Child Care Act, 1991

PART VI

Children in the Care of Health Boards

Accommodation and maintenance of children in care.

36.—(1) Where a child is in the care of a health board, the health board shall provide such care for him, subject to its control and supervision, in such of the following ways as it considers to be in his best interests—

(a) by placing him with a foster parent, or

(b) by placing him in residential care (whether in a children's residential centre registered under Part VIII , in a residential home maintained by a health board or in a school or other suitable place of residence), or

(c) in the case of a child who may be eligible for adoption under the Adoption Acts, 1952 to 1988, by placing him with a suitable person with a view to his adoption, or

(d) by making such other suitable arrangements (which may include placing the child with a relative) as the health board thinks proper.

(2) In this Act, “foster parent” means a person other than a relative of a child who is taking care of the child on behalf of a health board in accordance with regulations made under section 39 and “foster care” shall be construed accordingly.

(3) Nothing in this section shall prevent a health board sending a child in its care to any hospital or to any institution which provides nursing or care for children suffering from physical or mental disability.