Children and Community Services Act 2004 (WA)

Western Australia Children and Community Services Act 2004 Western Australia Children and Community Services Act 2004 Contents Part 1 — Preliminary 1. Short title 1 2. Commencement 1 3. Terms used 1 4. Presumptions of parentage 1 5. Status of notes 1 Part 2 — Objects and principles Division 1A — Preliminary 5A. Application of objects and principles 1 Division 1 — Objects 6. Objects 1 Division 2 — General principles relating to children 7. Paramount consideration is best interests of child 1 8. Determining best interests of child 1 9. Other principles 1 10. Principle of child participation 1 Division 3 — Principles relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children 11. Relationship with principles in Division 2 1 12. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child placement principle 1 13. Principle of self‑determination 1 14. Principle of community participation 1 Part 3 — Administrative matters Division 1 — The Minister 15. Agreements in respect of social services 1 16. Delegation by Minister 1 Division 2 — The Children and Community Services Ministerial Body 17. Term used: Ministerial Body 1 18. Children and Community Services Ministerial Body 1 19. Purpose and nature of Ministerial Body 1 20. Execution of documents by Ministerial Body 1 Division 3 — The CEO 21. Functions of CEO 1 22. Cooperation and assistance 1 23. CEO etc. may disclose or request relevant information 1 24A. Power of CEO to obtain copies of certain reports from CEO (Corrective Services) 1 24. Delegation by CEO 1 Division 4 — Authorised officers 25. Designation of authorised officers 1 26. Identity cards 1 Division 5 — Advisory bodies 27. Establishment of advisory bodies 1 Division 6 — Information sharing 28A. Terms used 1 28B. Disclosure of information by prescribed authority or authorised entity 1 28C. Delegation of powers under s. 28B 1 Part 4 — Protection and care of children Division 1 — Introductory matters 28. When child in need of protection 1 29. Provisional protection and care, meaning and effect of 1 30. When child is in CEO's care 1 Division 2 — Measures to safeguard or promote child's wellbeing Subdivision 1 — General powers and duties of CEO 31. CEO may cause inquiries to be made about child 1 32. CEO's duties if action needed to safeguard etc. child's wellbeing 1 33A. CEO may cause inquiries to be made before child is born 1 33B. CEO's duties if action needed before child born to safeguard etc. child after birth 1 Subdivision 2 — Powers relating to investigation 33. Access to child for purposes of investigation 1 34. Warrant (access), application for and issue of 1 Subdivision 3 — Provisional protection and care 35. Warrant (provisional protection and care), application for and issue of 1 36. CEO's duty if child taken into provisional protection and care under warrant 1 37. Taking child into provisional protection and care without warrant in certain circumstances 1 38. CEO's duties etc. if child taken into provisional protection and care without warrant 1 39. Provisional care plans, preparation etc. of 1 Subdivision 4 — Other powers 40. Power to keep child under 6 years of age in hospital 1 41. Power to move child to safe place 1 Division 3 — Protection orders Subdivision 1 — Introductory matters 42. Terms used 1 43. Term used: protection order 1 Subdivision 2 — Applications for, and making of, protection orders 44. Application for protection order 1 45. Court may make protection order 1 46. No order principle 1 Subdivision 3 — Protection orders (supervision) 47. Protection order (supervision) 1 48. Duration of protection order (supervision) 1 49. Extension of protection order (supervision) 1 50. Conditions of protection order (supervision) 1 51. Variation of conditions of protection order (supervision) 1 52. Access to child by authorised officer while protection order (supervision) in force 1 53. Provision of social services 1 Subdivision 4 — Protection orders (time‑limited) 54. Protection order (time‑limited) 1 55. Duration of protection order (time‑limited) 1 56. Extension of protection order (time‑limited) 1 Subdivision 5 — Protection orders (until 18) 57. Protection order (until 18) 1 58. Restriction on making protection order (until 18) 1 59. Duration of protection order (until 18) 1 Subdivision 6 — Protection orders (special guardianship) 60. Protection order (special guardianship) 1 61. Restriction on making protection order (special guardianship) 1 62. Duration of protection order (special guardianship) 1 63. Conditions of protection order (special guardianship) 1 64. Variation of conditions 1 65. Court may order payments to special guardian 1 66. Provision of social services 1 Subdivision 7 — Revocation and replacement of protection orders 67. Revocation of protection order 1 68. Replacement of protection order: application by CEO 1 69A. Replacement of protection order (time‑limited) or protection order (until 18): application by carer 1 69B. Replacement of protection order (special guardianship) on notification by CEO 1 Subdivision 8 — General 69. Applications for extension, variation, revocation or replacement of protection orders 1 70. Form of protection order 1 71. Child's date of birth 1 72. Parties to proceedings to be given copy of protection order 1 73. Maintenance of children under certain orders 1 Division 4 — Negotiated placement 74. Term used: child 1 75. Negotiated placement agreement 1 76. Duration of negotiated placement agreement 1 77. Termination of negotiated placement agreement 1 Division 5 — Children in the CEO's care Subdivision 1 — Charter of Rights 78. Preparation etc. of Charter of Rights 1 Subdivision 2 — Placement arrangements 79. CEO may arrange placement of child 1 80. Guidelines for placement of certain children 1 81. Consultation before placement of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child 1 82. Payment for care under placement arrangement 1 83. Inspection of place where child living 1 84. Authorised officer may require person to hand over child 1 85. Warrant (apprehension) where child not handed over 1 86. Warrant (apprehension) where child absent or taken without authority 1 87. Apprehension without warrant in certain circumstances 1 Subdivision 3A — Secure care arrangements 88A. Terms used 1 88B. Secure care facilities 1 88C. Secure care arrangements for certain children 1 88D. Period in secure care facility 1 88E. Continuation order required for certain provisionally protected children 1 88F. CEO to decide secure care period for protected child 1 88G. Reconsideration of certain decisions as to protected child 1 88H. Review of CEO's decision 1 88I. Requirements for care plan or provisional care plan 1 88J. Apprehension without warrant of child absent from secure care facility 1 Subdivision 3 — Plans 89. Care plan 1 89A. Cultural support plan 1 89B. Leaving care plan 1 90. Review of care plan 1 Subdivision 4 — Review of certain decisions 91. Terms used 1 92. Care plan review panel 1 93. Initial review 1 94. Review of CEO's decision 1 95. Procedure 1 Division 6 — Provisions about leaving the CEO's care 96. People who qualify for assistance 1 97. Child's entitlement to personal material 1 98. Provision of social services 1 99. Provision of assistance to obtain accommodation etc. 1 100. Provision of financial assistance 1 100A. Provision of explanation to child 1 Division 7 — Offences Subdivision 1 — Children generally 101. Failing to protect child from harm 1 102. Leaving child unsupervised in vehicle 1 103. Tattooing or branding 1 104A. Body piercing 1 104. Providing long‑term care for young children 1 Subdivision 2 — Children under placement arrangements or secure care arrangements 105. Terms used 1 106. Removing child from State 1 107. Removing child from place of residence 1 108. Harbouring child absent from place of residence 1 109. Preventing child's return to place of residence 1 110. CEO may prohibit communication with child 1 111. Evidentiary provision 1 Division 8 — Powers of restraint, search and seizure 112. Terms used 1 113A. Approving persons for purposes of this Division 1 113. Prerequisites for exercise of power 1 114. Child may be restrained 1 115. Child may be searched 1 116. Certain articles may be seized 1 117. How seized articles to be dealt with 1 118. Use of reasonable force 1 119. Prescribed procedures 1 Division 9 — Warrants 120. Applying for warrants 1 121. Warrant (access), effect of 1 122. Warrant (apprehension), effect of 1 123. Warrant (provisional protection and care), effect of 1 124. Execution of warrant 1 Division 9A — Reporting sexual abuse of children 124A. Terms used 1 124B. Duty of certain people to report sexual abuse of children 1 124BA. Provisions for ministers of religion 1 124C. Reports under s. 124B, form and content of 1 124D. CEO to give copies of reports under s. 124B to police 1 124E. Time limit for prosecuting offences under s. 124B and 124C 1 124F. Confidentiality of reporter's identity 1 124G. Evidence and legal proceedings 1 124H. Orders, leave of courts etc. under s. 124F or 124G 1 Division 10 — General 125A. Assessors, appointment and functions of 1 125B. Identity cards for assessors 1 125. Access to child, meaning of 1 126. Recovery of certain expenditure 1 127. CEO may give consent in lieu of parent in some cases 1 128. Records of children in CEO's care to be kept 1 129. Protection from liability for giving information 1 130. General powers of police officers not affected 1 Part 5A — Responsible parenting agreements 131A. Terms used 1 131B. Principle to be observed in administration of this Part 1 131C. Responsible parenting agreements 1 131D. Entering into responsible parenting agreement 1 131E. Content of responsible parenting agreement 1 131F. Formal requirements 1 131G. Effect of responsible parenting agreement 1 131H. Delegation by CEO (Corrective Services) and CEO (Education) 1 Part 5 — Protection proceedings Division 1 — Terms used in this Part 131. Terms used 1 Division 2 — Adjournment and interim orders 132. Adjournment of proceedings 1 133. Interim orders 1 134A. Interim orders (secure care) 1 134. Variation or revocation of interim order 1 135. Access to child by authorised officer while interim order in force 1 Division 3A — Orders for determination of parentage 136A. Terms used 1 136B. Orders requiring person to give evidence 1 136C. Parentage testing orders 1 136D. Orders associated with parentage testing orders 1 136E. Adult contravening s. 136D order, consequences of 1 136F. Procedure etc. ordered for child, parental consent needed in some cases, consequences of refusing to consent 1 136G. No liability if parent or CEO consents 1 136H. Parentage testing procedures, conduct of etc. 1 136I. Results of parentage testing procedures admissible in protection proceedings 1 Division 3 — Pre‑hearing conferences 136. Court may order pre‑hearing conference 1 137. Confidentiality of pre‑hearing conference 1 Division 4 — Reports about child 138. Term used: report 1 139. Court may require report 1 140. Access to written report 1 141. Confidentiality of report 1 142. Protection from liability for preparing or giving report 1 Division 5 — Proposals about arrangements for child 143. CEO to provide Court with proposal for child 1 143A. Content of proposal 1 144. Court to consider proposal 1 Division 6 — Procedural matters 145. Conduct of protection proceedings generally 1 146. Court not bound by rules of evidence 1 147. Parties to protection proceedings 1 148. Legal representation of child 1 149. Presence of child in court 1 150. Evidence of child 1 151. Standard of proof 1 152. Intervention by Attorney General 1 153. Court to facilitate party's participation in proceedings 1 154. Court may dispense with requirement for service 1 155. Frivolous or vexatious proceedings 1 Part 6 — Transfer of child protection orders and proceedings Division 1 — Introductory matters 156. Purpose of Part 1 157. Terms used 1 Division 2 — Transfer of child protection orders Subdivision 1 — Administrative transfers 158. When CEO may transfer home order 1 159. Persons whose consent is required under s. 158(1)(d) 1 160. CEO to have regard to certain matters 1 161. Notification of decision to transfer 1 162. Judicial review of CEO's decision 1 163. Review by State Administrative Tribunal 1 Subdivision 2 — Judicial transfers 164. When Court may transfer home order 1 165. Service of application under s. 164 1 166. Court to have regard to certain matters 1 167. Proposed interstate orders, terms of 1 168. Court not to make s. 164 order without report from CEO 1 169. Appeals 1 Division 3 — Transfer of child protection proceedings 170. When Court may transfer child protection proceeding 1 171. Service of application under s. 170 1 172. Court to have regard to certain matters 1 173. Interim order 1 174. Appeals 1 Division 4 — Registration 175. Filing interstate orders in Court 1 176. Registering interstate orders 1 177. Notification by registrar of Court 1 178. Effect of registration 1 179. Revocation of registration 1 Division 5 — General 180. Legal representation of child 1 181. Effect of registration of transferred order 1 182. Transfer of Court file 1 183. Hearing and determination of transferred proceeding 1 184. Disclosure of information 1 185. Discretion of CEO to consent to transfer 1 186. Evidence of consent of relevant interstate officer 1 187. Offence to remove certain children from where they live 1 Part 7 — Employment of children 188. Terms used 1 189. School Education Act 1999 not affected 1 190. Child under 15 not to be employed in business etc. 1 191. Exceptions to s. 190 1 192. Children not to be employed to perform in indecent manner etc. 1 193. CEO may prohibit or limit employment of child 1 194A. CEO may prohibit or limit employment of children in particular business or place 1 194. False information to employers etc. 1 196. Role of industrial inspectors and industrial magistrate's courts 1 Part 9 — Provision of financial or other assistance 233. CEO may provide financial or other assistance 1 234. CEO may assist with funeral expenses 1 235. Application for assistance 1 236. Recovery of overpayments in certain circumstances 1 Part 10 — Confidentiality provisions 237. Restriction on publication of certain information or material 1 238. Production of departmental records in legal proceedings 1 239. Objection to disclosure of certain information during legal proceedings 1 240. Restrictions on disclosing notifier's identity 1 241. Restrictions on disclosing information obtained under this Act 1 Part 10A — Enforcement Division 1 — Preliminary 241A. Terms used 1 241B. Application of Part 1 Division 2 — General powers 241C. Entry to places 1 241D. Powers after entering place 1 241E. Directions to provide information or documents 1 241F. Additional powers for relevant records 1 241G. Contravention of directions 1 241H. Exercise of power may be recorded 1 241I. Assistance and use of force to exercise power 1 241J. Procedure on seizing things 1 241K. Application of Criminal and Found Property Disposal Act 2006 1 Division 3 — Entry warrants 241L. Application for entry warrant 1 241M. Issue and content of entry warrant 1 241N. Refusal of entry warrant 1 241O. Effect of entry warrant 1 Part 11 — Other matters 242A. CEO to notify Ombudsman of certain deaths of children 1 242. Obstruction 1 243. Impersonating assessor, authorised officer or industrial inspector 1 244. False information in applications etc. 1 245. Legal proceedings, commencement of 1 246. Protection from liability for wrongdoing 1 247. Effect of provision requiring document to be given to particular person or child 1 248. Regulations 1 249. Review of Act 1 250. Repeal, transitional and savings provisions 1 Schedule 1 — Transitional and savings provisions Division 1 — Introductory matters 1. Terms used 1 2. Interpretation Act 1984 not affected 1 Division 2 — Provisions related to repeal of Child Welfare Act 1947 3. Existing orders 1 4. Extended orders 1 5. Existing proceedings 1 6. Existing appeals 1 7. Records under s. 11 1 8. Operation of orders under s. 13 or 14 1 9. Children detained under s. 29(3a) 1 10. Orders under s. 40A 1 11. Applications under s. 47 1 12. Notices under s. 107A or 107B 1 13. Warrants under s. 67 1 14. Authorisations under s. 111 or 112 1 15. Orders and proceedings under Part VIIIA 1 16. Orders under s. 146A 1 Division 3 — Provisions related to repeal of Community Services Act 1972 17. Status of Ministerial Body 1 18. Licences and permits under s. 17B 1 19. Applications under s. 17B 1 20. Appeals under s. 17C 1 21. Bodies established under s. 22 1 Division 4 — Provisions related to repeal of Welfare and Assistance Act 1961 22. Advances and grants of assistance 1 23. Applications for assistance 1 Division 5 — General provisions for transition to this Act 24. References to repealed Acts 1 25. Powers in relation to transitional matters 1 Division 6 — Provisions for the Children and Community Services Amendment Act 2010 26. Authorised officers 1 27. Ministerial Body 1 28. Protection orders (enduring parental responsibility) 1 Division 7 — Provisions for Children and Community Services Legislation Amendment and Repeal Act 2015 29. Terms used 1 30. PSR Act parenting agreements 1 31. Departmental parenting agreements 1 Notes Compilation table 1 Uncommenced provisions table 1 Other notes 1 Defined terms Western Australia Children and Community Services Act 2004 An Act — * to confer functions in relation to the provision of social services, the provision of financial and other assistance, and other matters concerning the wellbeing of children, other individuals, families and communities; * to make provisions about the protection and care of children and the employment of children; * to repeal the Child Welfare Act 1947; * to repeal the Community Services Act 1972; * to repeal the Welfare and Assistance Act 1961; * to amend certain Acts 1, and to provide for related matters. [Long title amended: No. 19 of 2007 s. 63.]