Commentary on Sections Part 2 – Children Order Amendments Section 127: Duty to ensure visits to and advice etc. for children
Section 127 inserts new Article 28B into the Children Order. This provision requires an authority to ensure that all looked after children are visited by a representative of the authority and that appropriate advice, support and assistance is made available to the child if the child requests it from the authority (paragraph (2)).
The Department may, by regulations, specify how the duties are to be discharged (paragraph (3)(a)); and in particular may specify the frequency of the visits; the circumstances in which the visit must take place and the functions of the representative (paragraph (4)). The authority must satisfy itself that the person chosen has the necessary skills and experience to perform the functions of a representative. Performance of these duties will be subject to any particular statutory requirements that may apply to the circumstances in which, or the place where, the child is actually living, for example in a children’s home or in relation to children who are held in custody or who are liable to be detained (paragraph (3)(b)).