such person is employed,
is disqualified from registration.
8Waivers
Subject to paragraph (3), where a person would be disqualified from registration by virtue of regulation 3, 4, 6(1) and 6(3) or 7 but that person has disclosed to the Chief Inspector the facts which would otherwise cause him to be disqualified, the Chief Inspector may give her consent to waive the disqualification and that person shall not, in respect of the facts so disclosed, be regarded as disqualified from registration for the purposes of regulations 3, 4, 6(1) and 6(3) or 7.
Any consent given by the Chief Inspector under paragraph (1) shall be in writing and shall specify the extent to which the disqualification from registration is waived.
In relation to a person who would be disqualified from registration by virtue of regulation 3(4), this regulation shall not apply where a court has made an order under section 28(4), 29(4) or 29A(2) of the 2000 Act.
9Appeals
Any determination made by the Chief Inspector as to whether to give consent under regulation 8 is a prescribed determination for the purposes of section 74(2) of the Act.
10Duty of disclosure
A person who has been registered under Chapter 4 of Part 3 of the Act has a continuing duty throughout the period of his registration to provide the Chief Inspector with the information listed in paragraph (2) in respect of the persons listed in paragraph (3) in relation to any order, determination, conviction or other ground for disqualification from registration under these Regulations.
A registered person must provide the following information to the Chief Inspector for the purposes of paragraph (1)—
details of the precise nature of the order, determination, conviction or other ground for disqualification from registration;
the date when the order, determination or conviction was made or when any other ground for disqualification from registration arose;
the body or court by which any order, determination or conviction was made and the sentence, if any, imposed;
in relation to any order or conviction, a certified copy of the relevant order or court order.
The persons in respect of whom the information listed in paragraph (2) must be supplied for the purposes of paragraph (1) are—
the registered person; and
any person who lives in the same household as the registered person or who is employed in that household.
The information referred to in paragraph (2) must be provided to the Chief Inspector within 14 days of the time when the registered person became aware of that information or ought reasonably to have become aware of it if he had made reasonable enquiries.
Any allegation that a registered person has failed to meet the requirements prescribed in this regulation may be taken into account by the Chief Inspector in the exercise of her functions under Part 3 of the Act.
Any allegation that a registered person has failed to meet the requirements prescribed in this regulation may be taken into account in any proceedings under Part 3 of the Act.
Signature
Beverley Hughes
Minister of State
Department for Education and Skills
6th March 2007
1
An order under section 31(1)(a) of the 1989 Act (care order).
2
An order under article 50(1)(a) of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995f1 (care order).
3
An order under section 3(3) of the Children and Young Persons (Guernsey) Law 1967 (Fit Person Order or Special Care Order)f1.
4
An order under section 31(1)(a) of the Children and Young Persons Act 2001 (an Act of Tynwald)f1.
5
An order or determination specified in Schedule 4 to the Children (Jersey) Law 2002f1.
6
Any order that would have been deemed to be a care order by virtue of paragraph 15 of Schedule 14 to the 1989 Act (transitional provisions for children in compulsory care) had it been in force immediately before the day on which Part 4 of the 1989 Act came into forcef1.
7
8
A fit person order, a parental rights order or a training school order under the Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968f1.
9
A child protection order under section 57 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995f1.
10
An exclusion order under section 76 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995f1.
11
A supervision order which imposes a residence requirement under paragraph 5 of Schedule 9 to the Children and Young Persons Act 2001 (an Act of Tynwald) (requirement to live in accommodation provided by the Department of Health and Social Security).
12
13
14
In relation to registration of a children’s home—
a refusal of his application for registration under section 13 of the Care Standards Act 2000;
cancellation of his registration under section 14 or 20(1) of the Care Standards Act 2000;
cancellation of the registration of any person under section 14 or 20(1) of the Care Standards Act 2000 in relation to a children’s home which he has been concerned in the management of, or had any financial interest in; or
refusal of his application for registration or cancellation of his registration under the Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003f1.
15
Refusal at any time of his application for registration in relation to a voluntary home or a children’s home, or cancellation of the registration of a voluntary home or children’s home which was carried on by him or which he was otherwise concerned with the management of, or had any financial interest in, under, as the case may be—
paragraph 1 of Schedule 5 to the 1989 Actf1;
paragraph 1 or 4 of Schedule 6 to the 1989 Act;
section 127 of the Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968f2;
article 80, 82, 96 or 98 of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995;
Part 1 of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001f3 (care home services); or
paragraph 2 or 4 of Schedule 2 to the Children and Young Persons Act 2001 (an Act of Tynwald).
16
A prohibition imposed at any time under—
article 110 of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (power to prohibit private fostering);
section 10 of the Foster Children (Scotland) Act 1984f3 (power to prohibit the keeping of foster children); or
section 59 of the Children and Young Persons Act 2001 (an Act of Tynwald) (power to prohibit or impose restrictions upon private fostering).
17
A notice in writing given by a Health and Social Services Board under section 1(3) of the Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 (withholding consent to the care and maintenance of the child being undertaken by a person).
18
Refusal at any time of registration in respect of the provision of nurseries or day care for children, or for child minding, disqualification from registration or cancellation of any such registration under—
section 1 or section 5 of the Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act 1948f1;
Part 10 or Part 10A of the 1989 Actf2;
Chapter 2, 3 or 4 of Part 3 of the Act;
Part XI of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995;
section 11(5) or section 15 of the Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968;
Part 1 of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001;
section 1 of the Nurseries and Child Minders Regulation Act 1974 (an Act of Tynwald);
section 65 or 66 of, or Schedule 7 to, the Children and Young Persons Act 2001 (an Act of Tynwald); or
Part III of the Child Protection (Guernsey) Law 1972f3.
19
Disqualification from working with children at any time under the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003f1.
20
Refusal at any time of his application for registration or cancellation of his registration under section 62 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 (registration of residential and other establishments)f1.
21
Refusal at any time of his application for registration as a provider of a child care agency under section 7 of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 or cancellation of any such registration under section 12 or 18 of that Act.
22
Inclusion of his name at any time on a list of persons unsuitable to work with children under article 3 of the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults (Northern Ireland) Order 2003f1 or disqualification from working with children under Chapter II of Part II of that Order.
1
An offence under any of the following sections of the Sexual Offences Act 1956f1—
section 1 (rape)f2;
section 2 or 3 (procurement of woman by threats or false pretences);
section 4 (administering drugs to obtain or facilitate intercourse);
section 5 (intercourse with a girl under 13);
section 6 (intercourse with a girl under 16)f3;
section 14 or 15 (indecent assault);
section 16 (assault with intent to commit buggery);
section 17 (abduction of women by force or for the sake of her property);
section 19 or 20 (abduction of girl under 18 or 16);
section 24 (detention of woman in brothel or other premises);
section 25 or 26 (permitting girl under 13, or between 13 and 16, to use premises for intercourse)f4;
section 28 (causing or encouraging prostitution of, intercourse with or indecent assault on, girl under 16).
An offence under section 1 of the Indecency with Children Act 1960 (indecent conduct towards young child)f5.
An offence under section 54 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 (inciting girl under 16 to incest)f6.
An offence under section 3 of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000 (abuse of trust)f7.
An offence under section 70 of the 1989 Act, section 16 of the Foster Children Act 1980 or section 14 of the Children Act 1958 (offences relating to private fostering)f8.
An offence under section 63(10) of, paragraph 1(5) of Schedule 5 to, or paragraph 2(3) of Schedule 6 to, the 1989 Act (offences relating to voluntary homes and children’s homes)f9.
2
A person falls within this paragraph if he has been found to have committed an offence under any of the following provisions committed against or involving a child—
section 7 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 (intercourse with defective);
section 9 of that Act (procurement of defective);
section 10 of that Act (incest by a man);
section 11 of that Act (incest by a woman);
section 12 of that Act (buggery)f1 except if the other party to the act of buggery was aged 16 or over and consented to the act;
section 13 of that Act (indecency between men)f2 except if the other party to the act of gross indecency was aged 16 or over and consented to the act;
section 21 of that Act (abduction of defective from parent or guardian);
section 22 of that Act (causing prostitution of women);
section 23 of that Act (procuration of girl under 21);
section 27 of that Act (permitting defective to use premises for intercourse);
section 29 of that Act (causing or encouraging prostitution of defective);
section 30 of that Act (man living on earnings of prostitution);
section 31 of that Act (woman exercising control over prostitute);
section 128 of the Mental Health Act 1959 (sexual intercourse with patients)f3;
section 4 of the Sexual Offences Act 1967 (procuring others to commit homosexual acts)f4;
section 5 of that Act (living on earnings of male prostitution);
section 9(1)(a) of the Theft Act 1968 (burglary); or
an offence that is related to an offence specified in sub-paragraphs (a) to (q).
1Offences in England and Wales
An offence under section 49 or 50(9) of the 1989 Act (offences relating to the abduction of a child in care).
An offence under any of the following provisions of the Sexual Offences Act 2003—
section 62 or 63 (committing an offence or trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offence);
section 64 or 65 (sex with an adult relative);
section 69 (intercourse with an animal); or
section 70 (sexual penetration of a corpse).
An offence in relation to a children’s home under or by virtue of any of the following provisions of the Care Standards Act 2000—
section 11(1) (failure to register);
section 24 (failure to comply with conditions);
section 25 (contravention of regulations);
section 26 (false descriptions of establishments and agencies); or
section 27 (false statements in applications).
2Offences in Scotland
An offence of rape.
An offence specified in Schedule 1 to the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995f1.
The common law offence of plagium (theft of a child below the age of puberty).
An offence under section 52 or 52A of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982f2 (offences relating to indecent photographs of children).
An offence under section 3 of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000f3 (abuse of trust).
An offence under any of the following—
section 81, 83 or 89 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 or section 17(8) or 71 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968f4 (harbouring offences);
section 6 of the Child Abduction Act 1984f5 (taking or sending child out of United Kingdom); or
section 15 of the Foster Children (Scotland) Act 1984 (offences relating to private fostering).
An offence under or by virtue of section 60(3), 61(3) or 62(6) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968f6 (offences relating to residential and other establishments).
An offence in relation to a care home service, child minding or day care of children, under or by virtue of any of the following provisions of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001f7—
section 21 (offences in relation to registration);
section 22 (false statements in applications); or
section 29(10) (offences under regulations).
3Offences in Northern Ireland
An offence of rape.
An offence under section 66, 69 or 70 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
An offence specified in Schedule 1 to the Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968.
An offence under article 3 of the Protection of Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1978f1 (indecent photographs).
An offence contrary to article 9 of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1980f2 (inciting girl under 16 to have incestuous sexual intercourse).
An offence contrary to article 15 of the Criminal Justice (Evidence etc.) (Northern Ireland) Order 1988f3 (possession of indecent photographs of children).
An offence under sections 16 to 19 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (abuse of position of trust).
An offence under any of the following—
article 68 or 69(9) of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (offences relating to the abduction of a child in care);
article 132 of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995, or section 14 of the Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968f4 (offences relating to child minding and day care);
article 117 of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995, or section 9(1) of the Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 (offences relating to private fostering); or
article 79(3), 81(4), 95(3) or 97(4) of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995, or section 127(5) or 129(3) of the Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 (offences relating to voluntary homes and children’s homes).
4Offences in Jersey
5Offences in Guernsey
An offence contrary to—
the ‘Loi pour la Punition d’Inceste’ (Law for the Punishment of Incest) 1909f1;
the ‘Loi relative a la protection des Femmes et des Filles Mineures’ (Law for the Protection of Women and Young Girls) 1914f2;
the ‘Loi relative a la Sodomie’ (Law relating to Sodomy) 1929f3;
article 7, 9, 10, 11 or 12, section 1 of article 41 or section 1, 2, 3 or 4 of article 51 of the ‘Loi ayant rapport a la Protection des Enfants et des Jeunes Personnes’ (Law relating to the Protection of Children and Young Persons) 1917f4;
the Children and Young Persons (Guernsey) Law 1967;
the Protection of Children (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law 1985f5.
6Offences in the Isle of Man
An offence specified in Schedule 8 to the Children and Young Persons Act 2001 (an Act of Tynwald).
7Other Offences
An offence by virtue of—
section 72 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (offences outside the United Kingdom); or
section 16B of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995f3 (commission of certain sexual offences outside the United Kingdom).
An offence contrary to section 32(3) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969f4 (detention of absentees).
Explanatory note
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations set out the categories of persons who are disqualified from registration in England as providers of early years or later years childminding or other early years or later years provision under the Childcare Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”). Section 76 of the 2006 Act sets out the consequences of disqualification which include disqualification from being concerned with the management of early years or later years child care provision and from being employed in connection with such provision.
Regulation 3 of these Regulations, together with Schedules 2 and 3, sets out categories of offences against or involving children or adults in respect of which a person is disqualified from registration. Regulation 3 and Schedule 1 also set out orders and determinations for the care and supervision of children in connection with which a person is disqualified from registration.
Disqualification from registration applies to offences committed overseas which are comparable to the offences set out in these Regulations (see regulation 4).
These Regulations also cross-refer to persons included on the list kept under section 1 of the Protection of Children Act 1999 (c. 14) and to persons in respect of whom a direction has been made under section 142 of the Education Act 2002 (c. 32) (known as List 99). Both categories of persons are disqualified from registration under these Regulations (see regulations 5 and 6(1) and 6(2)).
Regulation 8 sets out the circumstances in which disqualification may be waived by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills (the “Chief Inspector”). There is no power of waiver by the Chief Inspector where the disqualification arises from inclusion on List 99, the list kept under section 1 of the Protection of Children Act 1999 or where a court has ordered that a person must not work in contact with children following a conviction for certain offences against children (see regulation 8(1) and 8(3)).
The Regulations apply to applications for registration made under Chapters 2, 3 and 4 of the 2006 Act. A right of appeal lies to the Care Standards Tribunalf1 in relation to any determination made by the Chief Inspector under these Regulations by virtue of regulation 9.
Regulation 10 provides that a person registered under Chapter 4 of Part 3 of the 2006 Act has a continuing obligation to provide information to the Chief Inspector about the details of any offences, determinations or other grounds for disqualification from registration under these Regulations. That obligation applies to information relating to the registered person and to any person living in the same household as the registered person or employed in that household.
A full regulatory impact assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs of business and the voluntary sector is available from Paul Oates, Early Years Regulation Team, Sure Start Unit, Caxton House, Tothill Street, London SW1H 9NA, Telephone 0207 273 5686, email: [email protected]. It is also annexed to the Explanatory Memorandum which is available alongside the instrument on the OPSI website.