Children (Protection and Parental Responsibility) Act 1997 (NSW)

Children (Protection and Parental Responsibility) Act 1997 No 78

An Act with respect to the responsibility of parents for the behaviour of their children; to enable police to escort certain children from public places to their parents' residences and other places; to make provision for local crime prevention plans and safer community compacts; to repeal the Children (Parental Responsibility) Act 1994; and for other purposes.

Part 1 Preliminary

1 Name of Act This Act is the Children (Protection and Parental Responsibility) Act 1997.

2 Commencement This Act commences on a day or days to be appointed by proclamation.

3 Definitions In this Act— Aboriginal means a person who— (a) is a member of the Aboriginal race of Australia, and (b) identifies as an Aboriginal, and (c) is accepted by the Aboriginal community as an Aboriginal. Aboriginal child means a child of an Aboriginal. approved person means a person chosen from a list of persons designated by the Director-General of the Department of Community Services under section 24. area has the same meaning as it has in the Local Government Act 1993 and includes part of an area. care residence of a person means the place where the person resides under the care or in the custody of a carer. carer of a person means any person who has residential care and control of a child under out-of-home care arrangements made under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998. child means a person who is under the age of 18 years. council has the same meaning as it has in the Local Government Act 1993. court means a court exercising criminal jurisdiction. crime prevention includes, but is not limited to, strategies, initiatives and services that are likely to develop or enhance a safer community. cultural heritage includes beliefs, morals, laws, customs, religion, superstitions, art, language, diet, dress and race. Department means the Attorney General's Department. exercise a function includes perform a duty. function includes a power, authority or duty. local crime prevention plan means a local crime prevention plan adopted by a council under Part 4 and in force in relation to an area. operational area means an area in respect of which a declaration under section 14 is in force. parent of a child includes— (a) a guardian of the child, and (b) a person who has custody of the child, but does not include the Minister administering the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 or the Director-General of the Department of Community Services, or the father or mother of the child if the father or mother has neither guardianship nor custody of the child. public place means— (a) a place (whether or not covered by water), or (b) a part of premises, that is open to the public, or is used by the public, whether or not on payment of money or other consideration, whether or not it is ordinarily so open or used and whether or not the public to whom it is open consists of only a limited class of persons. safer community compact—see section 39. Torres Strait Islander means a descendant of an indigenous inhabitant of the Torres Strait Islands. Torres Strait Islander child means a child of a Torres Strait Islander.