OpenLegislation

Children Act 2004

2004 c. 31 · Enacted 15 November 2004 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 16 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 30 September 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 39repealedSafeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 Sch. 10
Sch. 1 para. 11repealedSafeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 Sch. 10
Sch. 2 para. 6repealedSafeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 Sch. 10
Sch. 2 para. 7repealedSafeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 Sch. 10
s. 32AinsertedChildren, Schools and Families Act 2010 s. 9
s. 66(3)words substitutedChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 s. 2(5)
s. 16G(4A)insertedChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 s. 3(3)(a)
s. 16G(8)insertedChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 s. 3(3)(c)
s. 16J(1)words insertedChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 s. 3(4)(a)
s. 16J(2)words insertedChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 s. 3(4)(a)
s. 16G(6)words insertedChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 s. 3(3)(b)
s. 16J(6)(7)insertedChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 s. 3(4)(b)
s. 16E(1)word omittedChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 s. 2(2)(a)
s. 16E(1)(aa)insertedChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 s. 2(2)(b)
s. 16E(1)(b)substitutedChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 s. 2(2)(c)
s. 16E(2)words insertedChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 s. 2(3)
An Act to make provision for the establishment of a Children’s Commissioner; to make provision about services provided to and for children and young people by local authorities and other persons; to make provision in relation to Wales about advisory and support services relating to family proceedings; to make provision about private fostering, child minding and day care, adoption review panels, the defence of reasonable punishment, the making of grants as respects children and families, child safety orders, the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, the publication of material relating to children involved in certain legal proceedings and the disclosure by the Inland Revenue of information relating to children.[15th November 2004]

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Contents

  1. Part 1: Children’s Commissioner
  2. 1Establishment
  3. 2Primary function: children's rights, views and interests
  4. 2AUnited Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
  5. 2BInvolving children in the discharge of the primary function
  6. 2CPrimary function: reports
  7. 2DProvision of advice and assistance to certain children in England
  8. 2EPowers to enter premises to conduct interviews or observe standards
  9. 2FProvision of information to Commissioner
  10. 3Inquiries initiated by Commissioner
  11. 4Other inquiries held by Commissioner Repealed
  12. 5Functions of Commissioner in Wales
  13. 6Functions of Commissioner in Scotland
  14. 7Functions of Commissioner in Northern Ireland
  15. 7AAdvisory board
  16. 7BBusiness plans
  17. 8Annual reports
  18. 8AChildren in England living away from home or receiving social care
  19. 9Commissioner's functions in relation to certain young people
  20. Part 2: Children’s services in England
  21. General
  22. 9ATargets for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
  23. 10Co-operation to improve well-being
  24. 11Arrangements to safeguard and promote welfare
  25. 12Information databases
  26. Children's Trust Boards
  27. 12AEstablishment of CTBs
  28. 12BFunctions and procedures of CTBs
  29. 12CFunding of CTBs
  30. 12DSupply of information to CTBs
  31. Local Safeguarding Children Boards
  32. 13Establishment of LSCBs Repealed
  33. 14Functions and procedure of LSCBs Repealed
  34. 14ALSCBs: annual reports Repealed
  35. 14BSupply of information requested by LSCBs Repealed
  36. 15Funding of LSCBs Repealed
  37. 15AReview of LSCBs' performance of functions Repealed
  38. 16LCSBs: supplementary Repealed
  39. Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
  40. 16AChild Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
  41. 16BFunctions of the Panel
  42. 16CEvents to be notified to the Panel
  43. 16DInformation
  44. Safeguarding partners for local authority areas
  45. 16ELocal arrangements for safeguarding and promoting welfare of children
  46. 16EASection 16E arrangements: multi-agency child protection teams
  47. 16EBMulti-agency child protection teams: co-operation
  48. 16FLocal child safeguarding practice reviews
  49. 16GFurther provision about arrangements
  50. 16HInformation
  51. 16IFunding
  52. 16JCombining safeguarding partner areas and delegating functions
  53. 16KGuidance by Secretary of State
  54. 16LInterpretation of sections 16E to 16K
  55. Continuity of information for safeguarding and welfare purposes
  56. 16LADuty to share information
  57. 16LBInformation standards
  58. 16LCConsistent identifiers for children
  59. 16LDConsistent identifiers for children: code of practice
  60. Child death review partners for local authority areas
  61. 16MChild death reviews
  62. 16NInformation
  63. 16OFunding
  64. 16PCombining child death review partner areas and delegating functions
  65. 16QGuidance and interpretation
  66. Local authority administration
  67. 17Children and young people’s plans
  68. 17AChildren and young people's plans: implementation
  69. 18Director of children’s services
  70. 19Lead member for children’s services
  71. Inspections of children’s services
  72. 20Joint area reviews
  73. 21Framework
  74. 22Co-operation and delegation
  75. 23Sections 20 to 22: interpretation
  76. 24Performance rating of social services Repealed
  77. Part 3: Children’s services in Wales
  78. General
  79. 25Co-operation to improve well-being: Wales
  80. 26Children and young people’s plans: Wales Repealed
  81. 27Responsibility for functions under section 25
  82. 28Arrangements to safeguard and promote welfare: Wales
  83. 29Information databases: Wales
  84. 30Inspection of functions under this Part
  85. Local Safeguarding Children Boards Repealed
  86. 31Establishment of LSCBs in Wales Repealed
  87. 32Functions and procedure of LSCBs in Wales Repealed
  88. 32ASupply of information requested by LSCBs in Wales Not yet in force
  89. 33Funding of LSCBs in Wales Repealed
  90. 34LSCBs in Wales: supplementary Repealed
  91. Part 4: Advisory and support services for family proceedings
  92. CAFCASS functions in Wales
  93. 35Functions of the Assembly relating to family proceedings
  94. 36Ancillary powers of the Assembly
  95. 37Welsh family proceedings officers
  96. 38Inspections Repealed
  97. 39Protection of children
  98. 40Advisory and support services for family proceedings: supplementary
  99. 41Sharing of information
  100. Transfers
  101. 42Transfer of property from CAFCASS to Assembly
  102. 43Transfer of staff from CAFCASS to Assembly
  103. Part 5: Miscellaneous
  104. Private fostering
  105. 44Amendments to notification scheme
  106. 45Power to establish registration scheme in England
  107. 46Power to establish registration scheme in Wales
  108. 47Expiry of powers in sections 45 and 46
  109. Child minding and day care
  110. 48Child minding and day care
  111. Local authority services
  112. 49Payments to foster parents
  113. 50Intervention – England
  114. 50AIntervention – Wales
  115. 51Inspection of local education authorities
  116. 52Duty of local authorities to promote educational achievement
  117. 53Ascertaining children’s wishes
  118. 54Information about individual children
  119. 55Social services committees
  120. 56Social services functions
  121. Other provisions
  122. 57Fees payable to adoption review panel members
  123. 58Reasonable punishment: England
  124. 59Power to give financial assistance
  125. 60Child safety orders
  126. 61Children’s Commissioner for Wales: powers of entry
  127. 62Publication of material relating to legal proceedings
  128. 63Disclosure of information by Inland Revenue
  129. Part 6: General
  130. 64Repeals
  131. 65Interpretation
  132. 66Regulations and orders
  133. 67Commencement
  134. 68Extent
  135. 69Short title
  136. Schedule 1: Children’s Commissioner
  137. Status
  138. 1Paragraph 1
  139. General powers
  140. 2Paragraph 2
  141. Appointment and tenure of office
  142. 3Paragraph 3
  143. Interim appointments
  144. 3AParagraph 3A
  145. Remuneration
  146. 4Paragraph 4
  147. Staff
  148. 5Paragraph 5
  149. Pensions
  150. 6Paragraph 6
  151. Funding
  152. 7Paragraph 7
  153. Accounts
  154. 8Paragraph 8
  155. Evidence
  156. 9Paragraph 9
  157. Protection from defamation actions
  158. 10Paragraph 10
  159. Regulated position
  160. 11Paragraph 11
  161. Disqualifications
  162. 12Paragraph 12
  163. 13Paragraph 13
  164. Schedule 2: Director of children’s services: consequential amendments
  165. Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (c. 12)
  166. 1Paragraph 1
  167. Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 (c. 42)
  168. 2Paragraph 2
  169. Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (c. 42)
  170. 3Paragraph 3
  171. Education Act 1996 (c. 56)
  172. 4Paragraph 4
  173. Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (c. 37)
  174. 5Paragraph 5
  175. Protection of Children Act 1999 (c. 14)
  176. 6Paragraph 6
  177. Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 (c. 43)
  178. 7Paragraph 7
  179. Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44)
  180. 8Paragraph 8 Repealed
  181. Schedule 3: Advisory and support services for family proceedings
  182. Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates' Courts Act 1978 (c. 22)
  183. 1Paragraph 1
  184. Child Abduction and Custody Act 1985 (c. 60)
  185. 2Paragraph 2
  186. 3Paragraph 3
  187. 4Paragraph 4
  188. Children Act 1989 (c. 41)
  189. 5Paragraph 5
  190. 6Paragraph 6
  191. 7Paragraph 7
  192. 8Paragraph 8
  193. 9Paragraph 9
  194. 10Paragraph 10
  195. 11Paragraph 11
  196. Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 (c. 43)
  197. 12Paragraph 12
  198. 13Paragraph 13
  199. 14Paragraph 14
  200. Adoption and Children Act 2002 (c. 38)
  201. 15Paragraph 15
  202. 16Paragraph 16
  203. 17Paragraph 17
  204. Sexual Offences Act 2003 (c. 42)
  205. 18Paragraph 18
  206. Schedule 4: Child minding and day care
  207. 1Paragraph 1
  208. Amendments relating to child minding and day care
  209. Conditions imposed by justice of the peace or tribunal
  210. 2Paragraph 2
  211. Application fees
  212. 3Paragraph 3
  213. Fees payable by registered persons
  214. 4Paragraph 4
  215. Waiver of disqualification
  216. 5Paragraph 5
  217. Amendments relating to day care only
  218. Qualification for registration
  219. 6Paragraph 6
  220. Hotels etc
  221. 7Paragraph 7
  222. Prohibition in respect of disqualified persons
  223. 8Paragraph 8
  224. Unincorporated associations
  225. 9Paragraph 9
  226. Schedule 5: Repeals
  227. 1Plans
  228. Paragraph
  229. 2Child minding and day care
  230. Paragraph
  231. 3Inspection of local education authorities
  232. Paragraph
  233. 4Social services committees and departments
  234. Paragraph
  235. 5Reasonable punishment
  236. Paragraph
  237. 6Child safety orders
  238. Paragraph