The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

Children not accommodated in schools

177.—(1) Where a child is provided with accommodation by an education and library board—

(a)for a consecutive period of at least three months; or

(b)with the intention, on the part of the board, of accommodating him for such a period,

the education and library board shall notify the responsible authority.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to accommodation to which Article 176(1) applies.

(3) Where paragraph (1) applies with respect to a child, the education and library board shall also notify the responsible authority when it ceases to accommodate the child.

(4) In this Article “the responsible authority” means—

(a)the authority appearing to the education and library board to be the authority within whose area the child was ordinarily resident immediately before being accommodated; or

(b)where it appears to the education and library board that the child was not ordinarily resident within the area of any authority, the authority within whose area the accommodation is situated.

(5) Where an authority has been notified under this Article, it shall—

(a)take such steps as are reasonably practicable to enable it to determine whether the child’s welfare is adequately safeguarded and promoted while he is accommodated by the education and library board; and

(b)consider the extent to which (if at all) the authority should exercise any of its functions under this Order with respect to the child.