Commentary on Sections Part 2 – Children Order Amendments Section 134: Care plans
Subsection (1) inserts new Article 50A (Care orders: care plans) into the Children Order. This places a duty on the authority in whose favour a care order is intended to be, or may be, made to prepare a care plan within a timescale set by the court (new paragraph (1)) and to review and revise the plan, if necessary, while the application to the court is pending (new paragraph (2)). A care plan prepared under new Article 50A is to be referred to in the Children Order as an "Article 50A plan" (new paragraph (6)). Regulations will set out how the plan is to be drawn up and the information to be included (new paragraph (3)). References to a care order in new Article 50A do not include an interim care order (new paragraph (5)).
Subsection (2) provides for transitional arrangements in relation to care plans, supporting care orders, prepared before subsection (1) comes into operation. Such plans to support the care order, if they are still in force on the day subsection (1) comes into operation, will have effect as if they were made under new Article 50A.