Section 13 Search warrants.
England and Wales
If it is shown to the satisfaction of a justice of the peace on sworn information in writing—
that there is reasonable cause to believe that a foster child is being kept in any premises or in any part of any premises, and
that admission to those premises or that part has been refused to a duly authorised officer of the local authority or that such a refusal is apprehended or that the occupier is temporarily absent,
the justice may by warrant under his hand authorise an officer of the local authority to enter the premises, if need be by force, at any reasonable time within 48 hours of the issue of the warrant, for the purpose of inspecting the premises.
Without prejudice to the provisions of subsection (1) above, a refusal to allow the visiting of a foster child or the inspection of any premises by a person authorised to do so under this Act shall be treated, for the purposes of section 40 of the M1Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (under which a warrant authorising the search for and removal of a child may be issued on suspicion of unnecessary suffering caused to, or certain offences committed against, the child), as giving reasonable cause for such suspicion.
Annotations
Marginal citations
- M1
Notes on the whole Act
Textual amendments
- F1
Act repealed by Children Act 1989 (c. 41, SIF 20), s. 108(7), Sch. 15; S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2) (with saving in Sch. 14, para. 27(4))